Die schweigsame Frau

Act One

The affluent, well-to-do 64-year-old Sir Morosus lives on his own. He has plenty of living space, but he barely maintains any social contacts at all. He only interacts with two people: on the one hand, there’s his housekeeper, who has been working for him faithfully for seventeen years now and secretly hopes that he will take a fancy to her, but whose talkativeness Morosus can’t bear, and on the other hand his barber Schneidebart (Cutbeard), who takes care of his physical well-being. Morosus is also extremely sensitive to noise and needs his rest, which is why he can only barely stand the clamor of the streets and the tolling of church bells. Since he clearly has no heirs and to ensure that he can enjoy the rest of his life peacefully, the barber suggests that he should take a quiet, modest, silent woman as his wife.

Very surprisingly, however, Morosus’ nephew appears, whom he has not seen in quite some time. He suggests to Morosus that he could move in, so there would be no need to get married. But Henry did not come alone, but with an entire theatre troupe, who then shows up in Morosusʼ apartment. Henry, who started a career as a singer, presents the members of the company, including his wife Aminta, who is also a member of the company. Morosus is horrified that a nephew has joined the ranks of the strolling actors and disinherits him immediately. The theater people are offended by Morosus’s tone and behavior, which they see as an insult to their profession.

Morosus now tells the barber to get him that silent woman he had in mind as soon as possible. Schneidebart thinks up a devious scheme that he wants to pursue together with the acting troupe that should cure Morosus of his misanthropy and at the same time to get their hands on some of the money that Morosus is supposedly hoarding in his home. Aminta is to convince Morosus as a reticent, silent woman, he should then marry her in a fake ceremony, but after a brief period she should change her tune entirely and turn into a raging fury who does anything but provide Morosus with the comfortable life he was looking for, instead making it a living hell. A game with false identities, costumes, and subterfuge begins, with Schneidebart pulling the strings, while Henry is supposed to save the day in the end. All agree enthusiastically to the barber’s plan.

Act Two

Morosus dons his finest garments: he is about to be presented with three candidates for marriage. The first two are absolutely not to his taste, but he takes a shine to the third. A courteous and modest, but most importantly silent potential bride is presented to him as “Timidia,” and who touches Morosus deeply. Carlotta, Isotta, and Aminta from the theater troupe have played their roles convincingly, along with Vanuzzi as a fake priest and Morbio as a fake notary. The false marriage is carried out, even featuring a small feast for all participants, with the housekeeper and the barber as witnesses. In this dignified atmosphere, suddenly the noise of a group of men breaks the dignified setting, led by the actor Farfallo, who pretends to be Morosus’ former comrade and wants to congratulate him on his wedding. But Morosus, who doesn’t know them at all, demands that they leave his home immediately; instead, they invite various passersby from the street to join the festivities. This all involves quite a bit of noise, under which Morosus visibly suffers. The barber – also part of the game – tosses everyone out, Timidia (aka Aminta) remains with Morosus. Trying to be sensitive, but also very awkwardly, he attempts to make advances towards her, but she cries out loudly to be left in peace. Her former quiet and modesty has now disappeared entirely, she demands loudly to have the sole say in the home and starts rearranging the interior as she sees fit. Morosus is helpless in the face of this racket, only Henry is able to bring things back to normal. He intervenes by pretending to be jovial yet brutal, forcing Timidia (Aminta) to silence, and promising his uncle to have the divorce completed the very next day. Morosus is at his wits’ end, but grateful to his nephew for getting him out of his situation. Henry and Aminta sing about their successful ruse and at the same time of their love for one another.

Act Three

Aminta/Timidia is still altering the interior design, and all attempts to regain quiet are useless. The noise of the workmen, and on top of that singing lessons that sorely test the sensitive ears of Morosus add to his desire to divorce the wife he just married yesterday as soon as possible. The barber presents the high judge and two lawyers, also played by actors who enact the divorce procedures is an intentionally contorted fashion. They look for possible reasons to show that the marriage was legally invalid in order to quickly annul it. Henry appears as a false witness, claiming to have already had physical relations with “Timidia.” But since this took place before the marriage to Morosus, the lawyers argue, it could not be considered grounds for annulment. Morosus is now utterly desperate, and the play approaches a critical juncture. The situation is resolved and all is explained: the actors remove their costumes and admit that is was all a devious scheme. Morosus suddenly laughs at himself. He is relieved and at the same time amused at the clever way in which he has been duped over the past few days. He now consents to the marriage of Aminta and Henry, and he now knows to treasure the joys of theater. They were indeed beneficial experiences that Morosus gained, that quiet is important, but so are life and experience. In a sense both wise and inspired, he reflects on what has happened: “How wonderful music is, but how much more wonderful when it’s over! How wonderful to have a young, silent wife, but how much more wonderful if she’s someone else’s! How wonderful life is, but how much more so if you’re not a fool and know how to live it! Ah, my dears, how marvelously you’ve cured me, I’ve never felt so happy.”