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

The Changing Face of Music in Conjunction with the French Revolution

1793 Jacques-Lois David
The Death of Marat  

Before focusing on influences of the revolution on opera, I want to mention how revolution change the usage of music, it will help us to understand the atmospher of the period and it will also help me to make a simple introduction to my subject.

Before the French Revolution, opera was seen as a plaything or frivolous entertainment of aristocracy.French leaders started to use opera as a popular enlightment or public-spirited tool.They organized open-air operas to stimulate people to take part in it.Firstly, this organizations were for the celebration of important events of the revolution.Later, festivals honourned pure or theoretical merits like equality, liberty.This change in usage of music forced composers to enlarge the orchestra and they added wind and percussion sections.They created chorus section for only male and millitary bands became  widely popular because of patriotic emotions.

The reflections of French Revolution influenced librettos before music.As a result of this the plots became more ideological.Librettos began to process the rescue of innocence from villainy, unjust destiny or disasters.There were always heroic characters who ensure the happy ends.Librettos emphasized the toil of hero, instead of chance or God and they underlined the praise of human-bravery which was the major message of French Revolution.

reference
Wınton Dean,(n.d.)Essays on Opera/Opera Under The French Revolution

Outline

                   Impact of French Revolution on Opera

• French Revolution

the idea of enlightenment
economical, political and social reasons

the results of revolution

• The Changing Face of Music in Conjunction with the French Revolution

• The Marriage of Figaro      

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• Fidelio

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