La finta giardiniera is a particularly unlikely story about love and dual identities.

The Podestá (mayor) of Lagonero has his eye on his gardener, Sandrina. In reality, this is Countess Violante Onesti, who is looking for Count Belfiore, her former lover, under a false name. Belfiore, however, believes Countess Violante is dead. He is under the impression that he accidentally killed her during their Last quarrel.

Sandrina is accompanied by her servant Nardo, who has fallen madly in love with the maid Serpetta. Serpetta, on the other hand, has made it her mission to regain the Podestà's attention. Also unhappily in love is Baron Ramiro, who was abandoned by Arminda, the Podestà's niece, in favor of a count. Now Arminda's wedding is imminent - and the groom is none other than Belfiore! So finally all the lovers meet, and the emotional roller coaster takes its course.

With musical depth, brilliant ensembles, tangled love triangles, disguises, serious undercurrents, we recognize in Mozart's radical, early masterpiece La finta giardiniera the germ of the operatic comedies Le nozze di Figaro and Così fan tutte.

The impressive production inspired by Dutch paintings is presented in collaboration with the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe.