The Metropolitan Opera Presents: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Le Nozze Di Figaro: Libretto, Background and Photos

1406 Pages·2014·11.48 MB·English

by  Lorenzo Da Ponte

Copyright © 2014 The Metropolitan Opera
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, without written permission, except
by a newspaper or magazine reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review.
Published in 2014 by Amadeus Press
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English translation of libretto copyright © 1998 by Leyerle Publications, 28 Stanley Street, Mt. Morris,
New York 14510. English translation by Nico Castel. Originally published by Leyerle Publications as part
of The Libretti of Mozart’s Completed Operas, in two volumes. These publications, and others in the
Leyerle Opera Libretti series, are available directly from Leyerle’s website at
www.leyerlepublications.com.
Printed in the United States of America
Book design by Mark Lerner
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
www.amadeuspress.com
CONTENTS
Introduction
Synopsis
In Focus by William Berger
Program Note by Andrew Porter
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
Notes by Nico Castel
Photographs
INTRODUCTION
With its sublime mix of humor, pathos, and deep humanity, Le Nozze di Figaro
has been one of Mozart’s most popular works since it first saw the stage in 1786,
and it remains a high-water mark of opera itself to this day. Figaro had its Met
premiere in 1894, with some of the biggest stars of the day in the leading roles,
and it has attracted many great Met artists ever since, from Gustav Mahler, who
conducted a new production in 1909, to celebrated interpreters of the title role
such as Ezio Pinza, Cesare Siepi, or in more recent years, Bryn Terfel and Ildar
Abdrazakov. It is also a signature work of Met Music Director James Levine,
who has led more than 65 performances since 1985. The first collaboration of
Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte (they would later go on to create Don
Giovanni and Così fan tutte), Figaro stands as one of the great human comedies
in the repertoire, and many of its melodies have long transcended their operatic
origins and become a part of our collective musical consciousness.
Like the previous volumes of the Metropolitan Opera Presents series, this book
is designed to give readers an in-depth introduction to this timeless masterwork.
In addition to the complete libretto in Italian and English, we have included a
synopsis, a detailed program note with historical background, and the “In Focus”
feature we provide in the Met’s house program every night—a brief summary of
key aspects of the opera. We have also featured a wealth of archival photos from
Le Nozze di Figaro’s 120-year history at the Met. Whether you experience
Figaro in the opera house, as part of our Live in HD movie-theater transmissions
or radio broadcasts, or as a web stream, we hope this book will give you all the
information you need to enjoy and appreciate one of opera’s most beloved
works.
To learn more about Met productions, Live in HD movie-theater transmissions,
Met membership, and more, visit metopera.org.
Ezio Pinza as Figaro and Bidú Sayão as Susanna, 1940
METROPOLITAN OPERA ARCHIVES
Synopsis
Act I
Count Almaviva’s estate near Seville, 18th century. Figaro and Susanna,
servants to the Count and Countess Almaviva, are preparing for their wedding.
Figaro is furious when his bride tells him that the Count has made advances
toward her and vows to outwit his master. The scheming Dr. Bartolo appears
with his housekeeper, Marcellina, who wants Figaro to marry her as a way to
cancel a debt he cannot pay. When she runs into Susanna, the two women trade
insults. The page, Cherubino, enters and, finding Susanna alone, tells her that he
is in love with each and every woman in the house. He hides when the Count—
who is angry because he caught Cherubino flirting with Barbarina, the
gardener’s daughter, earlier—shows up. The Count again pursues Susanna, but
conceals himself when the music master, Basilio, approaches. When Basilio tells
Susanna that Cherubino has a crush on the Countess, the Count furiously steps
forward. He becomes further enraged when he discovers the page in the room.
Figaro returns with a group of peasants who praise the Count’s progressive
reform in renouncing the traditional right of a nobleman to take the place of a
manservant on his wedding night. The Count orders Cherubino to join his
regiment in Seville and leaves Figaro to cheer up the unhappy boy.