The Vines of Almaviva

"The Vines of Almaviva" is a libretto, a story told in rhyming couplets that could be enjoyed as a play or, if set to music, as a musical or an opera. But it is also a sequel to the opera, "The Marriage of Figaro" so it would be of greatest interest to people familiar with that opera and its precursor, "The Barber of Seville". It is not the first sequel to be written in this series, but unlike the half dozen others, it has a positive outlook. All stories don't end happily, but those that do are the best ones to celebrate.

This story does not begin on a pleasant note as the marriage of Figaro and Susanna has not gone well. They are both well liked members of Count Almaviva's staff however and they have the support and encouragement of their patrons and peers to overcome their troubles. Largely set on the Count's estate near Seville, they are immersed in the events and activities that concerned Spain and Andalusia around 1790. There is a lot going on, on a variety of levels, and the Count somehow has a hand in most of it.