CHARACTERS SYNOPSIS - Arizona Theatre Company

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Figaro enters and the wedding celebrations begin. During the wedding dance, Marcellina, Bartolo, Susanna, and Figaro are presented to the Count and Countess. Susanna secretly passes the letter to the Count. Figaro notices the pin and believe it is another indication of the Count’s affairs. ACT IV Figaro and Marcellina arrive in the garden that evening. They see Barbarina, who is searching for the pin that the Count asked her to return to Susanna. Figaro believes Susanna is unfaithful and Marcellina leaves to warn Susanna of Figaro’s discovery. He tells Basilio and Bartolo to help him surprise the loves when he gives the signal. Figaro considers the betraying nature of women. Susanna and The Countess enter. The two women have switched clothing. Susanna, disguised as the Countess, calls for her lover to come, knowingly upsetting Figaro. Mayhem ensues. Cherubino tries to kiss the Countess (dressed as Susanna). The Count and Figaro shoo him away. The Count woos his wife dressed as Susanna. Figaro tells Susanna, whom he believes is the Countess, what is going on. He recognizes Susanna’s voice and still continues to woo the “Countess”. After Susanna chides him for his trick, the two are reconciled. The Count calls in witnesses as he comes upon Figaro who he believes is his wife. The entire garden party appears. The Countess reveals herself and the Count requests forgiveness as he realizes he has been caught trying to woo Susanna. The Countess lovingly pardons him. Everybody celebrates love and what a crazy day it has been! MOZART BIOGRAPHY Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria on January 27, 1756. His father, Leopold Mozart, was the vice Kapellmeister (assistant choir director) to the Archbishop of Salzburg and one of Europe’s leading violinists. He had one older sister, named Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart. Leopold tutored Maria Anna on the violin and the clavier (a precursor to the harpsichord). Mozart, three years old at the time, would spend hours picking out tunes on Nannerl’s clavier. By age four,
Leopold began tutoring Mozart was well. Mozart wrote his first compositions when he was five years old. Though the pieces were relatively simple, they still displayed a strong grasp of music compositional form and structure. He also had his first public performance with his sister at age five, before a court in Munich. Mozart’s virtuosity as a performer was so astounding that his father quit his job, devoted all his time to teaching Mozart, and toured with him all over Europe. Mozart played for Louis XV in Versailles and George III in London, and he met many famous musicians during his travels. When Mozart was eight years old, he wrote his first three symphonies. The next year, his sonatas were being published in Paris. During these travels, Mozart met Johann Christian Bach, son of Johann Sebastian Bach. The friendship would last them the rest of their lives. The life of young Mozart was one of travel, composing, and performing. His father was a loving but exacting taskmaster. His family’s travels exposed him to diverse operatic genres, particularly Italian opera and the opera comique in Paris. By age 11, he had written his first opera, Apollo et Hyacinthus (Apollo and Hyacinth), and at age 14 his opera Mitridate was performed in Milan. Mozart possessed the unique ability to vary the moods of his music within the conventional forms of the period. When Mozart was sixteen years old, he was appointed concertmaster in the orchestra of Archbishop of Salzburg. This meant he now received a salary. He worked for the Archbishop while also composing music for many private patrons, which was an important source of income for musicians and composers at the time. In 1774, Mozart was invited to compose an opera buffa (comic opera) for the Munich opera season. During this time, operas were written specifically for singers who were to perform them. This means the composer had to work closely with the performers and understand the ability of each singer. Mozart developed from composing conventional music to writing works of much greater individuality. He longed to compose operas, but there was a limited demand for them. His low salary in the concertmaster position persuaded him to want to tour once more. In 1777, Mozart received permission from the Archbishop of Salzburg to be released from his appointment to go on tour. Mozart toured with his mother, hoping to find a more lucrative court position. After staying in Mannheim for several months, the two traveled to Paris. Mozart was not professionally successful in Paris, and to make matters more difficult, his mother died in Paris during their tour. Mozart returned to Salzburg in 1779 and was appointed as court organist and concertmaster to the Archbishop of Salzburg. Just two years later, he resigned from his position due to increasing tension and disagreements between Mozart and the Archbishop. Mozart moved to Vienna in 1781. He decided to make his living as a freelance performer and composer. This was a highly unusual step for a musician to take at the time. His opera Die Entfuhrung aus dem
Page 1 and 2: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (Le Nozze di
Page 3: puzzled. The Count pleads forgivene
Page 7 and 8: LIBRETTIST Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote t
Page 9: http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/

CHARACTERS SYNOPSIS - Arizona Theatre Company

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