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"All day long we were tormented, angry, foolish and excited. But at last we are united by the magic force of love!"
The Marriage of Figaro
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
An Opera Buffa in four acts
Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte after Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais' play
La folle journée, ou Le mariage de Figaro
First performance: Vienna; Burgtheater, May 1, 1786
Performed with English supertitles above the stage
7:30pm Curtain
June 27 & July 18, 2010
2:00pm Curtain
One of the most remarkable opera scores of all time, The Marriage of Figaro combines
the elegance and wonder of Mozart’s music with a rococo comedy of wit
and brilliance, but tinged with the sweet sadness of a changing world.
Lorenzo Da Ponte, Mozart’s librettist, adapted the story of the opera
from the second of the trilogy of plays by the French playwright,
Beaumarchais. (The first is The Barber of Seville, made famous
as an opera first
by Paisiello and then by Rossini.) It contains an intricate network
of fantastic situations in which royalty is foiled by the imagination
and wit of two lovable servants. The very nature of the theme, at
the time when monarchs were uneasy on their thrones, was responsible
for
a ban on the play’s performance in France. In fact, some believe
Beaumarchais’ Le Mariage de Figaro might well have been a real
spark in igniting
the conflagration of the French Revolution.
It was only through Da Ponte’s strong influence at the court of Joseph
II in Austria that permission was finally given for the performance
of the Mozart version. The opera soon became enormously popular and
has remained so for over 200 years. Le nozze di Figaro reached America in 1824 and was first performed
at the Metropolitan Opera on January 31, 1894. However, it did not
become a regular part of the repertory until the last century. Its
real popularity can be said to date from a revival in 1940 with a cast
which included Elizabeth Rethberg, Bidu Sayao, Rise Stevens, John Brownlee
and Ezio Pinza. In more recent operatic times American singers Samuel
Ramey, Frederica von Stade and Carol Vaness have become identified
with the roles of
Figaro, Cherubino and Countess Almaviva respectively. The opera has
survived many versions and innovations and will surely delight audiences
for generations to come.
CAST (in order of vocal appearance):
and betrothed to Figaro
Dr. Bartolo, a doctor from Seville
Villagers, peasants and servants
Cast and opera are subject to change without notice.
PRODUCTION:
David Neely
William Farlow
Set Designed by: Craig Saegar/Wally Colberg
SETTING: Aguasfrescas, the Almavivas' country house near Seville
Synopsis:
Act I: An unused room in the castle.
It is a few years after the events of The Barber of Seville, and Figaro is
now valet to Count Almaviva. Rosina is now the devoted Countess Almaviva;
however, the Count has become indifferent to her. Figaro plans to marry the
Countess’s charming young chambermaid, Susanna, but things are being nicely
snarled by Marcellina, Bartolo’s former housekeeper, who once loaned Figaro
money with the understanding that if he could not pay the debt he would marry
her.
In a small room in the castle, Figaro is measuring the space which he and Susanna
are about to move into together. The room is too close to the Count’s for comfort,
Susanna explains, for Almaviva has designs of his own which involve her. Figaro,
before leaving, vows that he will outwit his master.
Cherubino, the pageboy, enters and expresses his love for every girl he meets,
from Barbarina, the gardener’s daughter, to the Countess herself. When the
Count enters to ask Susanna to meet him that evening, Cherubino barely manages
to hide behind a chair. Approaching voices are soon heard and the Count makes
for Cherubino’s hiding place, while the page jumps into the chair and Susanna
covers him up.
Basilio enters, and when he mentions Cherubino’s attentions to the Countess
the angry Count steps forth. He discovers Cherubino’s presence just as a group
of servants and peasants, organized by Figaro, appear to praise the Count for
abolishing the “droit du seigneur”—the right of the lord of a castle to enjoy
the favors of any bride among his servants on the night of her wedding—a gesture
he made when he married Rosina. The Count decides to send the page away to
join his regiment, and Figaro bids Cherubino farewell in a stirring, martial
aria.
Act II: The Countess’ boudoir
Figaro, Susanna and the Countess hatch a scheme to teach the Count a lesson,
and as part of it, Cherubino is summoned to fill an assignation with the Count
in the dress of a girl. When Almaviva comes pounding on the door with an anonymous
letter sent by the conspirators to make him jealous, Cherubino dashes into
the closet and Susanna into her own room. The Count enters angrily and, upon
hearing a crash in the closet, demands to know who is inside. The Countess
says it is Susanna trying on her wedding dress. The Count rushes out to find
tools to pry open the closet and takes his wife with him.
When they leave, Susanna emerges and takes Cherubino’s place in the closet,
while Cherubino jumps out the window. The Almavivas return and are much surprised
when Susanna demurely steps out of the closet. All seems well until the tipsy
gardener, Antonio, enters complaining that someone jumped from the Countess’
window and broke some flower pots. Figaro enters and with adroit prompting
from the Countess and Susanna, takes the blame. When Marcellina, Bartolo and
Basilio enter to champion Marcellina’s claim to Figaro as a husband, the Count
is certain that at last things are working in his favor.
Act III: A room in the castle; the throne room
The Countess and Susanna plot for Susanna to make a garden rendezvous with
the Count, but to have the Countess go dressed as Susanna instead. Figaro is
brought to trial on Marcellina’s charge. Through a birthmark it is discovered
that he is actually the son of Bartolo and Marcellina. Later the Countess and
Susanna compose the letter to the Count concerning the tryst. Cherubino is
once more found by the Count, disguised by his sweetheart Barbarina as a girl.
Amid the wedding festivities Susanna furtively gives the Count the letter.
Act IV: The garden
In the shadowy garden of the castle, Barbarina searches for the pin which the
Count gave to her to return to Susanna as a confirmation of their tryst in
the garden. When Figaro and his mother learn about the rendezvous of the Count
and Susanna from Barbarina, Figaro, still unaware of the plot, suspects his
bride of unfaithfulness on the night of their wedding, but Marcellina leaves
to warn Susanna.
Susanna and the Countess appear, accompanied by Marcellina, to lead the comedy
of mistaken identities through every conceivable combination of confused circumstances.
Cherubino arrives and tries to kiss the Countess, whom he thinks is Susanna,
causing the Count to aim a blow at him which falls on Figaro. Almaviva then
proceeds to woo his own wife, whom he believes is Susanna.
Elsewhere, Figaro and Susanna argue but make up in time to stage a mad love
scene between Figaro and “the Countess” for the Count’s benefit, who, outraged,
calls the assemblage to witness the unfaithfulness of his wife. The Count denies
the conspirators’ pleas for forgiveness until the real Countess appears without
her disguise. Figaro and Susanna are reunited and
the Countess and remorseful Count revive the glow of their youthful romance.