The Classical Opera - Mozart's The Marriage Of Figaro Programme Notes

Programme Notes - The Marriage of Figaro - An Opera Buffa in Four Acts

Composer - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart -
27 January 1756 Salzburg, – 5 December 1791, Vienna

Libretto (Italian) - Lorenzo Da Ponte -
10 March 1749 Republic of Venice, – 17 August 1838, New York

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child prodigy, composing from the age of five. In 1763 his father took Mozart and Mozart's sister Maria Anna on a tour to showcase their abilities before the nobility of Europe. This proves valuable experience for when Mozart would pursue his own career. In 1781 he moved to Vienna and married Constanze Weber a year later. Mozart's time in Vienna was one of luxury, comfort and financial security, due to the success of operas such as The Marriage of Figaro, but his fortune began to wane. In 1791, the last year of Mozart's life, he composed some of his finest masterpieces, including symphonies Nos 39, 40 and 41, the opera The Magic Flute, the Clarinet Concerto in A, the last Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-Flat and the unfinished Requiem Mass in D Minor. Mozart's health declined in his final months, and he died on December 1, 1791. He was buried in a common grave outside Vienna.

The opera The Marriage of Figaro was based on the comedy play La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro written by Pierre Beaumarchais. It was first performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786, with Mozart conducting from the keyboard. The opera was warmly received, with several pieces being encored. There was limited interference from the audience, and probably from paid hecklers. The music is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, strings and usually either a fortepiano and harpsichord often joined by a cello.


Character Roles

Count Almaviva
Countess Rosina Almaviva
Susanna, the countess's maid
Figaro, personal valet to the count
Cherubino, the Count's page
Marcellina, Doctor Bartolo's housekeeper soprano
Bartolo, doctor from Seville, also a practising lawyer
Basilio, music master
Don Curzio, judge
Barbarina, Antonio's daughter
Antonio, the Count's gardener, Susanna's uncle
Chorus of peasants, villagers, and servants


Synopsis

Act I

The count has been making advances towards Susanna, the countess's maid. He intends to invoke the feudal right of a lord to bed a servant girl on her wedding night before her husband can sleep with her. The count had originally scrapped this right after his marriage to countess Rosina, but the unscrupulous count has now changed his mind. Figaro is outraged, vows to outwit the count to foil his plan, and leaves.

Dr. Bartolo arrives with Marcellina, his housekeeper. It transpires that Figaro had once promised to marry Marcellina should he not pay back a loan she had made to him. Marcellina intends to enforce the promise, with Bartolo assuring her of his assistance in the matter. After a sarcastic tit-for-tat between Susanna and Marcellina, Bartolo and Marcellina depart.

Cherubino, a 'player' who tries his luck with all the ladies, arrives and asks Susanna's help with a matter involving the count. It transpires the count caught Cherubino with Barbarina, the gardener's daughter,  and fed up of the page's amorous ways, wants to punish him. Cherubino wants Susanna to ask the countess to intercede on his behalf. The count suddenly appears, and the page hides behind a chair. The count makes further demands of Susanna, offering her financial incentives for 'favours'. Basilio, the slimy music teacher arrives, and the count, not wanting to be found alone with Susanna, hides behind the chair, with Cherubino jumping onto the chair just in time, covered in a dress.

Basilio begins gossiping to Susanna about Cherubino's attraction to the countess. The enraged count leaps from his hiding place decrying the page. He then gives a demonstration of how he earlier caught Cherubino with Barbarina, and in doing so discovers him hiding on the chair under the dress. Only the knowledge that the page had heard his advances towards Susanna, and the entrance of the peasants of the count's estate prevents him from taking immediate action. The entrance of the peasants is Figaro's attempt to commit the count to a formal gesture. The count postpones to gesture, outwitting Figaro, and dispatches Cherubino to Seville for army duty.

Act II

In the countess's room, she rue's her husbands infidelity. Susanna arrives to prepare her for the day, and comforts the countess with the knowledge that the count is merely offering her a monetary 'contract' for her affections, not attempting to seduce her per se. Figaro enters, and details his plan of sending the count letters which warn him that the countess may be an adulterer. He has already in fact sent a letter to the count via Basilio, purporting that the countess is having her own secret rendezvous that evening. He hopes that the count will be too distracted looking for adulterers to further obstruct Figaro and Susanna's wedding. Figaro advises the countess to keep the page Cherubino around so that he can be dressed to look like Susanna and be used to catch the count red-handed.

Figaro leaves and sends in Cherubino, who is more than happy to oblige the plan. Rosina and Susanna proceed to dress Cherubino, and while Susanna has left to fetch a ribbon, the count suddenly arrives, and Cherubino quickly hides out of sight in the closet. The count, seething with jealousy after receiving the letter written by Figaro, searches the room, and demands to be let into the locked closet. Rosina refuses, alleging that Susanna (who has since returned to the room and hid) is in there trying on her wedding dress. The furious count leaves the room with Rosina in tow, to find tools to force open the door. Cherubino takes the opportunity to make his escape from the room via the window, and Susanna takes his place in the closet, determined to embarrass the count.

When the count and countess return, Rosina reluctantly admits that Cherubino is hiding in the closet, but when it is opened they find only Susanna in there. The countess tells the count that the Cherubino 'story' was a practical joke in order to test him, and he breaks down begging forgiveness for his suspicion and jealousy. Figaro is also unveiled as the originator of the letter sent to the count. Figaro then arrives on scene eager to start the wedding celebrations, but the count questions him about the letter. Figaro evades the tough questioning until Antonio the gardener bursts into the room, complaining that a man has jumped from the window and ruined his flowers. The count is quick to realise that the escaping man was Cherubino and that he has been fooled, but Figaro claims it is he who jumped out of the window. The gardener produces a document which he says was dropped by the jumper, and the count demands Figaro describe its contents to prove he in fact dropped it. The two ladies manage to identify the document and signal the correct answer to Figaro. Shortly after, however, Marcellina, Bartolo and Basilio enter the room, demanding that Figaro honour his promise to marry Marcellina. The count takes the opportunity to postpone the wedding so that he may investigate the contract.

Act III

In a rich hall, complete with thrones, the count is approached by Susanna, who, prompted by the countess, promises to meet the count later that night in the garden. Once Susanna leaves however, the count overhears her telling Figaro that he has already won the case. The count realises he is being tricked again, and the count resolves to exact his revenge by making Figaro marry Marcellina.

After a trial to decide on the situation regarding the contract between Figaro and Marcellina, it is decided that they must marry. Figaro attempts to avoid this saying he would need his parents permission to marry, but he doesn't know who they are due to being stolen as a baby. It transpires that Figaro is in fact Rafaello, the long-lost illegitimate son of Bartolo and Marcellina. After a joyous reconciliation, Susanna arrives with payment to release Figaro from his contract, but on seeing his embrace of Marcellina, assumes that he now prefers Marcellina over her. After slapping Figaro's face, Susanna is told of the latest developments and joins the celebrations, where Bartolo agrees to marry Marcellina that evening in a double wedding with Figaro and Susanna.

Everyone leaves, and Susanna discusses with the countess to the plan to trap the count. The countess dictates a love letter that Susanna is to give to the count, which details the location of their meeting place that night. It also requires the count to return the brooch which fastens the letter.

A group of peasants arrives to serenade the countess, and among them is Cherubino, disguised as one of the peasant girls. The count arrives and discovers Cherubino, but the gardener's daughter Barbarina dispels his anger by recalling in front of everyone the time the count had professed his affections for her. She also asks for Cherubino's hand in marriage; the embarrassed count allows Cherubino to stay. Then follows the double wedding, and Susanna gives her letter to the count, the passing of which is seen by Figaro, unaware the letter is from Susanna herself.

Act IV

The count has read Susanna's letter, and as instructed has sent the brooch back to her via Barbarina who has unfortunately lost it. Figaro and Marcellina arrive, and Figaro asks Barbarina what she is doing. She informs him that the lost brooch belongs to Susanna, and Figaro recognising it as the one attached to the count's letter, thinks that Susanna is meeting the count behind his back and is overcome with jealousy, vowing to be avenged on both of them, and all unfaithful wives.

Susanna and the countess arrive, dressed in each other's clothes, accompanied by Marcellina who has informed them of Figaro's suspicions and plans. Marcellina and the countess leave, and Susanna teases Figaro, who is within earshot, with a love song to her beloved. Figaro, hiding behind a bush, thinks the song is for the count, and his jealousy is heightened further.

The count appears, and makes advances towards "Susanna", who is really the countess in disguise, giving her a large jewelled ring. They both leave, the countess taking the opportunity to hide from the count, and shortly afterwards the real Susanna arrives, dressed as the countess. Figaro at first is taken in by the disguise, but then recognises it is in fact his bride. He decides to have a little fun of his own, pretending to be in love with the "countess", and making strong advances on her. Susanna, fooled, is outraged and slaps Figaro many times. Figaro then confesses his little joke, and peace made, they resolve to conclude the trapping of the count.

The count enters the scene, frustrated that he is unable to find "Susanna". Figaro begins to loudly declare his love  for "the countess" who is really Susanna in disguise. The count, blowing his top completely, calls for his people and weapons. Bartolo, Basilio, and Antonio arrive, and the count drags out Cherubino, Barbarina, Marcellina, and the "countess" who were all hiding behind the pavilion. They all beg the count to forgive Figaro and the "countess", but the count refuses. Finally, the real countess appears and reveals her true identity. The count sees the ring he gave to "Susanna", and realises he has been caught out. He is ashamed and remorseful and begs for forgiveness. The kind countess forgives her husband, and with everyone united, the 'day of madness' ends with a night-long celebration.


Critical Review

Neil Armfield's The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Australia, Sydney Opera House (Blu-Ray)

Australian Neil Armfield's production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro is a grossly entertaining spectacle, with plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments; Mozart's and Da Ponte's ridicule and mockery of the the aristocracy is portrayed excellently.

The set design of the production is a hit-and-miss affair, with your focus divided between the excellent period costumes and bland, drab backgrounds. The combination of chosen artist and superb costume creates a cast of truly convincing characters, with the highlights from a stylistic point of view being Kanen Breen as Basilio and Warwick Fyfe as Dr Bartolo.

The location designs are uninspiring, but it could be argued that this bring more focus onto the characters, without lots of distractions elsewhere. More controversial would be Armfield's decision to use 'retro' props in his interpretation, namely a 60's-esque recliner chair, a floor-standing hairdryer and an electric iron and vacuum cleaner. Personally I could have done without these as I found them more confusing than quirky, but whether you find these elements witty or distracting falls to personal taste.

The character of Cherubino (Sian Pendry) was incredibly entertaining, and a delight to watch. The cheeky, mischievous page was pulled off extremely well here, with the vocals to back it up. I feel some aspects of the production were the only things that detracted here, namely some crude 'motions' from the character in his early appearances, which tainted an otherwise 'family-friendly' performance, and some oversights during Cherubino's scenes when dressed as a girl - the mustache and beard were left in place.

There were no such misgivings towards the other main players however, with Teddy Tahu-Rhode's superb performance as a slightly naive yet conniving Figaro, the innocence yet vivaciousness of Taryn Fiebig's Susanna, Peter Coleman-Wright's Count Almaviva who swings with great hilarity from blind fury to meekness, and the clever and well-preened Countess Almaviva played by Rachelle Durkin. The vocal-capabilities of all these performers are well demonstrated, and a joy to listen to and watch. Even the secondary characters feel solid and believable, and the excellent costumes must again be lauded here, particularly of Antonio the gardener, and Marcellina the house-keeper.

Despite some minor pitfalls, this is an excellent and well-performed production of this classic comic opera, and is a great choice for veterans and new-comers alike. Opinions may be divided on some aspects, but star performances and top-grade costuming creates an experience that stays with the viewer long after the DVD player has been switched off.