+++
date = "2015-09-08T11:44:00-04:00"
draft = true
lastmod = "2015-09-08T21:35:00-04:00"
slug = "character-profiles-berta"
title = "Character profiles: Berta"
+++

### 1. What's it like working for the formidable Doctor Bartolo?

Oh, Doctor B is a hoot. He's always hollering around the house, wondering where Rosina is, who's at the door, when her eighteenth birthday is, *again*, the usual. He's mostly harmless, just like his patients. They used to scare me, all those crazy folk wandering about the house, all their fantasty worlds colliding. Now we just tend to treat each other like furniture. 

If you ask me, this place makes a proper racket. There's Doctor B's hollering, and the patients' nonsense noises. Rosina has her singing lessons, too; she's not half bad, actually, but her teacher just sounds like a foghorn. Oh! And lately there's been a racket out in the street, too; some gentleman with a guitar, and he comes at terrible hours of the night. 

### 2. How do you know Rosina?

Rosina was a wild card, you know. She showed up, Doctor B told me she'd be staying for a while, and I was supposed to keep an eye on her. Sweet girl, but thinks pretty darn highly of herself, if you ask me. Especially now, since Mr. Guitar has been shouting nice words at her from outside

Goes on and on about how clever she is, and I never want to break her heart by reminding her that she's basically been raised in solitary confinement. I mean, that man comes along, and the best she can come up with is palming him a letter, steps away from the Doctor? Clever, psh. Although, I will give her credit for having the laundry list on her as a plan B.

### 3. Can you give us an idea of an average day for you?

- Bartolo hollering
- trying to get the dusting done but keep getting distracted by the racket outside
I even try to dust around them, but they get up and shake the dust off somewhere else. Makes me sneeze something fierce.
- Rosina has her singing lessons - she's actually pretty good, I just can't stand Basilio's voice

### 4. You've been very vocal about your distaste for the idea of love and relationships. Can you enlighten us?

- Dr. Bartolo is crazy with love/lust (creepy) for Rosina, and it's the reason I have to babysit her at all. 

- Useless Precaution??


Aria:

Il vecchiotto cerca moglie,
vuol marito la ragazza;
quello freme, questa è pazza.
Tutti e due son da legar.
Ma che cosa è questo amore
che fa tutti delirar?
Egli è un male universale,
una smania, un pizzicore
un solletico, un tormento
Poverina, anch'io lo sento,
nè so come finirà.
Oh! vecchiaia maledetta
Sei da tutti disprezzata
E vecchietta disperata
mi convien così crepar.

The old guy wants a wife;
The girl wants a husband;
Old guy quivers, the girl is crazy.
Both are tied up.
But what is this love
that makes everyone delirious?
It's a universal bad,
a craving, an itching,
a tickle, a torment,
Poor girl, I also feel it,
I don't know either how it will end.
Oh! Damned old age,
You're despised by all
And I should die an old
desperate woman.

