大象传媒

Toledo. The clock shop of Torquemada.

Clocks of various shapes and sizes stand around Torquemada鈥檚 shop, striking pleasantly. The muleteer Ramiro comes in to have his watch mended. Torquemada鈥檚 wife Concepci贸n enters to remind her husband it is time for him to regulate the municipal clocks. She complains that he has not placed one of the two grandfather clocks in her room, as requested. It鈥檚 too heavy to move, he responds. He asks Ramiro to await his return while he goes about his business.聽

Concepci贸n and Ramiro stand looking at one another. She hints at having the clock carried to her room. Nothing easier, says the muscular muleteer. As he takes it upstairs, Gonzalve is heard arriving.聽

Concepci贸n鈥檚 lover is a poet who waxes lyrical as they prepare to fling themselves into each other鈥檚 arms. On his reappearance she thanks Ramiro. To get rid of him again, she asks him to move the other clock upstairs, bringing the first one back. While he goes back upstairs to retrieve the first clock, Concepci贸n shoves Gonzalve into the second.聽

Suddenly the banker Don 脥帽igo turns up, enquiring after Concepci贸n鈥檚 husband. It was he, he admits, who appointed Torquemada to the job of looking after the town鈥檚 clocks to get him out of the way. He tries to take Concepci贸n鈥檚 hand. The return of Ramiro with clock number one saves her. Ramiro picks up the second clock (containing Gonzalve) without difficulty. Concepci贸n is impressed and follows him upstairs.聽

Left alone, 脥帽igo decides he would improve his image as a playful lover by hiding in the remaining clock. As he does so Ramiro reappears, charged by Concepci贸n with minding the shop. Suddenly she returns, complaining at the upstairs clock鈥檚 noisy innards. Would Ramiro kindly bring it back down? He instantly obliges.聽

脥帽igo declares his love to Concepci贸n. She begins to see his potential. Ramiro returns with the first clock (containing Gonzalve) and offers to take up the second (containing 脥帽igo). Concepci贸n accepts his suggestion. Opening the first clock, she tries to dismiss Gonzalve, who is reluctant to leave. She deserts him and he retires into his clock as Ramiro returns. He looks around the shop with admiration; if he were not a muleteer, he would like to be a clockmaker. As Concepci贸n returns, he divines her unhappiness with the second clock and goes to retrieve it.聽

Left alone, Concepci贸n expresses dissatisfaction with both her lovers.聽

As Ramiro returns yet again, she appreciates his physical strength. She sends him back to her room 鈥� this time without a clock to carry 鈥� then follows him.聽

脥帽igo and Gonzalve peep out of their hiding places, shutting themselves back in as Torquemada returns. He apologises for keeping them waiting. Noting their interest in the insides of the two clocks, he insists that they buy them. Ramiro and Concepci贸n return and all join in the moral: in the pursuit of love, there comes a moment when it鈥檚 the muleteer鈥檚 turn.聽

- With thanks to Glyndebourne Opera Festival.