Last performed in 2006
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Gallery | Video* (170MB | 80MB | 35MB)
Synopsis
Lucentio with his servant Tranio arrives in Padua as a student. On the street the two witness an encounter between the wealthy gentleman Baptista with his daughters Katherina and Bianca and two suitors to Bianca. Hortensio and Gremio vie for the hand of Baptista's younger daughter in marriage. But Baptista declares that Bianca cannot wed until he has a husband for her headstrong older sister, Katherina.
After Baptista and his daughters leave, Lucentio and Tranio overhear Hortensio and Gremio making plans to hire tutors for Bianca and to send her gifts in order to advance themselves favorably in her eyes and her father's. They also agree to find a husband for Katherina.
After Bianca's suitors leave, Lucentio reveals to Tranio that he has fallen in love at first sight with Bianca. Tranio schemes to help his master gain access to her and woo her. They agree that Lucentio will take on a disguise and secure a position as tutor to Bianca while Tranio becomes "Lucentio" and makes his master's suit for Bianca to her father.
Petruchio, a swaggering gentleman from Verona, arrives in Padua looking for a rich wife. His old friend Hortensio urges him to pursue Baptista's daughter Katherina but warns him that she is a shrew. Not to be intimidated by a woman, Petruchio agrees to speak to Baptista about Katherina immediately. When Petruchio and Kate meet, they appear to be a mismatch, but after an episode of fast, forthright talk, Petruchio sets the wedding date for Sunday.
Posing as Lucentio, Tranio steps up the stakes with Baptista for Bianca's hand, outbidding the wealthy old Gremio. Meanwhile Lucentio, disguised as a Latin scholar named Cambio, presses his suit directly to Bianca and wins her promise of love.
Petruchio arrives late and ill-clothed for the wedding, which occurs offstage. Afterwards he announces that rather than staying for the wedding feast, he and Kate will leave immediately for his country house near Verona. Kate responds in fury, but Petruchio carries her off.
Once at home, Petruchio makes outrageous demands of his servants and contrives for Kate to be hungry, sleepless and frustrated until he has "tamed" her. The motive for his clever strategy is love. He endures the same hardships as she and carries out his taming plan in a manner that reveals his "reverend care for her."
Later as Petruchio and Kate journey back toward Baptista's house at Padua, Kate's presumed progress in wifely submissiveness is put to the extreme test. Once there, the couple meet family and friends at a banquet celebrating the recent marriages of three couples: Petruchio and Kate; Lucentio and Bianca, who have eloped; and Hortensio and the Widow. Petruchio challenges Kate to give a public lecture to Bianca and Hortensio's bride on a wife's duties toward her husband. In the end everyone present at the banquet marvels at Petruchio's taming of the shrew.