Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro Opera (Essay Sample)

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Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro Opera
Introduction
The Marriage of Figaro is considered one of Mozart’s finest and revolutionary works of all time. This work is a comical opera composed by the prolific Austrian composer and child prodigy, as the 18th century neared its end. This unique form of opera inaugurated ensemble singing in operas. It also brought about the use of recitatives, to act as a connection between constituent opera arias (songs) (Timson n.pg). This popular comic opera highlights the barriers and impediments that people often undergo to achieve what they really desire in life. In The Marriage of Figaro, the comic scenes and arias show how the characters overcome social class differences, betrayal and even heartbreak, to forgive and love again.
Discussion
Synopsis
The Marriage of Figaro has its setting in a castle owned by count Almaviva, near Seville in Spain, during the later years of the 18th century. In the first act, Figaro and Susanna, the male and female protagonists of the comic opera are in a room in the castle, making preparations for their wedding. Susanna laments that their room is close to that of the count, predisposing them to being constantly at his service and increasing his chances of pursuing her. On hearing this, Figaro vows to counter the count’s intentions (Timson n.pg). On the other hand, Dr. Bartolo; an ex-guardian to the countess together with Marcellina, the count’s current maid hope to prevent Figaro from marrying Susanna and instead marry Marcellina for failing to repay a debt. The count’s page, Cherubino, enters the room and starts telling Susanna of his love for Rosina, the countess. The page stops and Susanna hides him under her garment, when the count comes in and starts flirting with Susanna. When Don Basilio, a music teacher enters, the count also hides, only to emerge when he hears the former gossiping about Cherubino’s fondness for Rosina. The scene is hilarious because as the count emerges, he uncovers Cherubino and on realizing that he heard his dalliance with Susanna, he drafts the page into the army (Stewart 11).
The second act is in the countess’ room, where she complains to Figaro about being neglected by her husband. Figaro tells her and Susanna about his plan to trap the count, where Susanna would agree to secretly meet him, only to be replaced by a disguised Cherubino. However, as the page dresses up to go meet the count, the latter knocks on the door prompting Cherubino to hide in the closet. As doubt and tension rise, the count resolves to force his way into the room. When he goes for tools, the page jumps out of the window and is replaced by Susanna, which is rather comical. However, a sensation of tension combined with humor prevails, when Antonio, the gardener comes in complaining about the jumper who just destroyed his flowers; a notion that elevates the count’s doubts (Stewart 11-12).
In the third act, which takes place in a palace hall, the countess presents Susanna with a letter that she must give the count. Meanwhile, the latter is still plotting how to ensure that Figaro marries the old maid, Marcellina (Timson n.pg). However, there is a realization that Marcellina and Bartolo are Figaro’s biological parents, prompting a double wedding between Figaro and Susanna, as well as, Bartolo and Marcellina. In the fourth and final act, the count falls for the plan formulated by Figaro, Susanna, the countess and Cherubino. He realizes that he has been duped into telling the truth about his intended indiscretion with Susanna, and asks for forgiveness from the countess, which she readily accords him (Stewart 12-13).
Thematic and Character Analysis
Characters in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro continually reveal a complex pattern of feelings including love, apathy, anger and confusion, as the state of their association with their loved ones changes from one moment to the other. Mozart highlights both the highs and lows of love through varying music intonation and different actions of the characters. It is clear that all the characters are equally susceptible to emotions brought about by love. For example, Figaro gets angry Susanna informs him about the count’s interest in her, and he makes a vow to seek revenge on the master, despite being a mere servant. On the other hand, Susanna is afraid that she is bound to live a life of chaos and misery, since “the men always bring you to heel in the end.” Cherubino, the young page, imagines the countess and other women falling in love with him. Further, the countess expresses her sadness with a sorrowful aria, following the betrayal by her unfaithful husband even though they initially loved each other. Bartolo and Marcellina are initially shocked and later overjoyed, when they learn that Figaro is their son, while the count yearns for love from Susanna. Overall characters in this comical opera seem to acknowledge the fact that once you experience love; you are destined to yearn for love...