ACT I: (In the palace of the Bey of Algiers) Elvira laments the loss of the love of her husband, the Turkish Bey Mustafà. Her confidant Zulma, advises Elvira to accept this common plight of women. Suddenly, Mustafà enters in a temper. He wants an Italian woman and gives his captain, Haly, only six days to produce one. In another part of the palace, Lindoro, an Italian slave of Mustafà's corsairs, longs for his distant love. Mustafà tells Lindoro that he must marry Elvira, so that he can be rid of her. Lindoro, a romantic, describes the woman he longs for and Mustafà seems to think that Elvira is perfect for him. Offshore, passengers from a shipwreck have been taken prisoner. Among these prisoners Haly discovers an Italian woman, Isabella, and her companion and would-be lover, Taddeo. Isabella was traveling to seek out her true love, Lindoro, and determines that she must conquer the Algerians with her womanly wiles. Isabella and Taddeo decide to pose as niece and uncle as they wait in captivity. Back at the palace, Mustafà offers to let Lindoro escape to Venice, on the condition that he take Elvira with him. Seeing this as a great opportunity, Lindoro accepts. Just then, Haly notifies Mustafà of the arrival of the Italian woman, and the court is assembled. Isabella is brought in, and Mustafà and his court marvel at her beauty. She begins to flirt with Mustafà to entrap him, and Lindoro and Elvira enter to bid their farewells. Instantly, Isabella and Lindoro recognize each other and are stupefied. Isabella insists to Mustafa that Lindoro remain in Algiers and Lindoro is assigned as Isabella's slave. ACT II: (In the palace of the Bey of Algiers) Mustafà falls instantly in love with Isabella. Elvira, though upset, is counseled by Haly to be patient while Isabella's wiles make a fool of Mustafà. Elvira and Zulma (who have remained in Algiers after all) note Isabella's skill with men. Mustafà reveals his strategy: to impress Isabella he will make Taddeo his "Kaimakan," a position that Taddeo reluctantly takes on. Meanwhile, Isabella is preparing to receive Mustafà. With Lindoro as her slave, she instructs him to bring coffee for at least three. She also tells Elvira to watch from an adjacent room to see how to handle a man. Mustafà, Taddeo, and Lindoro all visit for coffee, and Mustafà arranges for everyone to leave them alone at his signal: a sneeze. Taddeo and Lindoro conspicuously ignore the sneezes, then Isabella foils Mustafà's plan further by inviting Elvira to join them for coffee. Mustafà sees that he's been tricked. After coffee, Lindoro reveals that Isabella wants to make Mustafà her "Pappataci," an honorable title given to Italian men who sleep and eat while allowing their women to do just as they please. Mustafà accepts. Isabella arranges an extravagant ceremony involving all of Mustafà's Italian slaves. During the ceremony the Italians dress Mustafà in a wig and costume as Isabella confers the oath Mustafà is to follow. He swears to be deaf and blind to all of her enterprises. Mustafà continues the celebration with eating and drinking as the Italians slip away to a waiting ship. Taddeo realizes Isabella's love for Lindoro and tries to tell Mustafà of her dishonesty, but Mustafà follows his pledge as "Pappataci." Instead, Taddeo joins the Italians and flees. Elvira and Haly reveal Isabella's trick to Mustafà, and he begs Elvira for forgiveness. Mustafà renounces all Italian women and proclaims that a woman cannot be kept from having her way.
ACT I: (In the palace of the Bey of Algiers)
Elvira laments the loss of the love of her husband, the Turkish Bey Mustafà. Her confidant Zulma, advises Elvira to accept this common plight of women. Suddenly, Mustafà enters in a temper. He wants an Italian woman and gives his captain, Haly, only six days to produce one.
In another part of the palace, Lindoro, an Italian slave of Mustafà's corsairs, longs for his distant love. Mustafà tells Lindoro that he must marry Elvira, so that he can be rid of her. Lindoro, a romantic, describes the woman he longs for and Mustafà seems to think that Elvira is perfect for him.
Offshore, passengers from a shipwreck have been taken prisoner. Among these prisoners Haly discovers an Italian woman, Isabella, and her companion and would-be lover, Taddeo. Isabella was traveling to seek out her true love, Lindoro, and determines that she must conquer the Algerians with her womanly wiles. Isabella and Taddeo decide to pose as niece and uncle as they wait in captivity.
Back at the palace, Mustafà offers to let Lindoro escape to Venice, on the condition that he take Elvira with him. Seeing this as a great opportunity, Lindoro accepts. Just then, Haly notifies Mustafà of the arrival of the Italian woman, and the court is assembled. Isabella is brought in, and Mustafà and his court marvel at her beauty. She begins to flirt with Mustafà to entrap him, and Lindoro and Elvira enter to bid their farewells. Instantly, Isabella and Lindoro recognize each other and are stupefied. Isabella insists to Mustafa that Lindoro remain in Algiers and Lindoro is assigned as Isabella's slave.
ACT II: (In the palace of the Bey of Algiers)
Mustafà falls instantly in love with Isabella. Elvira, though upset, is counseled by Haly to be patient while Isabella's wiles make a fool of Mustafà. Elvira and Zulma (who have remained in Algiers after all) note Isabella's skill with men.
Mustafà reveals his strategy: to impress Isabella he will make Taddeo his "Kaimakan," a position that Taddeo reluctantly takes on. Meanwhile, Isabella is preparing to receive Mustafà. With Lindoro as her slave, she instructs him to bring coffee for at least three. She also tells Elvira to watch from an adjacent room to see how to handle a man.
Mustafà, Taddeo, and Lindoro all visit for coffee, and Mustafà arranges for everyone to leave them alone at his signal: a sneeze. Taddeo and Lindoro conspicuously ignore the sneezes, then Isabella foils Mustafà's plan further by inviting Elvira to join them for coffee. Mustafà sees that he's been tricked. After coffee, Lindoro reveals that Isabella wants to make Mustafà her "Pappataci," an honorable title given to Italian men who sleep and eat while allowing their women to do just as they please. Mustafà accepts.
Isabella arranges an extravagant ceremony involving all of Mustafà's Italian slaves. During the ceremony the Italians dress Mustafà in a wig and costume as Isabella confers the oath Mustafà is to follow. He swears to be deaf and blind to all of her enterprises. Mustafà continues the celebration with eating and drinking as the Italians slip away to a waiting ship. Taddeo realizes Isabella's love for Lindoro and tries to tell Mustafà of her dishonesty, but Mustafà follows his pledge as "Pappataci." Instead, Taddeo joins the Italians and flees.
Elvira and Haly reveal Isabella's trick to Mustafà, and he begs Elvira for forgiveness. Mustafà renounces all Italian women and proclaims that a woman cannot be kept from having her way.
