Act 3
An antechamber in the villa.
Scene 1: Lelio.
Lelio is distraught and dying of loneliness because he hasn’t seen Lelia all evening. He knows she isn’t in the villa because he has looked everywhere but not found her. He lays on the floor and makes a display of his dyingness.
Scene 2: Dottore, Lelio.
Dottore sees Lelio and tries to cheer him with some of his (terrible music). It doesn’t succeed and Lelio keeps pining for Lelia and swearing he will die of misery if she isn’t found soon, making exaggerated threats and overdramatic performances of impending demise. Dottore, aside, worries that he won’t stay employed with Lelio if the man is dead of misery. He decides he had better retrieve Lelia, and he tells Lelio he will go out to look for her.
Scene 3: Lelio, Columbina, Francesquina.
Columbina and Francesquina enter and inquire about Lelio’s condition. He tells them he’s this way because Lelia has disappeared. Having overheard Scaramuccia, the girls declare that Scaramuccia and the Dottore must be behind this. They call for Scaramuccia.
Scene 4: Scaramuccia, Columbina, Francesquina, Lelio.
Columbina demands Scaramuccia explain what has happened to Lelia. Scaramuccia initially denies involvement (try the Yes and No Lazzo or Lying Lazzo) but at last admits what he’s done, yet he assures he genuinely knows nothing about Lelia’s whereabouts.
Scene 5: All.
Dottore enters from outside, holding a lantern and guiding in from the snow Lelia (holding a log), Magnifica, and a group of wealthy people. Magnifica makes a grand entrance, performing a song or a comedy routine. Lelio addresses Magnifica as “mommy” and she doesn’t remember what his name is. Lelio is nagged by some relatives. Seeing Lelia, Lelio is restored to health, and she tells him how she had become lost in the woods trying to find a perfect yule log, but on her search she encountered this group of nobles who were traveling in the mountains to see a relative for Christmas, and who had also become lost due to the snow covered roads. Fortunately, Dottore appeared with a lantern and guided them all back to the villa. Magnifica demands to know of her son who Lelia is, and he explains she is his wife. Magnifica says he can’t have a wife without her approval, and she asks Lelia some questions to assure she is suitable. Lelia, embarrassed, gives honest but undesirable answers; but Magnifica always twists them favorably. At last she demands her son’s wife must be able to sing, and Magnifica and Lelia sing a duet of a fine Christmas tune. Scaramuccia joins in singing or dancing (whatever the actor does well) and in the end Magnifica is appeased, and approves the marriage. One of Lelio’s relatives comes forward complaining that no matter how anyone sings, he can’t stand this modern music and only enjoys (whatever horrible genre Dottore does.) Dottore gladly offers his services, and arrangement is made that Dottore will go work for the relative after the holidays. Everyone rejoices, and they go off to celebrate Christmas together, with Lelio being nagged by his relatives (stand up straight, have you gained weight? etc), and not caring because he has Lelia at his side.
FINITA.
