Mozart - The Marriage of Figaro

Types of Opera

• Opera Seria - Serious opera
• Opera Buffa - Comic opera

Marriage of Figaro

• Based on a play by Beaumarchais contributing to the revolutionary fervor of the day
• Depicts the aristocracy as arrogantly oppressive while showing the commoner as resourceful
• Characters (in order of appearance)
  • Figaro - Valet to Count Almaviva
  • Susanna - Chamber maid to Countess Almaviva. The Count has designs on her, and seeks to reclaim the ancient royal right of Jus Prima Noctus.
  • Marcellina - The Count's housekeeper. Figaro once borrowed money from her and gave a promissory note promising to marry her if it was not repaid.
  • Dr. Bartolo - Has experience in litigation, and since he has a grudge against Figaro is happy to pursue Marcellina's case.
  • Cherubino - A over-sexed adolescent boy (played by a woman) who adds comic relief.
  • Count Almaviva - The aristocrat who seeks to use his power to have his way with Susanna as a condition of his approval of her marriage to Figaro.
  • Basilio - The court music master, who is a proverbial gossip. He has been the go-between trying to get Susanna to accept to Count's offer for a tryst.
  • Villagers - The local peasants of the Count's province.

Act I

• Opens in a room given to Figaro & Susanna by the Count, conveniently close to his room
  • Though it appears as a conveyance for Figaro, it is really to advance the Count's plan
  • Establishes the aristocracy abuse of power
• Figaro measures to see if the bed will fit while Susanna has to explains the Count's real intent
• Dr. Bartolo & Marcellina plan their revenge on Figaro
  • Marcellina has a promissory note from Figaro
  • She hopes to use this as a condition to get Figaro to marry her
• Susanna & Marcellina have an exchange of "pleasantries"
• Cherubino comes to see Susanna
  • Having been caught with a young girl Cherubino comes to see if Susanna will intercede for him with the Countess
  • Cherubino sings of his emerging passions
  • They are interrupted by the Count
• The Count tries to seduce Susanna with Cherubino overhearing
• Knowing they are all in there, Basilio enters to cause trouble
• Count reveals himself, and discovers Cherubino himself also revealed
• Cherubino who now knows too much is cleverly disposed of
• The Count delays the marriage ceremony to buy time - the villagers sarcastically "praise" the Count

Humanities Resource of Mark Hunter