Doña Francisquita


General Information


GenreZarzuela . Lyrical ComedyLanguageSpanishYear of the Premiere1923Acts3

Synopsis


Francisquita is in love with student and would-be poet, Fernando. He, however, is infatuated with the fiery actress Aurora la Beltrana, who in turn is the lover of Lorenzo Pérez. When Francisquita tries to flirt with Fernando, he ignores her. His friend Cardona takes him to task and suggests that he would be happier with her than Aurora. Francisquita is then wooed by the Don Mathias, Fernando's father, in the presence of Doña Francisca, Francisquita's mother. At first, Doña Francisca mistakenly believes that she is the object of Don Mathias' affections. Francisquita pretends to accept the elderly man's advances, hoping to make Fernando jealous.

At the urging of Cardona, Fernando also makes advances to Francisquita hoping to make Aurora jealous. Fernando's passion for Francisquita starts to grow. He is horrified that she might marry his father and become Doña Francisquita. He tells Aurora that she no longer has any power over him, which at last piques her interest in him. But it is too late, he is now completely in love with Francisquita. All is resolved after a series of misunderstandings and machinations involving Cardona disguising himself as a woman; Aurora's lover, Lorenzo Perez, challenging Fernando to a duel; and rumours that Fernando plans to marry Francisquita's mother to the subsequent horror of Don Mathias. Don Mathias eventually realizes he is too old for Francisquita and gives his blessing to the young couple. 



Roles


FrancisquitaSoprano

Young and y clever single woman
Aurora, la BeltranaMezzo-soprano

Actress
Fernando SolerTenor

Young men, former lover of Aurora
CardonaTenor

Fernando's friend
Doña FranciscaContralto

Francisquita's Mother
Don MatíasBaritone

Fernando's Father
Lorenzo PerezBaritone

Aurora's lover
Juan AndrésBaritone

Lorenzo's friend
Irene, la de PintoSpoken

Aurora's friend
La BuhoneraMezzo-soprano

Street peddler
LañadorTenor

Street peddler
SerenoTenor

Night watchman
Doña BasilisaSoprano

Doña Francisca's friend
Doña LiberataMezzo-soprano

Doña Francisca's friend
Cofrades 1, 2 y 3Tenor

 
ToreroBaritone

 
MadreMezzo-soprano

 
Dependiente 1, 2 y 3BaritoneTenor

 
Niña 1 y 2Child

 
JornaleroBass

 
Mujer del JornaleroMezzo-soprano

 
Hijo del JornaleroChild

 
AguadoraMezzo-soprano

 
NaranjeraSoprano

 
FloristaMezzo-soprano

 
LiberalTenor

 
AguadorTenor

 
MilicianoBass

 
CuraBass

 
Estudiante 1, 2 y 3BaritoneBass

 
Cortejo BodasMute

 
BailaoraMute