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Overview
Synopsis
Carolina and Paolino have been secretly married for two months, and now the need to tell Carolina’s father, Signor Geronimo, is more vital than ever. But, Paolino has a plan. As Geronimo’s valet, he has been making arrangements for Carolina’s older sister, Elisetta, to marry the eminent Count Robinson (Il Conte Robinsone). He is sure that when this marriage goes ahead, Geronimo will be so pleased with his work that they will be able to reveal their secret and Paolino will be welcomed into the family. Unfortunately, when the Count meets the sisters, he has other ideas.
This operatic farce to rival Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte and Le nozze di Figaro sees all six characters getting into awkward situations, or being caught in compromising positions until the truth has to finally come out. Cimarosa’s excellent score bubbles along to Bertati’s hilarious libretto and makes this an excellent work for everyone to enjoy.
Show Information
- Music
- Domenico Cimarosa
- Libretto
- Giovanni Bertati
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- The Clandestine Marriage by George Colman and David Garrick
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1792
- Genres
- Comedy, Dark Comedy, Farce, Romance
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Bologna, 18th century
- Cast Size
- small
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Optional
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- Chamber Opera, College/University, Professional Opera, Small Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Elderly, Young Adult, Adult Characters
Context
On 7th February 1792, Il matrimonio segreto received its premiere. It was written for King Leopold II of Vienna who liked it so much at the first performance that he laid on a grand feast for the singers and then asked them to perform the entire thing again! Bertati’s Italian libretto is based on Colman and Garrick’s English play The Clandestine Marriage. Bertati chose to condense many of the characters of the play into just six singers,
to read the context for Il matrimonio segreto and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act 1
Carolina is anxious that someone is going to find out about her marriage to Paolino, her father’s valet, before they reveal the secret officially (Duet: “Cara non dubitar”).. If a servant finds out, the rumors could ruin her reputation and that of the household, and then her father would never accept their marriage. She is also terrified that Paolino has tricked her into this marriage. He keeps promising that they will reveal their marriage at any moment, but then backing down.
to read the plot for Il matrimonio segreto and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Mezzo-Soprano, Contralto |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Baritone, Bass |
Songs
Sinfonia
Act 1
Scene 1
No. 1 Introduction ‘Cara non dubitar’ - Paolino, Carolina
Recitative ‘Lusinga, no, non c’è’ - Paolino, Carolina
No. 2 Duet ‘Io ti lascio, perchè uniti’ - Paolino, Carolina
Scene 2
Recitative ‘Ecco che qui sen vien’ - Paolino, Geronimo
Scene 3
Recitative ‘Orsù, più non si tardi’ - Geronimo, Carolina, Elisetta, Fidalma
No. 3 Aria ‘Udite, tutti udite’ - Geronimo
Scene 4
Recitative ‘Signora sorellina’ - Elisetta, Carolina, Fidalma
No. 4 Trio ‘Le facchio un inchino’ - Carolina, Elisetta, Fidalma
Scene 5
Recitative ‘Chetatevi e scusatela’ - Fidalma, Elisetta
No. 5 Aria ‘È vero che in casa’ - Fidalma
Scene 6
Recitative ‘Prima che arrivi il Conte’ - Geronimo, Carolina
Scene 7
Recitative ‘Signore, ecco qua il Conte’ - Paolino, Geronimo
No. 6 Cavatina ‘Senza cerimonie’ - Conte, Carolina, Elisetta, Fidalma, Paolino, Geronimo
Recitative ‘Orsù, senza far punto cerimonie’ - Conte, Geronimo, Paolino
Scene 8
Recitative ‘Permettetemi dunque’ - Conte, Carolina, Elisetta, Fidalma
No. 7 Quartet ‘Sento in petto un freddo gelo’ - Conte, Elisetta, Carolina, Fidalma
Scene 9
Recitative ‘Più a lungo la scoperta’ - Paolino, Carolina
Scene 10
Recitative ‘Si, coraggio mi faccio’ - Paolino, Conte
No. 8 Duet ‘Signor, deh, concedete…’ - Paolino, Conte
Scene 11
Recitative ‘Paolino ritarda con la risposta’ - Carolina, Conte
No. 9 Aria ‘Perdonate, signor mio’ - Carolina
Scene 12
Recitative ‘Io resto ancora attonito’ - Conte
Scene 13
No. 10 Finale I ‘Tu mi dici che del Conte’ - Geronimo, Elisetta, Fidalma, Carolina, Conte, Paolino
Act 2
Scene 1
Recitative ‘Questa invero e curiosa!’ - Geronimo, Conte
No. 11 Duet ‘Se fiato in corpo avete’ - Geronimo, Conte
Scene 2
Recitative ‘Per fare ch’Elisetta mi ricusi’ - Conte, Paolino
Scene 3 and Scene 4
Recitative ‘Ecco che or ora scoppia’ - Paolino, Fidalma
No. 12 Trio ‘Sento ohimè’ - Paolino, Fidalma, Carolina
Scene 5
Recitative ‘Vanne, vanne, la seguita…’ - Carolina, Paolino
No. 13 Aria ‘Pria che spunti in ciel l’aurora’ - Paolino
Scene 6
Recitative ‘Fuggir? Palese al mondo’ - Carolina
Scene 7
Recitative ‘Qua nulla si conclude’ - Elisetta, Conte
No. 14 Aria ‘Son lunatico, bilioso’ - Conte, Elisetta
Scene 8
Recitative ‘Potea parlar’ - Elisetta, Fidalma
Scene 9
Recitative ‘Ebben? Sei persuasa’ - Elisetta, Fidalma, Geronimo
No. 15 Trio ‘Cosa farete?’ - Elisetta, Fidalma, Geronimo
Scene 10
Recitative ‘In un ritiro?’ - Geronimo
Scene 11
Recitative ‘Son risoluta io stessa’ - Carolina, Geronimo
Scene 12
Recitative ‘E possono mai nascere’ - Carolina
No. 16 Recitativo Accompagnato ‘Come tacerlo poi’ - Carolina
Scene 13
Recitative ‘Dove mia cara’ - Conte, Carolina
Scene 14
Recitative ‘Colti vi abbiam’ - Carolina, Conte, Elisetta, Fidalma, Geronimo
No. 17 Quintet ‘Deh! Lasciate ch’io respiri’ - Carolina, Conte, Elisetta, Fidalma, Geronimo
Scene 15
Recitative ‘Sarete or persuasa’ - Elisetta, Fidalma
No. 18 Aria ‘Se son vendicata contenta’ - Elisetta
Scene 16
Recitative ‘Venite qua, Paolino’ - Geronimo, Paolino
Scene 17
Recitative ‘E a risolversi adesso’ - Paolino
Scene 18
No. 19 Duet ‘Il parlar di Carolina’ - Conte, Elisetta
Final Scene
No. 20 Finale II ‘Deh, ti conforta’ - Carolina, Paolino, Elisetta, Fidalma, Conte, Geronimo
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.