After three years of marriage, Count Almaviva is just plain bored. So he revives an age-old tradition that will give him first dibs on his wife's servant girl on her wedding night. Never mind that the lovely bride-to-be, Susanna, is engaged to his faithful servant, Figaro—of Barber of Seville fame—who, incidentally, helped Almaviva win the Countess' hand! Pride comes before a fall…and Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess are ready and willing to give the Count a nudge. You'll be captivated by this charming production featuring Mozart's effervescent melodies and an ensemble cast of stars on the rise.

ACT I
Figaro (Count Almaviva’s servant) and Susanna (the Countess’ maid) plan to marry, but the Count wants to re-instate his customary rights as lord of the manor to claim Susanna before her wedding night. Figaro vows to thwart the Count with the help of Susanna and the Countess, who wants desperately to rekindle her philandering husband’s affection for her. An additional complication arises – Figaro has borrowed money from Marcellina, promising to marry her if he defaults, and she intends to hold him to his word with the help of Don Bartolo and the Count.

The Count is extremely jealous of his young page, Cherubino, who is enamored with every woman in the house, though he swears a special devotion to the Countess. When Cherubino overhears the Count propositioning Susanna, the Count decides to send the lad away to Seville to join the regiment. Figaro intercedes and detains Cherubino to aid in his master plan.

ACT II
Figaro intends to have Susanna and the Countess dress Cherubino as a woman in the hopes that when the Count tries to seduce yet another woman, the Countess can discover them together and use the Count’s guilt to force him to let Susanna marry Figaro immediately. Just as the women begin to disguise Cherubino, the Count almost catches them, and in a fit of panic, the young lad jumps from the Countess’ window while Susanna and the Countess think quickly in order to fool the Count. When Figaro returns, he claims to have been the jumper, despite the fact that the gardener arrives with evidence to the contrary – Cherubino’s commission papers.

ACT III
The Countess has a plan of her own. Susanna will agree to meet the Count in the garden that night, but the Countess will stand in for her. Together the women write a note to the Count instructing him where to meet Susanna. Meanwhile, Figaro, still fighting Marcellina’s claim on him, argues that he must have his parents’ permission to marry, despite not knowing who they are. When he reveals the few known details of his birth, Marcellina and Don Bartolo to realize they are his parents, which naturally cancels Figaro’s obligation to Marcellina, and the older couple decide to wed instead.

ACT IV
Unaware of the Countess’ plan, Figaro assumes the worst when he learns that Susanna plans to meet the Count. He hides in the garden, but Susanna and the disguised Countess know Figaro is there. The Count arrives to seduce the woman he believes to be Susanna, but who is actually the Countess. They both hide as Figaro emerges, and Susanna reveals herself, letting Figaro in on the plot. In return, Figaro draws the Count out of hiding by pretending to flirt with the Countess. The Count, in a jealous rage at first, realizes how he has wronged his ever-faithful wife and all is forgiven.

Written by Hannah Smith