When did The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart premiere?
The Marriage of Figaro premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on the 1st of May 1786. Mozart conducted the first two performances himself, seated at the keyboard.
Questions about The Marriage of Figaro
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Why was The Marriage of Figaro initially banned in Vienna?
Emperor Joseph II banned the original Beaumarchais play because of its frank treatment of class conflict. Lorenzo Da Ponte secured approval for an Italian opera version by removing all political references from the libretto, replacing Figaro's speech against inherited nobility with an aria about unfaithful wives.
How much was Mozart paid for The Marriage of Figaro?
The Imperial Italian opera company paid Mozart 450 florins for the work, which was three times his annual salary from his earlier post as a court musician in Salzburg. Librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte received 200 florins.
What is the plot of The Marriage of Figaro?
The opera follows servants Figaro and Susanna as they outwit their employer, Count Almaviva, who is attempting to exercise a feudal right to bed Susanna on her wedding night. Set over a single day at the count's palace near Seville, it ends with the count publicly humiliated and pleading forgiveness from his wife, the countess.
What did Johannes Brahms say about The Marriage of Figaro?
Brahms said that each number in Figaro is a miracle and that nothing like it was ever done again, not even by Beethoven.
How did the Prague production of The Marriage of Figaro affect Mozart's career?
The Prague production, which began in December 1786, was a tremendous success and led directly to the commissioning of Don Giovanni, the next collaboration between Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. Mozart visited Prague in January 1787 and conducted the production himself on the 22nd of that month.