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Operas -
The Barber of Seville
Opera in 2 acts by G. Rossini
The Marriage of Figaro
Opera in 4 acts by W.A. Mozart
The Guilty Mother
Drama by P. Beaumarchais
Based on the trilogy of plays by Beaumarchais
Setting: 18th Century Seville, Spain
Part I: The Barber of Seville
The story of Figaro, the barber of Seville, opens on a quiet evening in front of the house of Doctor Barolo as handsome young Count Almaviva, disguised as a student, serenades Bartolo's lovely ward, Rosina, with whom he has fallen in love. Bartolo, who plans to marry the girl himself, is determined to keep Rosina secluded from other men. The Count decides to enlist the help of Figaro, who is routinely admitted to Bartolo's house as his personal barber. An enterprising young man, Figaro is only too happy to help when the Count promises a large fee.
 Figaro's plan unfolds as he lets Rosina know that a student named Lindoro is madly in love with her and longs to meet her. He further disguises Almaviva as a drunken soldier with fake orders to be quartered at Bartolo's house. As the plan unfolds, Bartolo refuses to provide the soldier with accommodations and after a loud quarrel, the police are summoned to restore the peace. But amid the chaos, Almaviva makes Rosina aware that he is her Lindoro.
As the schemers go to plan B, Almaviva is disguised as a music teacher, arriving to give Rosina her music lesson in place of her regular teacher, Don Basilio, who is supposedly sick. Figaro arrives to give Bartolo a shave and occupy him so that the lovers can be alone together. Their plans are almost upset as a healthy Don Basilio arrives, but they quickly send him home telling him that he looks awful and must be very sick. However, Bartolo's suspicions are aroused and after catching Almaviva and Rosina in an embrace, he argrily chases Figaro and Almaviva from his house, not realizing that Almaviva and Rosina have made plans to elope.
 Bartolo decides to marry Rosina himself and hastens to fetch a notary. When he leaves, Figaro and Almaviva break in and try to rescue Rosina, but Bartolo foils the escape and goes to the police. Soon a notary arrives with Don Basilio for Bartolo's wedding, but the notary is Figaro's friend and the Count bribes them to marry he and Rosina instead. Bartolo enters with the police only to find that he has been outwitted. The Count reveals his true identity and allows Bartolo to keep Rosina's large dowry. Everyone receives their promised fee and rejoice with the happy couple.
Part II: The Marriage of Figaro
Years have passed since Count Almaviva's marriage to Rosina, now known as the Countess. At the Count's large estate outside of Seville, Figaro, now the Count's servant, is engaged to the Countess' chambermaid, Susanna. Learning that the Count, who is bored with his own marriage, plans to exercise his right as master of the house to claim Susanna as his lover before she can marry Figaro, the wily servant decides to outwit his master's scheme.
Figaro has borrowed money from the dowager Marcellina who is a friend of old Dr. Bartolo, with the promise to marry her if the debt is not paid. Eager to settle the score against Figaro, Bartolo has come to help her collect on the debt. Meanwhile, the lad Cherubino is infatuated with the Countess and since she is being neglected by her husband, hopes to win her affections. When the Count hears of Cherubino's flirtations, he is jealous and sends the lad away with a commission in the army.
Figaro plans to teach the Count a lesson by having Susanna send a note agreeing to meet her master in the garden, but have Cherubino, disguised as a woman, keep the meeting instead. The Countess, who agrees to the plan, will surprise them and embarrass the Count. The ladies dress Cherubino in women's clothes, but they are interrupted by the Count who almost discovers their plan before Cherubino escapes through the window. Only some quick thinking and brash lying by Figaro saves the day, however, the Count's suspicions are aroused.
At a legal hearing before the Count, Marcellina and Bartolo demand that Figaro honor his promise of marriage. However, it is discovered that Figaro is in fact their long-lost son. During the surprise reunion, Marcellina and Bartolo decide to marry and so a double wedding is planned for the evening. Meanwhile, the Countess instructs Susanna to write her letter to the Count setting up the meeting in the garden.
Later as preparations are being made for the wedding celebration, Cherubino is spotted posing as a flower girl. When he is hauled before the Count for punishment, Barbarina, the gardener's daughter, reminds the Count that he has promised her a favor and that she wishes to marry Cherubino. To save face, the Count is forced to agree and so the festivities become a triple wedding. In the midst of the celebration, the Count receives the note from Susanna to meet later. Figaro hadn't realized that Susanna had written the note yet and he is surprised and jealous.
In the garden, Figaro overhears Barbarina worrying about losing Susanna's pin that she was to give the Count at their meeting. Now Figaro assumes that his bride is actually meeting the Count herself and fumes that one can never trust women. He hears Susanna singing about her love and assumes she sings about the Count. Meanwhile, Susanna and the Countess have agreed to swap costumes and disguise themselves. The Count of course arrives to flirt with Susanna, not realizing that he is with his own wife. At the same time, Figaro, trying to get back at Susanna, starts to flirt with the Countess, who is really his bride. He quickly figures out the disguise and the two happily reunite. Finally the Countess reveals herself and the Count is totally humiliated and properly embarrassed. He begs forgiveness for making a fool of himself and promises to behave in the future. The night ends happily for all the loving couples.
Part III: The Guilty Mother
In the final segment of the play, a number of years have passed since Figaro's marriage to Susanna. A scheming Irish soldier and former secretary to the Count named Begearss has managed to persuade Almaviva to leave Spain and take up residence in Paris. Begearss plans to swindle Almaviva out of his fortune, but Figaro learns of his plot and vows to save his master.
The Count and Countess, now estranged, have undergone many personal trials, the greatest of which being the recent death of their eldest son in a duel. Rather than pass his legacy down to his younger son, Leon, whom he distrusts, Almaviva lavishes his fortune on his ward, Floristine, whom the greedy Begearss plans to marry even though he knows that Floristine and Leon are in love.
 To remove his competition, Begearss advises Almaviva to send Leon on a long trip with Figaro as his valet. He further crushes the lovers by slyly revealing that they are brother and sister, Florestine being Almaviva's daughter by another woman. Thinking Begearss' motives are honorable, the Count and Countess arrange for his marriage to Floristine without delay. However, Figaro folis the plot revealing Begearss has a wife in Ireland and only wants Floristine to get the Count's fortune. It is also revealed that Leon's true father was Cherubino, with whom the Countess had a regrettable fling before he died. The Count is enraged at the truth, but seeing the guilty mother so deeply remorseful for her sin, he forgives her and accepts Leon as his heir. The revelation that they are not brother and sister, allows Leon and Florestine to be wed. Figaro saves the Count's fortune from Begearss and is granted a tidy sum as a reward.
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