The Marriage of Figaro, also known as Le Nozze di Figaro in English, is a four-act opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, best known for his operas Don Giovanni, Cosi fan tutte, and The Magic Flute, as well as symphonies and other works. Lorenzo da Ponte, who also wrote the librettos for Don Giovani and Cos fan tutte, wrote the libretto for The Marriage of Figaro in 1785.
The libretto is based on the second of three plays about the character Figaro by Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais. Paisiello had written an opera based on the first play in the series, Le barbier de Séville, which Rossini later adapted to opera. The Paisiello production was known to Mozart, but few people are familiar with it, whereas The Marriage of Figaro has become the most popular of all Mozart’s operas.
The Marriage of Figaro premiered in Vienna on May 1, 1786, and many of the roles were filled by singers reprising their Paisiello roles. The effects were so wonderful, according to Michael Kelly, the Irish tenor who played Basilio in the premiere, that the entire company spontaneously broke into cheers for the composer during the first full rehearsal.
The Marriage of Figaro takes place in eighteenth-century Seville, in a single day, at the castle of Count Almaviva. Figaro, the Count’s valet, and Susanna, the Countess’s maid, are engaged to be married when the opera begins. Two factors, however, complicate their plans. The Count has his heart set on Susanna, and Figaro once borrowed money from Marcellina with the promise of marrying her if he defaulted on the loan, which he has done. Marcellina has the support of Bartolo, who has a grudge against Figaro.
Cherubino, a trousers role — that is, a male role played by a woman — enters and asks Susanna to use her clout with the Count on his behalf. He was just fired by the Count for flirting with the Countess. Cherubino hides when the Count arrives, and when he is discovered, plans are made for him to join the army to keep him at bay.
Figaro and Susana persuade the Countess to play a trick on the Count so that he will be preoccupied, allowing them to marry without his interference in Act II of The Marriage of Figaro. They convince the Count that the Countess is meeting with a lover, and Susana is willing to meet him. Cherubino will be dressed as Susanna and sent to complete this task, with the Countess waiting in the wings to surprise them and shame her husband. The Count enters as Cherubino is being prepared, and Cherubino hides once more, jumping out the window upon the Count’s departure.
Susanna and the Countess will exchange clothing, and the Countess will meet the Count, as Act III begins with a revised plan of action. Figaro goes to court and protests that he can’t marry without his parents’ permission, which leads to the revelation that Marcellina and Bartolo are, in fact, his parents. When two couples — Figaro and Susanna and Marcellina and Bartolo — are presented to the Count and Countess for their blessing, the Countess dictates a letter from Susanna to the Count, which Susanna gives to him.
Act IV begins with a blunder that leads Figaro to doubt Susanna, prompting him to seek the help of Basilio and Bartolo. Because Figaro is unaware of the Countess and Susanna’s new plans — they choose not to tell him — he believes the Count is meeting with Susanna when it is actually the Countess. This causes widespread consternation until everything is revealed, the Count begs the Countess’ forgiveness, and everything ends happily.