from Act I of the Italian opera
La Finta Giardiniera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Ranieri Calzabigi
Role: Roberto, servant of Violante, disguised as her brother Nardo, in love with Serpetta
Voice Part: baritone Fach: lyric baritone
Setting: the garden of Don Anchises
Synopsis: Roberto believes that he is in the worst situation possible. He is attempting to win Serpetta, but it seems to him that sculpting marble or forging iron is less difficult than taming a woman. He wonders why men are such fools to even try.