SCENE 1

     Morning. The servants are cleaning the halls in Count Almaviva's castle. Count Almaviva's valet Figaro enters with his sweetheart Susanna, the countess's maid. These two are, as usual, making fun of their dull routine work.
     They dream of marriage, but the count does not give his consent for their wedding, because he has fallen for Susanna himself.
     The count enters to give orders to his servants, but as soon as he sees Susanna, he forgets everything. However, her master's flirtation leaves the maid indifferent.
     Only one thing worries Susanna: how to outwit the count and marry her Figaro!
     The countess who takes care of the young couple, Figaro and Susanna try to find a way out of the impasse.
     Cherubino, the page who is in love with the countess, dashes into the hall. But for the countess he is nothing more than a per­sonification of her unrealised maternal feelings.
     Almaviva angrily finds fauit with the servants as they lay the table.

Proscenium

     Music teacher Don Basilio, a taleteller and intriguer, tries to please Marcelina, the eccentric housekeeper, who loves fishing, and to her elderly lover Bartolo, a doctor who is ready to satisfy every whim of his ever-youthrul (in his eyes at least) beloved. According to Don Basiiio, at this precise spot the fish bite marvelously in response to his bagpipes. Everybody is absorbed in fishing, but the coins are over. There's no point in wasting time without a charming melody. Bartolo has caught more fish than Marcelina, so she's upset.

SCENE 2

     Don Basilio, Bartolo and Marcelina appear in the castle grounds. Basilio hurries to the kitchen with an order to prepare the fish they have caught. Marcelina, having had too much sun, takes a nap and has a strange vision, in which she sees her most beautiful dream coming true: she is a ballerina and Figaro, who is in her debt and so dear to her heart, joins her. But when she wakes, Marcelina is upset to discover she's still with Bartolo. The dream was so marvelous! She danced, she got applause... But reality?! What does she need this fried fish for? She would give anything to return to her dream, to stay a little longer with Figaro! She decides that the count can help her make it come true. But where is he?

SCENE 3

     The bedroom of the countess. She is very sad. The count has disappointed and deceived her. He is out of his mind: he keeps flirting with Susanna, trying to create obstacles to her wedding with Figaro. And he is jealous of lovely little Cherubino, who brings the countess only the joy of maternal feelings.
     Enter Susanna, telling the countess that her favorite, her "child" Cherubino, wants to come and see her. Let him come, the countess has a present for him, a ribbon.
     How much emotion this little boy brings with him! Almavi­va's jealousy spoils everything, and the countess is on the verge of a huge scandal. Don Basilio tracked down Cherubino and has told the count everything. Passions are flaring.
     The countess hides Cherubino behind a screen, but the count notices her agitation at once. He is sure this is his chance to expose his wife's infidelity and send this impudent youth off to the army at last!
     No one notices when sharp-witted Susanna changes places with Cherubino behind the screen.
     The count is taken aback, he has to apologise to the countess for being suspicious. To prevent another family scandal he gives the countess a luxurious dressing gown. Enter Marcelina, Bar­tolo and Don Basilio, attracted by the commotion; soon Figaro joins them. As the count is in a good mood, Figaro takes this opportunity to ask for his master's consent to his marriage with Susanna. But Marcelina is against it, because she has sworn not to give away her dreamt-of sweetheart and debtor.
     The count gets a headache. This is enough reason to post­pone the wedding.
     Everybody is ready to leave the hall, but suddenly the screen hiding Cherubino, falls down!

Proscenium

     Uproar, tumult and pursuit!
     Marcelina compels Count Almaviva to call a court session because she believes that the verdict can make her happy. And she will present strong evidence against the unfaithful Figaro.

SCENE 4

     The count sends Chembino off to the army and Marcelina brings a suit against Figaro, who, while borrowing her money, has written the following: "I, Figaro, borrow the money from Signora Marcelina. I undertake either to return it or to marry her." Figaro and Susanna implore everybody to lend them the necessary sum. Almaviva is implacable. Susanna's sweetheart must marry Marcelina. Figaro decides to give Marcelina his most precious possession: his mother's gold medallion, that she gave him as soon as he was born.
     Marcelina faints when she sees the medallion. Figaro turns out to be her son by Bartolo, who was stolen by brigands when he was just a baby.
     Marcelina is happy. Now everybody begs the count to give his consent to Figaro's marriage with Susanna. Almaviva delays his answer.

Proscenium

     Life in the military makes the young page Cherubino miser­able. Figaro, Susanna and the countess come to comfort him. The countess is generous as usual. She brings him a present: his favorite toy, a skipping-rope, and not only for him, but for the rest of the soldiers as well.

SCENE 5

     The garden at Count Almaviva's castle. The inseparable trio of Figaro, Susanna and the countess come up with another plan to play a trick on the count to get him to give his consent to the wedding. Susanna writes a short letter to the count inviting him for a date. She and the countess exchange clothes.
     The count is happy. At last everything is going his way. The main thing is to get to the appointed place in secret. Almaviva declares his love for the countess, disguised as Susanna. She hasn't seen such a passion in her husband for a long time. But suddenly the count notices another couple very much like Figaro and Susanna nearby. Who is with him? The countess? The trick has worked perfectly.
     The servants gather. Everybody asks the count to bless the marriage of Figaro and Susanna. The count agrees to redress his own wrong.

Proscenium

     Everybody hurries to the wedding.

SCENE 6

     Cherubino's military unit comes to take part in the wedding festivities. Figaro is happy. Susanna is happy, the countess is happy, Marcelina is happy. Even Almaviva is happy...