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The Marriage of Figaro (view source)
Revision as of 23:28, December 22, 2009
, 23:28, December 22, 2009some performance history
'''''The Marriage of Figaro, or the Day of Madness''''' (It. '''''Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata''''', K. 492) is an [[opera]] composed by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] in 1785-1786 to an Italian [[libretto]] by Lorenzo da Ponte. First perfomed in [[Vienna]]'s Burgtheater on May 1, 1786, it ranks as one of Mozart's crowning operatic achievements. Figaro (a beloved operatic character who appears also in [[Rossini]]'s ''Barber of Seville'') is attempting to cleverly thwart the machinations of Count Almaviva, who wishes to seduce Figaro's fiancée Susanna before their wedding night.
'''''The Marriage of Figaro, or the Day of Madness''''' (It. '''''Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata''''', K. 492) is an [[opera]] composed by [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]] in 1785-1786 to an Italian [[libretto]] by Lorenzo da Ponte. First perfomed in [[Vienna]]'s Burgtheater on May 1, 1786, it ranks as one of Mozart's crowning operatic achievements. Figaro (a beloved operatic character who appears also in [[Rossini]]'s ''Barber of Seville'') is attempting to cleverly thwart the machinations of Count Almaviva, who wishes to seduce Figaro's fiancée Susanna before their wedding night.
The original story for Mozart's opera came from a 1784 [[French language|French]] play by Pierre Beaumarchais. Due to its mockery of the aristoctracy, the play's performance was forbidden in Vienna, but according to biographers Mozart and da Ponte snatched up a printed copy before they were banned as well. When the opera version had been commissioned, Emperor Joseph II approved the libretto, and ''Figaro'' enjoyed a modest success in its first performances. However, during period of [[Metternich]]'s reforms in the early 19th century, the opera's performance was banned as well.
[[category:Operas]]
[[category:Operas]]