The Lady and the Fool

About the show

During a prelude the curtain rises on a dark street with couples on their way to a ball (music from Alzira).; A sad theme (Jérusalem) marks the entrance of two poor clowns, Moondog and Bootface who head for an empty bench in the street, where they fall asleep. On her way to the ball and beautifully dressed, La Capricciosa notices the two ragged clowns, wakes them up and asks them to dance for her (Alzira).; The clowns dance a grotesque divertissement; La Capricciosa is delighted by their dance and sweeps them both along with her to the ball. In a splendid reception room at the palace of Signor Midas guests arrive (music from Il finto Stanislao and Giovanna d'Arco). Signor Midas greets everyone, welcomes the entrance of the dashing Capitano Adoncino (Il finto Stanislao, Aroldo, Les vêpres siciliennes) and the romantic Prince of Arroganza. The host and his guests are pursued by two debutantes looking for a rich husband, but the men eagerly await the arrival of La Capricciosa. At the height of a tarantella, a fanfare announces her arrival, and she dances a brilliant solo (I due Foscari) and introduces the two clowns, who then perform for the guests, with a scene based on a quarrel over a rose (Il finto Stanislao, Aroldo). An off-stage band summons the guests to dance, leaving the masked La Capricciosa with her three suitors (Ernani).They at first dance together (I due Foscari) then one by one the men tears a mask from her face – only to reveal another mask underneath; first Midas (Ernani, I masnadieri), then the Prince (I masnadieri, Macbeth, I due Foscari) and finally Adoncino (Macbeth, Attila), but they are rejected, and retire.; Alone, La Capricciosa removes her final mask, and at that moment Moondog enters and falls instantly in love with her (Attila). The off-stage band strikes up again and all re-enter, leading to several dances for Midas (Jérusalem), the Prince (Ernani, I Lombardi alla prima crociata) the husband-hunting debutantes (Il finto Stanislao, Oberto), Adoncino, with a pas de cinq to finish (Jérusalem, Attila). La Capricciosa enters, soon followed by Moondog (Les vêpres siciliennes) who makes passionate advances to her. She eventually allows her love to overwhelm her and they dance a pas de deux (Aroldo, I masnadieri).; After an ensemble in which Bootface tries to attracts the debutantes (Ernani, I Lombardi alla prima crociata, Les vêpres siciliennes), La Capricciosa enters. Despite the pleas of her three suitors, she points out Moondog, and they embrace to the horror of the guests who leave the room (Aroldo, Luisa Miller). La Capricciosa helps Moondog to his feet and they slowly go off, leaving a disconsolate Bootface; but they return and take him with them (Ernani, Aroldo). In the final scene, back in the street, all three curl up to sleep on the bench (Jérusalem, Aroldo).