Man of La Mancha

Frustrated but intrigued, Aldonza calls back Sancho and asks him why he follows Don Quixote. She keeps probing him for a selfish motive that she can understand. The only answer that Sancho can give, however, is that he just likes him. He sings that he has no good reason, but he will stick with his friend no matter what odd tortures someone might inflict on him.

Aldonza’s solo, “What Does He Want of Me,” appears in the musical score of Man of La Mancha and most productions but is omitted from the book. Discomforted by Sancho and Don Quixote, she sings about the impossibility of the knight’s vision, marveling at his dedication to a “world that cannot be” (Vocal Score, 54 [See: Overview]). She can’t see the goodness he does either in herself or in the world around her. She should be laughing at him like everyone else, but she can’t. She wonders why he has drawn her into his story and what he wants from her.

Prompted by Cervantes, the muleteers sing a romantic song to Aldonza in a gently mocking manner. The lyrics are those of a lover asking a bird to bring him word of his beloved. Aldonza ignores them until Pedro sees the letter from Don Quixote and grabs it from her. She resists, even biting him, but the muleteers have the upper hand and soon discover they have a love letter. Aldonza dismisses the letter as a joke and denies that she has any feelings for Don Quixote or that he has any desire for her besides sex. Pedro then approaches her about the money he gave her earlier. She sullenly promises that he can have sex with her that night.

The Padre and Dr. Carrasco arrive at the inn to confront Don Quixote. Don Quixote recognizes them but, when they tell him giants and knights are fantasy, he dismisses them with pity. He refuses to debate about their existence or other facts, proclaiming that “facts are the enemy of truth” (40). Normal evidence is immaterial; what matters are the ideals in which he believes.

A barber approaches from offstage singing humorously about his dual profession as one who shaves men and also doubles (in Cervantes’s time) as a surgeon. He carries his brass shaving basin on his head like a hat. Don Quixote draws his sword and demands the basin, accusing the barber of having stolen the “Golden Helmet of Mambrino” that magically protects a noble from injury. He forces the terrified barber to hand it over despite his protests.

Don Quixote sings of the noble past reputation of his mythical Golden Helmet and vows to do glorious new deeds to recover its fame. He has the Padre crown him with it while the muleteers look on in amazement. At the end of the song, everyone exits except Don Quixote. The innkeeper enters. The knight confesses to him that he has never been properly dubbed to the knighthood. He requests that the innkeeper (as the supposed lord and castellan of the building) dub him in the morning, after the knight keeps vigil. The innkeeper plays along with Don Quixote and agrees.

The stage lights turn to the Padre and Dr. Carrasco. The doctor leaves, promising to find a cure. The Padre stays to mull over his old neighbor, whom he calls “either the wisest madman or the maddest wise man in the world” (45). Like the rest of the people who have encountered Don Quixote, he finds his life both delusional and yet strangely inspiring. He begins to sing to himself. Reflecting on the knight’s Dulcinea, he says that a person can achieve almost anything if he finds that person or dream that inspires an inner flame. At the same time, he wistfully acknowledges that the image of Dulcinea is just a lovely dream. The image might ward off despair, but still simply isn’t real.

Don Quixote begins his vigil. Rejecting prideful musings on future glory, he focuses instead on thoughts of serving others, especially his lady, Dulcinea. As he muses aloud, Aldonza enters and overhears him. She confronts him, demanding to know why he calls her “Dulcinea.” He insists that that is her true name which he has always honored in his heart. Aldonza objects that he knows nothing of her or women in general, and that she has no nobility for him to admire. The more she protests, the more Don Quixote proclaims that he knows her true self and desires only to serve her and dedicate his deeds to her. Aldonza declares that the world is a “dungheap” unworthy of being saved. Don Quixote, untroubled, reaffirms his dedication to a “quest.”

When Aldonza asks about his quest, Don Quixote sings a solo about daring to strive for the impossible. He will struggle for justice against unbeatable odds and love purely and chastely. In the end, he will die with a peaceful heart knowing that the world is a better place for having had in it a person who fought the good fight with courage, despite scorn, injury, and seemingly hopeless goals.

Aldonza, silent at first, suddenly begs the knight one more time to look at the reality of her identity. Don Quixote replies that he sees her beauty, her purity, and the ideal woman whose image every man secretly holds in his heart.

Aldonza breaks away from their conversation in emotional turmoil, only to run into a frustrated Pedro. Angry at being kept waiting, he yells at her and slaps her. Don Quixote leaps to her defense, surprising Pedro with a blow from his lance. The other muleteers rush on stage to help Pedro. Aldonza grabs Don Quixote’s sword to assist him and Sancho joins the fray as well. The three of them defeat the muleteers.

The innkeeper, awakened by the noise, rushes on stage and discovers, to his horror, the wreckage of battle and the pile of injured muleteers. The innkeeper’s wife, Maria, joins him. Meanwhile, a wounded Don Quixote faints and Aldonza rushes to his side to care for him.

The innkeeper tells Don Quixote that he must leave the inn. The knight apologizes and agrees, but asks that the innkeeper first fulfill his promise of dubbing him. Taking the knight’s sword, the innkeeper dubs him. Don Quixote protests that there should be more ceremony, such as a recounting of his deeds and an added name.

Looking at Don Quixote’s battered face, the innkeeper humorously dubs him the “Knight of the Woeful Countenance” (literally, of the pathetic face). He sings a mock-heroic song hailing this knight and promising that Don Quixote’s new name will go before him as he attempts glorious deeds (though the innkeeper is glad he won’t have to witness what befalls the knight). Aldonza and Sancho join in with unironic cheer. A tearful Aldonza assures Don Quixote, “It’s a beautiful name” (56). After the battle, she has come around to supporting him.