Le Nozze di Figaro

"Le nozze di Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro) is one of the most beloved operas of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It's probably fair to say that Don Giovanni is the most revered -- we will present Don G in July, later this year. Le Nozze is opera bufa. And while it does have several humorous scenes, it also has very serious statements about love, forgiveness and the politics of sex. In the opening scene of the opera, Figaro is blithely measuring the floor area of his new suite to see if his marital bed will fit. He and Susanna are soon to be wed and the new suite and bed are gifts from the Count. Susanna being much more aware scolds Figaro for being so dense. Susanna's revelation of the Count's plot to bed her kicks off all the action of the opera. In the first scene of Act II, Susanna, Figaro and the Countess develop their scheme to foil the count's plan to reinstate "le droit du seigneur". Bluntly stated this was the right of the feudal lord to have sexual relations with any woman in his realm, usually enforced on her wedding night. Another name for it was "right of the first night." The humor comes from the foiling of the Count's plan. And then there is forgiveness. In the film Amadeus Salieri recounts the scene wherein the Countess forgives the Count ("Contessa, perdono"). "I heard a music of true forgiveness filling the theater -- conferring on all who sat there perfect absolution." It is indeed a moment of sublime opera.

Mozart died at age 38 and the world will never know the greater heights to which his music would have scaled had he lived longer. Fortunately, the heights he did achieve are within the scope of appreciation of we mere mortals.

As an appetizer to the great meal, please enjoy the aria performances selected below.