The Marriage of Figaro

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The Countess Rosina plots to chasten her husband’s infidelity, with assistance from Figaro and Susanna. Cherubino, smitten with the Countess, agrees to help. The two women disguise Cherubino as Susanna, in order to lure the Count into a romantic tryst. Susanna leaves to find a ribbon for the disguise, only for the Count himself to arrive. Cherubino quickly hides in a closet. The Count, however, hears noise coming from the closet and doubts the Countess’s claim that Susanna is inside. He takes his wife to fetch tools with which to open the locked closet. Meanwhile, Susanna, having observed everything, urges Cherubino to come out. Cherubino leaps from the window to escape, and Susanna takes his place in the closet. Both Almaviva and Rosina are amazed to find her there upon their return. All seems well until the gardener storms in with crushed geraniums from the flower bed below the window. Figaro, who has run in to announce that the wedding is ready, contends it was he who jumped from the window and feigns a sprained ankle. Marcellina, Bartolo, and the music teacher Basilio enter waving a court summons for Figaro, which allows the lecherous Count to delay the wedding.