Le Nozze di Figaro

Otherwise known as The Marriage of Figaro

Translation: "Pour, O love, sweet consolation on my lonely, broken heart. Give me back his lost affection, or, I beg you, let me die."

Plot Synopsis

Act 1

Figaro, servant of the Count Almaviva is to marry Susanna, the Countess's maid. Susanna tells Figaro that the Count is trying to persuade her to have an affair with him. Figaro is furious.

Marcellina enters with Doctor Bartolo. Apparently Figaro once promised to marry the elderly woman, and she wants to force him to keep his word. Bartolo agrees to help because Figaro caused him to lose his ward, Rosina (now the Countess) to the Count.

Cherubino (hee hee, Cherubino is cool), a page, comes in to talk to Susanna about his troubled love life. The Count caught him alone with Barbarina (Susanna's cousin), and wants him to leave.

In comes the Count. Cherubino quickly hides behind a chair. The Count is trying to get Susanna to meet him in the garden at night.

A knock is heard, and the Count hides behind the chair, and Cherubino sneaks around and jumps into it. Susanna covers him with a cloth. She opens the door and admits Basilio, a singing teacher and gossiper.

He says how he believes Cherubino is in love with the Countess, and the Count reveals himself, furious. He demands that they send Cherubino away from the castle. The Count accidently discovers Cherubino's presence and becomes even more angry. Figaro comes in, asking the Count to let him and Susanna marry. The Count agrees, while privately promising to send for Marcellina. He then sends Cherubino to join his regiment in Seville. Figaro quietly tells him to wait a little before he leaves.

Act 2

The Countess is in despair over the Count's infidelity to her. Figaro suggests a plan to make the Count jealous, and that will help him get out of marrying Marcellina. He goes to fetch Cherubino, who the Countess and Susanna are to disguise as Susanna. They are half done, Susanna goes to fetch a ribbon from her room. while she is gone, the Count turns up. Cherubino runs to the other room.

The Count wants to know who is in the other room, suspecting that the Countess has a lover. She refuses to unlock the door, so he takes her down with her to obtain some materials in order to break down the door.

Susanna quickly lets Cherubino out. The page jumps out the window, while Susanna takes his place in the other room.

The Count comes back to break down the door, and is amazed to find that it is Susanna in the room. He apologizes to the Countess, and Figaro comes in to bring Susanna to the wedding.

In runs Antonio the gardener with a tale of a man jumping out the window. Figaro says that was him, and Antonio produces a paper dropped by the man, but the Count takes it and asks Figaro what it is. Helped by the ladies, Figaro says it is Cherubino's commission, that needed sealing.

At that moment Marcellina, Basilio, and Bartolo come in. They tell the Count of Figaro's promise to Marcellina.

Act 3

The Countess has Susanna tell the Count she will meet him in the garden. The Count is ecstatic.

Figaro is put to trial in the Count's court, and it is decided either he has to pay Marcellina, or marry her. Then suddenly it is revealed that he is Marcellina and Bartolo's long-lost son, which means that he can't marry her. The Count is furious, and everyone else is happy.

Susanna acquaints the Countess of this news, and tells her what the Count said about meeting her in the garden. Their plan is to switch places, disguised. Under the Countess's instruction, Susanna writes a letter to the Count specifying the meeting place.

The peasant girls come in, led by Barbarina to give flowers to the Countess. Cherubino, dressed as a girl, is with them. He is discovered by the Count, who becomes angrier than ever, and then confused when Barbarina asks to marry the page.

Then everyone goes in to the double marriage of Figaro and Susanna, and Bartolo and Marcellina. As the count puts the bridal veil on Susanna's head, she slips him the note.

Act 4

Figaro learns that Susanna has appointed a meeting with the Count, through Barbarina. He becomes very jealous, and conceals himself as the two enter, disguised in each other's clothes. The Count arrives to see Cherubino trying to kiss the Countess, whom they both believe to be Susanna. He shoos the page away, and begins to compliment "Susanna". Figaro rushes through, interrupting the rendezvous, and the Count and "Susanna" hide.

Figaro then runs into "the Countess". He soon realizes that "the Countess" is Susanna, but keeps silent to pay her back for her trick. He pretends to make love to the Countess until Susanna jealously reveals herself and boxes his ears. They put on an act for the Count, who thinks Figaro is making love to his wife. He seizes Figaro, and calls for the servants. Everyone appears but the Countess, and they all think Susanna is the Countess. She implores forgiveness, but the Count refuses, until the real Countess shows up. All is forgiven, and the Count is much subdued, and everyone dances off.

Got all that? A little confusing at first, isn't it? Ah well. The Marriage of Figaro is a cute, fun opera to listen to, so I hope you enjoy it.