La finta semplice characters Polidoro
Act 1
Captain Fracasso and his Hungarian troops are stationed near Cremona. He and his sergeant Simone have been lodging for two months in the home of Don Cassandro, who lives in his grand house with his weak-in-the-head brother Polidoro, and their beautiful sister, Giacinta. Inevitably, Captain Fracasso falls in love with Giacinta, and Simone with the chambermaid Ninetta. Fracasso and Giacinta want to marry, as do Simone and Ninetta. But they can't do it without the consent of the brothers Cassandro and Polidoro. The two brothers are comfortable with their status quo – they are confirmed misogynists, and unwilling to part with their sister. The wily soubrette Ninetta devises a plan to outwit the brothers, with the collaboration of Rosina, Fracasso's sister, who happens to be "visiting". Rosina (prima donna) poses as a naïve innocent who is going to make both brothers fall in love with her until they agree to the marriages. Polidoro falls in love with Rosina first and proposes marriage immediately. At first Cassandro is indifferent, but eventually his defences are completely disarmed through Rosina's feigned naïvety and innocence. So far, the plan is working.1 Coro: No. 1
1 Duetto: No. 19, between Cassandro and Fracasso
3 Ensembles as "Finales" of each act: No. 11, No. 21, No. 26
21 arias, distributed as follows:
Cassandro, 3 arias – No. 4, No. 8, No. 16
Polidoro, 2 arias – No. 7, No. 17
Giacinta, 3 arias – No. 3, No. 14, No. 24
Ninetta, 3 arias – No. 10, No. 12, No. 23
Fracasso, 3 arias – No. 5, No. 20, No. 25
Simone, 3 arias – No. 2, No. 13, No. 22
Rosina, 4 arias – No. 6, No. 9, No. 15, No. 18
roles protagonists personalities figures casts