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THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

02/11/2016
by darjin01
La folle journée ou le mariage de Figaro (1784) is an outstanding literary material, conceived by the master Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (1732–1799), which was a genuine dynamite for the ruling regime of its time as well. Not only was Beaumarchais the first writer to become rich thanks to a successful literary work, but he also turned its theatre premiere into an extraordinarily memorable event, attracting large number of audiences. Figaro grew into a harbinger of the impending social changes, which later resulted in what was referred to as the French Revolution, so that eventually even Napoleon himself described this work as a »revolution in action«. At that time the performances, based on such literary materials, were strictly forbidden, although they were allowed to be published by the Emperor. This is how Lorenzo da Ponte (1749–1838), the librettist of the opera, composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), was granted a permission to its creation as long as it did not contain anything that could damage the reputation of the theatre, operating under the patronage of his Majesty. Luckily enough, Mozart, who had no political interests, was rather than by its related content note more attracted by its perfected story […]
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