Laura wrote: << 2. "Steal Me Sweet Thief" from The Old Maid & The Thief Again, I have the words, and I've seen the opera once, but don't feel entirely comfortable with writing a brief synopsis of what's going on here.>>
Laura, I'm not at home with my opera reference books on hand for the Traviata info. However, I have performed in Old Maid and the Thief, so here's my recollection.
Leticia sings the aria. She's the maid to Miss Todd. All the action of the opera takes place in Ms. Todd's home. At the beginning of the opera Miss Pinkerton comes for tea with Miss Todd, and shares all the local gossip, including something about a Thief the police are looking for. There's also duet about the lovers that left them when they were young, which is why they're both old maids. While Pinkerton is still there, Leticia pulls Miss Todd aside and tells here that there's a good-looking male stranger at the back door seeking shelter. Miss Todd hustles out the gossipy Miss Pinkerton and Bob is bought into the living room - a penniless traveler looking for shelter. Miss Todd and Leticia are both attracted to Bob. They get him into dry clothes and a place to sleep. They both think he's the thief, but he's not.
Bob is a personable guy and both Miss Todd and Leticia think Bob's in love with them. Leticia's aria is sung while she's doing her chores (we had her ironing), and she's hoping Bob will run off with her so she can have a better, more exciting life than her current station of a made in a small town.
Bob keeps talking about leaving, so Miss Todd starts giving him money, thinking he's the Thief and this will keep him around. When she runs out of her own funds, she steals from some ladies' club she's the treasurer of. But Bob and Leticia take the money and Miss Todd's silver and run off together, and when Miss Todd learns of this, she has a great mad-scene aria, and the opera ends.
Peggy
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