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The Marriage of Figaro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart · 1786

Mozart's 1786 comic opera, adapting Beaumarchais's controversial play about a servant outwitting his aristocratic master.

Mozart composed this opera, the first of his three collaborations with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte.

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Ornate 1786 playbill for the Vienna Imperial National Court Theater announcing Le Nozze di Figaro / Die Hochzeit des Figaro, a Singspiel in four acts with music by Kapellmeister Mozart. Decorated with cherubs, urns, and an eagle crest.
Playbill for the Vienna premiere of The Marriage of Figaro, 1786.

About this source

What it is

The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) is an opera buffa in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786, based on Beaumarchais's 1784 play.

Why it matters

The original play's frank treatment of class conflict had been banned in Vienna, and Da Ponte had to strip out its political edge to win approval. The opera shows how Mozart and his librettist navigated censorship while still creating a story about servants besting their employer, reflecting the social tensions of the late eighteenth century. It remains a cornerstone of the opera repertoire.

Look closer

  • Why do you think the original play was considered dangerous enough to ban?
  • What changes did Da Ponte make to the story, and why might he have made them?
  • What does the decorative playbill suggest about how this opera was advertised?

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