from Act I, Scene 1 of the Italian opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto: Gaetano Donizetti

Role: Doctor Malatesta, a friend of Ernesto and Don Pasquale

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: a room in Don Pasquale's house, Rome, early 19th century

Synopsis: For a long time, Don Pasquale has been looking for a young woman to marry. He has asked his friend, Doctor Malatesta, to find a woman for him. Malatesta describes the beautiful woman he has found, who he tells Pasquale is his sister.

from Act I, Scene 1 of the Italian opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto: Gaetano Donizetti

Role: Don Pasquale, a rich old bachelor

Voice Part: bass       Fach: buffo bass

Setting: a room in Don Pasquale's house, Rome, early 19th century

Synopsis: After Malatesta has told Don Pasquale that he has found a beautiful young wife for him, Don Pasquale sings of how this news makes him feel young again. He can already imagine himself married to her with a half dozen children around him.

from Act II of the Italian opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto: Gaetano Donizetti

Role: Ernesto, Don Pasquale's disinherited nephew, in love with Norina

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: tenor leggiero

Setting: Don Pasquale's house, Rome, early 19th century

Synopsis: Ernesto knows that he will never be able to marry Norina now because he has been disinherited. He decides to leave the town and is only content because he knows that Norina will be happy.

from Act III of the Italian opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto: Gaetano Donizetti

Role: Ernesto, Don Pasquale's disinherited nephew, in love with Norina

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: tenor leggiero

Setting: Don Pasquale's house, Rome, early 19th century

Synopsis: Ernesto serenades Norina in Don Pasquale's garden, describing the beautiful night and his wishes to be with her.

from Act III of the Italian opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto: Gaetano Donizetti

Role: Norina, a young widow, Ernesto's beloved

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: soubrette

Setting: Don Pasquale's house, Rome, early 19th century

Synopsis: Norina leads the chorus and the rest of the principals in stating the moral of the opera, which is "When you are old and you try to get remarried, fortune doesn't usually go your way."

from Act I, Scene 2 of the Italian opera Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto: Gaetano Donizetti

Role: Norina, a young widow, Ernesto's beloved

Voice Part: soprano       Fach: soubrette

Setting: Norina's house, Rome, early 19th century

Synopsis: Norina is reading a novel about love. After reading a passage aloud, she explains that she knows all the tricks of ensnaring a man.