Tying the Knot with Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro
The Backstory
Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492, opera in four acts (1786)
I'm Mozart, and this is the backstory of Le Nozze di Figaro, the opera I composed in 1786. You'll learn how a play the Emperor had banned in Vienna still became an opera, with that same Emperor approving the libretto before I wrote a note. Here on this site, my fellow composers and I teach you to recognize our pieces when they play, so test yourself in the Trainer and see how you do.
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A Play Nobody Was Supposed to See
Everything starts with a comedy by Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais, which Emperor Joseph II had banned in Vienna. A banned play is the kind of thing that makes anyone who loves the theater lean forward in his chair. I could see right away that it had the makings of a wonderful opera, though I also knew it might get me into trouble. So I needed a partner who knew how to handle the people in charge.The Man With the Scissors
My partner was the librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, who turned the play into words I could set to music. He removed much of the political and topical material, the parts that had made the authorities so nervous. What was left was the human side: love, jealousy, pride and a great deal of scheming. I always thought the story was better for it, because people stay the same long after the headlines are forgotten.Six Weeks and an Emperor's Blessing
Da Ponte wrote the libretto in six weeks, which is a pace that would exhaust most of us just to hear about. The Emperor approved it before I wrote a single note of music. That mattered a great deal to me, because it meant I could compose without wondering whether the whole project would be forbidden halfway through. Once the words had been cleared, I could finally get to the part I enjoy most.Servants Behaving Badly
The opera was considered shocking, and the reason is simple: the servants outwit their aristocratic master. Today that sounds like a cheerful comedy, but in those days it was a bold thing to put on a stage in front of a noble audience. Figaro and Susanna, who work in the Count's household, are clever, quick and not at all afraid of him. Whether the Count deserves what is coming to him is something I will leave you to find out.Counting the Florins
Here is a small piece of arithmetic about what the work paid. Da Ponte received 200 florins for the libretto, and I received 450 florins for the music. I was paid more than twice as much, which I felt was only fair, since I had to write all those notes. Da Ponte might have had a different view, since he had done his writing in six weeks.Opening Night at the Burgtheater
The first performance took place at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786. I conducted it myself, sitting at the keyboard. People have written about how nervous I must have been backstage, but nobody really knows, and I will keep my own counsel. What I can say is that the evening brought me a lot more pleasure than worry.The People Who Brought Them to Life
A composer is only as good as his singers, and I was lucky with mine. Nancy Storace sang Susanna and Francesco Benucci sang Figaro, so the two people who plan the wedding were in very capable hands. Stefano Mandini played the Count and Luisa Laschi the Countess. Dorotea Bussani took the part of Cherubino, the young man who, as you may already have guessed, was written to be sung by a woman.A Very Long Day in a Single Castle
The whole story takes place in one day at Count Almaviva's castle near Seville. That is a lot of trouble to fit into so few hours, and I tried to make sure the music never gave anyone time to catch their breath. The finale of Act 2 shows this best, because it lasts about 20 minutes of continuous music, with eight characters on stage. I won't tell you what happens in it, only that things get a good deal more tangled before they get better.Vienna Applauds, Then Moves On
Vienna gave the opera only nine performances in 1786, which may sound disappointing. The audience, however, liked it very much indeed, and five numbers were encored on opening night. On 8 May they asked for seven numbers to be repeated, and I can tell you that a singer who has just finished an aria is not always delighted to start it again. So the opera did not stay long, but it left a strong impression in the room.Prague Takes the Opera to Its Heart
The production in Prague, which opened in December 1786, was a great success. I conducted there myself in January 1787, and it was a pleasure to see an audience that knew the tunes so well. That success led to the commission of Don Giovanni, so one opera opened the door to another. And the overture of Le Nozze di Figaro is now often played on its own in concert halls, a bit like a short story that has outlived the novel it came from.---
When I look back at how Le Nozze di Figaro came to be, I'm struck by how much had to fall into place. A banned play, a quick-witted librettist and an Emperor who gave his approval before I had written a note all had a part in it. Vienna gave the opera only nine performances in 1786, yet the audiences kept asking for their favorite numbers again. Then Prague welcomed it with open arms, and that success led to my next opera, Don Giovanni. I like to think the story still has the same spirit as the opera, with clever people quietly staying one step ahead of the powerful. So, did you enjoy learning about the backstory of Le Nozze di Figaro? I hope it left you curious, because there is a good deal more to explore. There are the singers who first brought these characters to life, the ensembles where eight voices weave together, and the many small details that reward a second or third listening. If you'd like to go further, I invite you to click on the links provided and carry on exploring Le Nozze di Figaro. I'd be delighted to have you along.