Show Synopsis:
Candide is the illegitimate nephew of Baron Thunder-ten-Tronck and lives in the castle with him, his wife, his son Maximillian, his daughter Cunegonde, and a prostitute named Paquette.  The younger generation of characters have learned all about happiness from the philosopher Dr. Pangloss, but Candide is exiled by declaring his love for Cunegonde, since he is her inferior. He gets caught up in the Bulgar Army's attack on the Baron's castle, in which the Baroness and Cunegonde die. Candide becomes a beggar but finds Dr. Pangloss, and the two travel with a merchant to Portugal. They are accused of starting a volcano that results in mass death and Pangloss is hanged. Candide goes to Paris and finds that Cunegonde is alive, but accidentally kills two people. Candide, Cunegonde, and her companion the Old Lady run away from the authorities and befriend Cacambo on their way to the New World. The governor of Montevideo falls in love with Cunegonde while Candide and Cacambo find Maximilian and Paquette in disguise, but Candide angers Maximilian with his feelings for Cunegonde. Candide and Cacambo get lost in Eldorado and then separate. He ends up on a ship with five deposed kings and a revived Pangloss who has encouraged them to live humbly. They go to Venice for the Carnival Festival and reunite with everyone from the Baron's castle, but Candide begins to have doubts about his life. They go to Westphalia and buy a farm, and after several days of silence, Candide says he will marry Cunegonde.

Character:
Candide, a handsome and curious young man; eager to try new things.

Song Context:
Candide is having doubts about what is life will ever amount to, after seeing his friends dragged down into the revelries of gambling in Venice.

Fun Facts:
1. This operetta was based on the Voltaire novel of the same name. 
2. The story of the operetta underwent major revisions between its premiere in 1956 and 1989. Lillian Hellman, the original bookwriter, did not want her book used in the 1989 Broadway revival. The summary provided here is based on Hugh Wheeler's book with Leonard Bernstein's music. 
3. This song was not in the original version of Candide.