Rossini's operas often involve trouser roles—women playing male parts. Le Comte Ory is no exception, and even tosses in some complications; in the last scene, a tenor, disguised as a woman, makes love to a man pretending to be a woman, played by a woman!

The plot, and that particular scene as well, show definite influences of Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. In Mozart's opera, as in this, we have a lecherous Count, multiple disguises, and quick escapes. Rossini, however, didn't bother borrowing music from another composer's operas, but instead borrowed from his own Il viaggio a Reims. In fact, only one of the scenes from Act One is from completely newly composed music—all the rest is either adapted, or simply put to new words. For some pieces, such as Ory's tutor grumbling about the nuisance of having to try to keep Ory out of trouble, the adaptation works smoothly, but for others, such as Adele's confession to the hermit of her sorrows, it is less successful. The plot is a typical 19th century comic opera setup of disguises, mistaken identities, and trickery. Count Ory is disguised as a hermit, enjoying the opportunities to advise and console young women. Isolier, his page (the trouser role), comes to enlist the hermit's help in his wooing Adele, a young countess, who has vowed to remain in her castle without any men around, until the return of her brother from the Crusades. Isolier begs the hermit to tell Adele that she should fall in love, and discloses his plan to gain access to the castle by disguising himself as a pilgrim. Ory, who has his eye on Adele himself, decides to adopt both plans, and advises Adele to fall in love—but not with Isolier. However, his tutor reveals that the hermit is Ory, so Ory has to try again.

He and his friends disguise themselves as female pilgrims seeking shelterfrom Ory's lecherousness, and beg Adele for help. Ory's friends are more interested in the wine cellars, but Ory, still in his disguise, professes the utmost affection for his (seemingly her) protector, Adele. Isolier tells Adele of the trick being played on her, and so the two of them plan their revenge, disguising Isolier as Adele, and leading Ory to make love to Isolier, disguised. Isolier and Adele reveal the trick, and tell Ory that the men are coming back from the Crusades. Ory and his friends are forced to be a quick retreat, as the women welcome back their husbands and brothers.



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