Franz Joseph Haydn composed the comic opera L'infedelta delusa or Deceit Outwitted in 1773 early in his long tenure in service to the Esterhazy family. It's light fare, a burletta per musica, literally a musical joke, with a silly libretto by Mario Coltelina but one that serves the music well in a genre that is about absurd fun and good music. Sandrina wants to marry the peasant Nanni who's sister Vespina wants to marry the rich Nuncio but can't because Nuncio is going to marry Sandrina because her father says so, etc. - but the resourceful Vespina, assumes a series of disguises to sort things out and all ends happily.
Mike Harrah is host of The Lyric Stage, which airs Sundays at 8 pm.