The Marriage of Figaro

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The marriage of Figaro(Le Nozze Di Figaro) was written by French dramatist Beaumarchais(1732-1799) by basing on The Barber of Seville(Le Barbier de Séville).The characters of The Barber of Seville won great fame and Beaumarchais wrote a second play with same characters, The Marriage of Figaro.With changing political conditions in France, especially character of Figaro became important because he can say out loud the hatred against the nobility and impassivity of the palace.The Marriage of Figaro was banned by the king and the play was accused of instigating  of class divisions.Beaumarchais was forced to make some changes and the king allowed to performence of the play.The Marriage of Figaro was staged in 1754 and it made a major impact.A few year laters Napolion said about the play;  "The Marriage of Figaro was the Revolution already in action.”

The Marriage of Figaro's fame spread throughout all Europe.Mozart read the german translation of the play and he was very impressed.Mozart wanted to adapt the play to opera and he started to work with famous Venetian opera librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte(1749-1838).Work have been completed in a short time and opera was staged in Vienna(1786).

Figaro's famous monologue from the play

"No, Monsieur le Comte, you shan't have her! You shan't have her. Because you are a great noble, you think you are a great genius! Nobility, a fortune, a rank, appointments to office: all this makes a man so proud! What did you do to earn all this? You took the trouble to get born - nothing more. Moreover, you're really a pretty ordinary fellow. While as for me, lost in the crowd, I've had to use more knowledge, more brains, just to keep alive than your likes have to spend on governing Spain and the Empire for a century. And you want to contest with me - ..."


References
Aydın Büke, 1998.İki Dahi Üç Opera\Le Nozze di Figaro
Tim Carter,1991.Le Nozze di Figaro\Beaumarchais, da Ponte and Mozart:from play to opera