Le nozze di Figaro Opera buffa ("Commedia per musica“) in 4 acts FIRST VERSION
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Le nozze di Figaro Opera buffa ("Commedia per musica“) in 4 acts FIRST VERSION
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Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), K. 492 was apparently written at the special command of Emperor Joseph II. Mozart chose a highly successful French play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1784) as the model of the plot. The Viennese court poet Lorenzo da Ponte adapted the text to a four-act comic opera (opera buffa). Mozart wrote major parts of the work within just six weeks, apparently in November and December 1785. The premiere was, however, delayed several times and finally took place at the court theater on May 1, 1786.
Mozart conducted the first three productions himself; the piece was given 18 times until December 18, 1786. On August 29, 1789 the opera was revived in Vienna, with a total of 29 performances until February 18, 1791. Since the cast of the court theater had changed, Mozart undertook major revisions, i. a. he wrote two new arias, K. 577 und K. 579, for Adriana Ferrarese del Bene, the new Susanna.
During Mozart’s lifetime, the opera was performed in Italian and German in more than a dozen cities. The enormous success in Prague (1786–1787) secured Mozart the commission to write Don Giovanni, K. 527, the following year.
Did you know that the censorship in Vienna prohibited performances of Beaumarchais' play in Vienna, while they allowed the piece to be printed in German translations? Mozart and Da Ponte took the risk and adapted the plot so that political connotations were avoided.
According to Michael Kelly, the singer of the roles of Bartolo and Basilio at the premier performance of Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492, Mozart vowed to burn the score when, in early 1786, a dispute arose between himself, Antonio Salieri, and Vincenzo Righini as to whose opera was to be performed next. The struggle was finally ended by Emperor Joseph II himself—in favor of Mozart.
Mozart had a deep and enduring interest in composing music for opera. In the 18th century, opera belonged to different traditions of which only the Italian opera seria and the Italian opera buffa held wide international appeal. Mozart was commissioned twice to compose an opera seria for the theater in Milan, which was then still under Habsburg rule: Mitridate, re di Ponto, KV 87 (1770); and Lucio Silla, KV 135 (1772). Idomeneo, re di Creta, KV 366 (1781) and La clemenza di Tito, KV 621 (1791) are late examples of opera seria, a genre which gradually declined and was finally abandoned entirely around 1800. Three further works—Ascanio in Alba, KV 111 (1771); Il sogno di Scipione, KV 126 (1771); and Il re pastore, KV 208 (1775)—were so-called “serenatas”, celebratory compositions intended for a single performance at a special occasion.
After 1780, German opera gradually became established in German-speaking countries. In 1781–1782, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, KV 384 originated as part of a short-lived initiative of Emperor Joseph II to promote the German Singspiel (with dialog instead of secco recitatives) at the so-called National-Singspiel. The piece was very popular and was performed throughout the German-speaking world during Mozart’s lifetime. Three opere buffe on librettos by the Viennese court poet Lorenzo da Ponte—Le nozze di Figaro, KV 492 (1786); Don Giovanni, KV 527 (1787); and Così fan tutte, KV 588 (1790)—gained Mozart international acclaim. Die Zauberflöte, KV 620 (1791) was written for a successful suburban theater in Vienna, where Emanuel Schikaneder sought to introduce more serious works into the repertory beyond his usual light comic productions.
Autograph, 1785
Figaro's Hochzeit/ dritter und vierter Act von Mozart
Partitur: 139 Bl. (265 beschr. S.)
Autograph, 1785
Original = Partitur / Zu / Figaro's Hochzeit / 1. & 2. Act / v. Mozart
Partitur: 164 Bl. (322 beschr. S.)
Autograph, 1786
Bläserparticell: 1 Bl. (2 beschr. S.)
Abschrift, 1786
Le Nozze di Figaro/ Opera/ a/ 2 Violini/ 2 Oboe/ 2 Flauti/ 2 Clarinetti/ 2 Corni/ Viola/ 2 Fagotti/ Violoncello/ e/ Basso/ Del Sig:re Mozart./ Lausch. n
Stimmen
Abschrift, 1786-1789
Le Nozze di Figaro: / Comedia per Musica: / in Quattro Atti / Rappresentata nel Teatro di Corte: / a Vienna L'Anno 1786: / La Musica è del Sig: Wolf: Ama: Mozart:
Partitur
Abschrift, 1790
Le Nozze di Figaro/ Comedia per Musica/ in/ Quattro Atti/ La Musica è del Sigre Wolfgango Mozart.
Partitur
Abschrift, 1786-1790
Le Nozze di Figaro/ Comedia per Musica/ in quattro atti/ La Musica del Sigl.re Volfgl. Amadl. Mozart.
Partitur: 298 Bl.; Stimmen; Klavierauszug: 163 Bl.
Abschrift, 1790
Le Nozze di Figaro./ Comedia per Musica/ in Quattro Atti/ Rappresentata nel Teatro di Corte/ a Vienna l'Anno 1786./ La Musica è del Sigre Volfgango Ama: Mozart.
Partitur: 452 Bl.; Klavierauszug: 19 Bl.
Abschrift, 1790
Die Hochzeit des Figaro/ en Quatuor
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Abschrift, 1790
Le nozze di Figaro/[Instrumentenangabe]./ Auth. Mozart
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