Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) - Chandos

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 4COMPACT DISC ONE Time PageTimePage123456789101112131415Overture 3:54 [p. 118]Act I (41:16)‘Fifteen, sixteen, twenty, thirty’ 2:44 [p. 118]Figaro, Susanna‘What on earth are you measuring’ 0:50 [p. 118]‘Supposing one evening the Countess’ 2:35 [p. 119]‘All right, shut up and listen’ 1:52 [p. 119]Susanna, Figaro‘Bravo, my lord and master!’ 0:54 [p. 120]‘So, little master, you’re dressed to go dancing’ 2:35 [p. 121]Figaro‘But why did you wait till the day of the wedding’ 1:05 [p. 121]Bartolo, Marcellina‘Now for vengeance, glorious vengeance!’ 2:59 [p. 121]Bartolo‘So all is not lost’ 0:47 [p. 122]‘I bow to your grace’ 2:10 [p. 122]Marcellina, Susanna‘Good riddance, you old spinster’ 2:09 [p. 123]Susanna, Cherubino‘I don’t know what it is that I’m feeling’ 2:54 [p. 124]Cherubino‘Now I’m done for!’ 1:30 [p. 124]Cherubino, Susanna, Count, Basilio‘Susanna, heaven bless you!’ 2:03 [p. 125]Basilio, Susanna, Count1617181920212212345‘It’s outrageous! Search the castle’ 4:20 [p. 126]Count, Basilio, Susanna‘Basilio, run and tell Figaro to come here’ 1:01 [p. 128]Count, Susanna, Cherubino, Basilio‘Praise and adore him’ 1:09 [p. 129]Chorus‘So what is all this nonsense?’ 1:36 [p. 129]Count, Figaro, Susanna‘Praise and adore him’ 1:01 [p. 130]Chorus‘God bless you!’ 1:11 [p. 130]Figaro, Susanna, Basilio, Cherubino‘Here’s and end to your life as a rover’ 3:51 [p. 131]FigaroTT 45:14COMPACT DISC TWOAct II (46:21)‘Hear my prayer, humbly I beg you’ 3:40 [p. 131]Countess‘Come here, dear Susanna, and finish your story’ 3:06 [p. 131]Countess, Susanna, Figaro‘How it grieves me, Susanna’ 1:22 [p. 133]Countess, Susanna, Cherubino‘Tell me what love is’ 2:41 [p. 134]Cherubino‘Bravo, your voice is lovely!’ 1:08 [p. 134]Countess, Susanna, Cherubino4 5

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 6678910111213141516171819Time‘Kneel down and let me look at you’ 2:54 [p. 135]Susanna‘Enough of this nonsense!’ 3:00 [p. 135]Countess, Susanna, Cherubino, Count‘What does this mean?’ 1:25 [p. 137]Count, Countess‘Come out of there, Susanna!’ 3:00 [p. 138]Count, Countess, Susanna‘So you’re proposing not to open it?’ 1:00 [p. 139]Count, Countess‘Don’t worry, Cherubino’ 1:02 [p. 140]Susanna, Cherubino‘Look at the little devil!’ 0:21 [p. 141]Susanna‘Everything as I left it’ 1:24 [p. 141]Count, Countess‘Out you come, you vile seducer’ 2:54 [p. 141]Count, Countess‘You called, sir?’ 1:21 [p. 143]Susanna, Count, Countess‘I cannot believe it’ 3:31 [p. 143]Countess, Susanna, Count‘The wedding procession is ready and waiting’ 3:13 [p. 145]Figaro, Count, Susanna, Countess‘Oh, my lord! My lord!’ 5:34 [p. 147]Antonio, Count, Countess, Susanna, Figaro‘Noble lord, we come for justice’ 3:41 [p. 151]Marcellina, Basilio, Bartolo, Count, Countess, Figaro, SusannaTT 46:21Page1234567891011121314COMPACT DISC THREE Time PageAct III (40:29)‘This is very perplexing!’ 0:58 [p. 152]Count‘Don’t be afraid!’ 1:40 [p. 152]Countess, Count, Susanna‘How could you be so cruel’ 2:29 [p. 153]‘But I don’t understand’ 0:39 [p. 154]Count, Susanna‘Hey, Susanna, how’s it going?’ 0:10 [p. 154]Figaro, Susanna‘“You’ve won the case already”’ 1:28 [p. 154]‘Must I be made to suffer’ 3:11 [p. 155]Count‘Come on, come on, Cherubino’ 0:43 [p. 155]Barbarina, Cherubino‘And Susanna’s not here’ 1:53 [p. 155]‘I remember his love so tender’ 4:32 [p. 156]Countess‘The case is decided’ 2:04 [p. 156]Curzio, Marcellina, Figaro, Count, Bartolo‘Darling boy, let me embrace you’ 4:49 [p. 157]Marcellina, Figaro, Bartolo, Curzio, Count, Susanna‘This is our little baby’ 1:18 [p. 160]Marcellina, Bartolo, Susanna, Figaro‘I must warn you, my lord’ 0:29 [p. 160]Antonio, Count6 7

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 8TimePageTimePage15161718192021222324252627‘That’s amazing!’ 0:41 [p. 161]Countess, Susanna‘…the breezes…’ 2:35 [p. 161]‘That should do the trick!’ 0:26 [p. 161]Susanna, Countess‘Gentle lady, may these presents’ 1:13 [p. 162]Girls‘Madam, with your permission’ 0:47 [p. 162]Barbarina, Countess, Susanna‘Hey, what did I tell you!’ 1:07 [p. 162]Antonio, Countess, Susanna, Count, Cherubino‘My lord, if you detain these lovely girls’ 1:13 [p. 163]Figaro, Count, Countess, Susanna, Antonio‘Now I can hear them’ 1:57 [p. 164]Figaro, Susanna, Count, Countess, Serving girls, Chorus‘As true-hearted lovers’ 4:07 [p. 165]ChorusAct IV (31:43)‘I have lost it, I’m so stupid’ 1:32 [p. 165]Barbarina‘Barbarina, what’s happened?’ 1:14 [p. 166]Figaro, Barbarina, Marcellina‘Mother!’ 0:50 [p. 166]Figaro, Marcellina‘The pavilion on the right’ 0:41 [p. 167]Barbarina2829303132333435363738394041‘That’s Barbarina! Who goes there?’ 0:36 [p. 167]Figaro, Basilio, Bartolo‘Everything’s ready; the hour of reckoning is at hand’ 1:28 [p. 168]‘You foolish slaves of Cupid’ 2:47 [p. 168]Figaro‘My lady, Marcellina says Figaro will be here’ 0:18 [p. 168]Susanna, Marcellina‘My lady, you are trembling’ 0:38 [p. 168]Susanna, Countess, Figaro‘At last, the moment I’ve longed for’ 1:21 [p. 169]‘Come quickly my beloved, I implore you’ 3:34 [p. 169]Susanna‘Treachery! Now I see how she has deceived me!’ 0:36 [p. 169]Figaro, Countess, Cherubino‘I’ll approach her, oh so softly’ 1:11 [p. 170]Cherubino, Countess‘Here she is, my dear Susanna’ 1:48 [p. 170]Count, Susanna, Figaro, Cherubino, Countess‘Now we’re alone together’ 2:38 [p. 171]Count, Countess, Figaro, Susanna‘Night shrouds the world in mystery’ 3:43 [p. 172]Figaro, Susanna‘I surrender, my love’ 1:57 [p. 173]Figaro, Susanna, Count‘Quickly, bring your weapons!’ 4:52 [p. 174]Count, Figaro, Basilio, Curzio, Antonio, Bartolo, Susanna,Cherubino, Barbarina, MarcellinaTT 72:228 9

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 10Christopher Purves as Figarowith Scottish OperaBillCooperBill Cooper/PMFWith this recording of The Marriage of Figarowe have been able to fill an important gap inthe Opera in English catalogue. I hope that thewit and wisdom of Mozart’s masterpiece, sungin English by a spirited cast, will bring freshpleasures to all listeners – whether you areencountering Figaro for the first time, orre-visiting well-loved territory.I hope it will encourage you to dip furtherinto our Opera in English catalogue – with over thirty-five recordings(and more in the pipeline) there is plenty to explore in what is nowthe world’s largest collection of operas recorded in English translation.August 200410 11

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 12Figaro should be aged about thirty, if we are tobelieve his inventor Caron de Beaumarchais.Mozart was also thirty in 1786, when theopera was first performed. It is not too fancifulto read an autobiographical element intoBeaumarchais’s creation of his multi-talentedBarber of Seville. A step or two further findssome parallels with Mozart as the rather tooable servant on rather too familiar terms withhis social superiors.It must therefore be a mistake to portrayFigaro as the fall guy in this opera, as issometimes the case. Admittedly, he is prone toact and to speak even faster than he thinks,but starting the action is his function in theplot. Figaro is the motor of this drama. It ishis urgency which drives it forward, in spite ofthe delaying and braking tactics of the othercharacters. By contrast, the others are allrelatively passive, awaiting the outturn ofevents. It is, after all, Figaro’s marriage, as thetitle of the opera reminds us.And Susanna’s, although you would notknow so from the title. It is Susanna,presumably a few years younger than herbridegroom, who shows him up. She seesFigaro’s Marriage12through the ‘convenience’ of the room theyhave been allotted and Count Almaviva’s planto take them with him on his embassy toLondon. She reacts quickly enough to coverup Cherubino’s escape from the Countess’scloset. She finds the means to pay off Figaro’sdebt to Marcellina. It is she who aborts hisrisky plan to dupe the Count by disguise inthe garden at night, in favour of her clevererversion of the plan. Susanna’s native witcomplements Figaro’s acquired ingenuity.Indeed, and despite the opera’s title, it iseasy to see Susanna as the central character ofthe opera. Hers is certainly the longest role, ifyou count the notes, but it is not just thequantity of notes that counts. One of the mostwonderful aspects of Mozart’s genius, and notonly in this opera, is his ability to draw andcolour women as convincingly as men. It is askill not shared by so many other malecomposers, nor by too many male writers forthat matter. The idealized woman, Goethe’s‘Ewigweibliche’, is the bane of muchnineteenth-century opera and literature. In thetwentieth century, Janáček and Berg shareMozart’s precious gift, but not many more.Too much can be made of the prerevolutionaryaspects of The Marriage ofFigaro. Figaro’s Act I cavatina ‘Se vuol ballare,signor contino’ (‘So, little master, you’redressed to go dancing’ in Jeremy Sams’stranslation) may seem like the tocsin forbattle, and his confrontation with the Countbefore the dances in Act III (‘Maybe so. I’mnot one to accuse when I don’t know’) maypresage the collapse of the social order. Butnot yet. It is too facile to be wise after theevent, as was Napoléon in describing Figaro’sincendiary challenge ‘You have taken thetrouble to be born, nothing more’ as ‘theRevolution in action’. Beaumarchais in Paris,and Mozart after him in Vienna, are playingwith fire, but it is still a play.The counter-revolutionary argument,eloquently put by Joseph Kerman in his Operaas Drama, is that the true hero and heroine ofthe opera are the Count and Countess.Although his thesis does not entirely convince,it is true that the opera is as much anexamination of their two-year-old marriage asof the marrying of Figaro and Susanna. TheCount, although he is ostensibly the ‘villain’ ofthe piece, should remain sympathetic. TheCountess, despite her early passivity andweepiness, regains her strength and13determination in Act III and is the catalyst forthe drama in Act IV. The resolution broughtabout by the Countess’s forgiveness of hererrant husband (‘I’m far more forgiving, andso I say yes’) and their, at least temporary,reconciliation form the emotional climax ofthe opera.Peter Hall once memorably described in aradio interview the healing effect of the greatforgiveness ensemble involving the whole castafter the Countess’s intervention, andespecially the power of the short descendingorchestral passage between that ensemble andthe final chorus of jollification, a fleetingmoment when all the characters stare into theabyss of tragedy. Faithlessness and betrayalmay so easily destroy these marriages. There isan awful realisation of self-knowledge, andthen they turn away, choosing to ignore it forthe pleasures of the moment. The borderbetween tragedy and comedy is so narrow.This balance between the two is what makesMozart supremely realistic and his operas sobelievable. It is the special insight which isevident as early as La finta giardiniera,composed when he was only eighteen, andwhich reaches its apogee with the three operaswritten with Lorenzo da Ponte, of which TheMarriage of Figaro is the first. The balance is

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 14most finely held at the drama’s resolution, butit is struck throughout the opera. It is mostbeautifully, half-humorously exposed inCherubino’s Act I aria ‘Non so più, cosa son,cosa faccio’ (‘I don’t know what it is that I’mfeeling’). And it should be there in theadolescent’s half-painful, half-pleasurablereaction to Figaro’s military aria ‘Non piùandrai’ at the end of Act I (‘Here’s an end toyour life as a rover’). The glories Cherubinoanticipates are not strictly martial.Although The Marriage of Figaro isnominally in four acts, corresponding to itsfour locations, it is musically a two-actstructure similar to those of the other DaPonte operas, Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte.Each half of each opera concludes with anextended finale, a device for developing theaction through music which Mozart pioneeredas early as La finta giardiniera but which heperfected in the Act II finale of Figaro. It isalso the supreme example of Mozart’s sense ofbalance. From the moment when the Countand Countess return to the bedroom and thefinale proper starts, the outcome could aseasily be tragic as comic. In the event, thehumour keeps surfacing, sometimeshilariously, even farcically, but it remains amatter of life and death.Walter Legge described the Act II finalethus: ‘Musically this is the most masterlyensemble, not only in this opera but in allMozart. For nearly twenty minutes the musicflows unbroken, responding to every turn andtwist of the complicated and fast-movingcomedy, illuminating, reflecting, commentingupon the action and the widely differingemotions of the participants. Step by step withthe action, the music intensifies the surprises,adds point to the subtleties, and yet casts overthe whole rather sordid play of intrigue amagical cloak of the most enchanting musicthat, while it is always faithful to theincident, transmutes it into the purest gold ofbeauty.’Everyone will choose a favourite section ofthis sublime finale. Mine is the temporarytruce between the combatants (albeit hardlyshared by the furiously plotting Count) beforethe incursion of Antonio with his brokenflower pots. The Countess, Susanna andFigaro sing ‘Deh signor, noi contrastate’(‘Heed my pleading, I implore you, becompassionate I pray’), and, as the Countmentally searches for Marcellina, horns andbasses emphasize their plea forte. The briefmoment of hoped-for reconciliation magicallyanticipates the end of the opera.According to Michael Kelly, the Irish tenorwho played Basilio and Curzio in the originalproduction, Mozart’s favourite number in theopera was the sextet in Act III. It can certainlybe one of the funniest sections, with itssurprise revelations and reversals; yet again,Susanna’s fury and discomfiture are in deadlyearnest. There is a beautiful touch after thesextet has finished and the Count and Curziohave retired in disarray. Susanna asks theothers who remain ‘Who could be happierthan I am?’ and Figaro, Bartolo andMarcellina each reply ‘I am’. Then togetherand in close harmony the quartet singspianissimo ‘And if the Count is furious, wellthat will serve him right!’ This moment shouldnot be played only for comedy.Act IV is the most difficult act to bring offin performance. After the three interior actsettings the garden should breathe the freedomand license of the open air. These secret placesunder the pine trees are like Shakespeare’swood outside Athens where sexual dreams maybe realised. Once the finale proper begins withCherubino’s ‘I’ll approach her, oh so softly,seize the moment while I may’, all moves well,but the first half of this act sees a build up ofreflective arias which do nothing to progressthe action. Figaro’s diatribe against women(‘You foolish slaves of Cupid’) and Susanna’sambiguously directed love song (‘Comequickly my beloved’) are of course essential,but Marcellina’s and Basilio’s simile arias canappear marginal. In fact, they are interestingand revealing pieces. Marcellina’s numberfleshes out her character with some of thefeminist indignation of her great speech inAct III of Beaumarchais’s play. Basilio’s‘donkey’s hide’ anecdote is a moreconventional simile aria, but with a sadlyironic twist in its tail. Both add extradimensions to their characters and to therichness of the drama, but they come too late.Towards the end of the evening, one isimpatient for the plot to be resolved. So inperformance, as on this recording, it ispragmatic to cut them.This cut advances Figaro’s own moment oftragic repose, when his optimistic nature foronce threatens to be overwhelmed. Granderstill than his angry aria is the short section,well into the finale, when the tempo broadensto larghetto in 3/4 time; bright G major givesway to E flat major (the key of the Countess’splaintive opening cavatina ‘Porgi amor’ –‘Hear my prayer’); and the clarinets return.Under the tranquil and placid night sky, withVenus and Mars locked in embrace above,14 15

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 16Figaro once more gathers the threads of thedrama and confronts his personal destiny. Thismagical moment lasts only twelve bars, beforehe is again pulled into the breathlessunravelling of the denouement. But despitewhat happens after and the Countess’sdramatic revelation, it is enough to give himback his opera – and his marriage.© 2004 Nicholas PayneSynopsisA few years before the opera begins, the CountAlmaviva had wooed and wed Rosina. She wasthe rich ward of a Dr Bartolo of Seville, whohad been planning to marry her himself toobtain her money. The Count now lives somedistance from Seville in his ancestral Manor,with Figaro as his body-servant. Figaro himselfis to be married today to Susanna, lady’s maidto none other than Rosina, the CountessAlmaviva.COMPACT DISC ONEAct IThe first act takes place in the early morningin a small service room allotted to Figaro andSusanna as their future married quarters. Thedoor to the right leads to the main hall of thecastle, that in the centre to the Countess’sapartments, and that to the left to those of theCount.1After the overture, we see Susannapreparing her wedding headdress.2Figarois measuring where their bed can go,3 – 5but when Susanna understands whatFigaro is doing, she points out that this roomis out of the question! It is not only a generalpassageway but more importantly, too easy ofaccess to the Count who is pursuing her andwould like to revive the feudal rights of theLord of the Manor. Figaro is stunned to learnof the Count’s interest in her. She respondsthat Figaro surely did not think that the dowrythat the Count has promised was due to theCount’s feelings for him.6 – 7She issummoned by the Countess and Figaroexpresses his jealous thoughts: if the Counttries to make love to Susanna, Figaro will useevery trick to upset his plans.8 – 9Dr Bartolo and his housekeeperMarcellina have come from Seville. Marcellinahas lent money to Figaro, with the provisothat if he is unable to pay it back, he will haveto marry her. Obviously until the money canbe re-paid, Figaro is not in a position to getmarried to anyone else. Marcellina asksDr Bartolo for his help; he replies that he willbe only too glad to revenge himself onFigaro.10 – 11Susanna returns, and as Marcellinais leaving they exchange some barbedcompliments.12The page boy Cherubino comes toappeal to Susanna for advice and assistance.The Count has caught him flirting withBarbarina, the gardener’s daughter, and unlessthe Countess can be persuaded to intervene,he will be sent away, never more to see hisdear Susanna or, for that matter, My Lady,whom he worships from afar. When Susannaexpresses her surprise at so many loves,13Cherubino tells her that he is in love withLove and hands her a song which he haswritten for the Countess.14The Count enters, whereuponCherubino hides himself. The Count flirtswith Susanna but his advances are interruptedby Don Basilio, the music master.15TheCount then also hides. However, when hehears what Basilio has to say aboutCherubino’s attentions to the Countess heemerges from his hiding place16 – 17andthreatens to dismiss Cherubino. He recountshow he found the boy hiding under thetablecloth in Barbarina’s cottage. As hedemonstrates how he managed to expose hispage, Cherubino is revealed again. The Countthen realises that Cherubino has overheardeverything he’s just been saying to Susanna.18 – 20Figaro now enters with his friendsto ask the Count to present Susanna with hervirginal bridal adornment, but the Count putsthis off until the official ceremony.21To getrid of Cherubino, the Count gives him acommission in his own regiment and sendshim off to Seville.22Figaro mockingly wishesCherubino well in his future military career.COMPACT DISC TWOAct IIAct Two takes place in the Countess’sapartment. The door on the right leads to themain staircase, that in the centre to Susanna’sroom, and that on the left to a small dressingroom. There is a window on the wall facing.Susanna has just left the Countess’s morningtray.1Rosina, now the Countess Almaviva,longs for the return of the love of herphilandering lord.2Susanna comes back. She had beentelling the Countess of the Count’sdiscomfiture and now adds that Figaro hassent an anonymous letter to the Count16 17

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 18through Basilio, revealing that the Countesshas an assignation this evening in the gardenwith a lover. This is a fabrication to distracthim from chasing Susanna.The Countess points out that this doesn’tstop Marcellina’s threatened intervention.Susanna has a suggestion: she makes anassignation with the Count herself but thatCherubino keeps it, disguised as Susanna. TheCountess can surprise them and this will putthe Count in such a position that he will haveto give his consent to the marriage.3 – 4Cherubino comes in to sing hissong to the Countess.5 – 6The plan is explained and Susannaarranges a dress rehearsal, first of all lockingthe door. As he is changing, Cherubino dropshis commission and the Countess remarks thatit hasn’t been sealed. Susanna starts to dressCherubino as a girl.The Countess sends Susanna for one of herown bonnets.7There is a knock at the maindoor; the Count has returned unexpectedly.Cherubino is bundled into the closet and lockshimself in.8The Countess unlocks the maindoor and explains that she has been trying ona dress and talking to Susanna who has justleft. The Count shows her Figaro’s anonymousletter but at that point there is a clatter in the18closet – Cherubino has knocked somethingover. The Count demands to know who is inthere. The Countess says it is Susanna and theCount orders her to open up or speak but theCountess forbids this. Susanna unnoticedcomes back into the room, realises what ishappening and hides herself.9 – 10Since the Countess refuses to openthe closet, the Count locks all the doors andgoes to get tools to force the closet door,taking the Countess with him.11Susannapersuades Cherubino to open up. Finding allthe doors locked, he jumps out of the window.12Susanna locks herself into the closet.13The Count and Countess return and theCountess admits that she was preparing asurprise for the evening, and that it is actuallyCherubino in the closet. This seems to theCount to confirm the anonymous letter.14The Count calls on Cherubino to comeout. The Countess begs him not to be angry ifhe sees Cherubino a little dishevelled, he wasgetting dressed up as a girl. The Countdenounces his wife as faithless and is going toattack the door15 – 16when Susanna opensit and steps out. Both the Count andCountess are dumbfounded, the Count findsthis joke as cruel as that of the anonymousletter, which they reveal to him was written byFigaro and delivered by Basilio. He asks hiswife’s forgiveness.17Figaro enters to announce thatpreparations for the wedding are nearlycomplete but the Count asks him if he wrotethe anonymous letter. Figaro of course deniesthis, in spite of prompting from Susanna andthe Countess.18Antonio the gardener enters to complainthat someone has jumped out of the windowand spoilt his flowers. Figaro says it was he;Antonio thinks it was Cherubino, but Figarosays he has already left for Seville. The Countasks Figaro why he jumped. Figaro says he waswaiting for Susanna when he heard a rumpus,the Count shouting, and thinking of theanonymous letter (which he has just deniedwriting), he took fright and jumped out of thewindow. Antonio asks if the papers that weredropped are his then, but the Count seizesthem and asks Figaro to identify them. TheCountess recognises Cherubino’s commissionand passes the information along to Figaro,who explains that it is the page’s commissionwhich was left with him to be sealed.19Marcellina, Dr Bartolo and Don Basilioenter to present Marcellina’s case againstFigaro. The confusion this causes ends theact.19COMPACT DISC THREEAct IIIAct Three is laid in the Great Hall where allmay freely come and go. It is late afternoon.1The Count is trying to puzzle outthe contradictions of recent happenings.2 – 4The Countess sends Susanna to makean assignation with the Count for thisevening. The Countess is planning to keep thisherself in Susanna’s place, since Cherubino hasnow left. On the pretext of borrowing hissmelling salts, Susanna approaches the Countand makes the assignation.5She confidesto Figaro as she leaves that she has won hiscase for him without the need of a lawyer.6Unfortunately, the Count overhears her.7He explodes, furious to find himselfoutwitted by his own servants.8Barbarina persuades Cherubino to joinher and the village girls in presenting flowersto the Countess.9 – 10The Countess is waiting forSusanna and sings of wonderful moments withthe Count in the past.11The legal decision is that Figaro mustpay his debt or marry Marcellina. Figaro saysthat he cannot marry without his parents’permission and as he was a foundling this will

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 20be difficult to get. However, if anyone canrecognize the birthmark on his arm…Marcellina does – he is the child she had manyyears ago who was stolen from her: his fatheris none other than Dr Bartolo. Her claim tomarry Figaro thus collapses.12 – 13However,Susanna comes in, having persuaded theCountess to advance the money necessary torepay the debt. She finds Marcellinaembracing Figaro, and jumps to the wrongconclusion, but soon joins in thereconciliation.14Antonio tells the count that Cherubinohas not left for Seville, but is at the gardener’shouse, and dressed as a woman!15Susanna joins the Countess and reportsthat the Count has accepted the assignation.16The Countess dictates a note to fix avenue.17The note is sealed with a pin whichthe Count is to send back to show he accepts.18 – 19Barbarina leads in a group ofvillage girls to present flowers to the Countess.The group includes Cherubino dressed as agirl. As the girls present their flowers, theCountess notices that one reminds her ofsomebody.20Antonio and the Countentering unexpectedly, unmask this girl. It isCherubino. The Count asks the Countess foran explanation, but she is as surprised as he is.The Count is going to punish Cherubino, butBarbarina asks for pardon for him, and hishand in marriage, in return for her pastkindnesses to the Count.21Figaro enters to announce the dancing.The Count tells him that Cherubino nowadmits having jumped out of the window.Figaro replies that may be – if one man canjump out so can two.22 – 23The double wedding ceremonyproceeds, Figaro and Susanna, Marcellina andBartolo. During this Susanna slips the Countthe letter she has written. Figaro sees the Countprick his finger on a pin sealing a note which hehas been passed but is not aware who sent it.Act IVThe scene of Act Four is the moonlit garden.There are several arbours.24Barbarina has lost the pin which theCount had given her to take back to Susanna.25Figaro and Marcellina soon get the storyout of her.26Figaro goes looking forrevenge and Marcellina to warn Susanna.27 – 28Figaro has asked Basilio, Antonio andBartolo to come and help him sort matters out.Barbarina comes back to keep anappointment with Cherubino,29 – 30whileFigaro, wild with jealousy, waits for Susanna.31 – 32Marcellina brings Susanna and the interrupts and the pretended Countess hidesCountess to the spot and hides in one of the in an arbour.41In front of Basilio, Bartoloarbours.33 – 34Susanna, conscious that and Antonio, the Count calls her out of theFigaro is listening, revenges herself for hissuspicions by pretending to be waiting for theCount.arbour. The first to emerge are Cherubino,Barbarina and Marcellina, and finally thepretended Countess. The Count accuses her35 – 36As the Countess slips intoof unfaithfulness. She begs forgiveness, whichSusanna’s place, Cherubino arrives to keep hisassignation with Barbarina, but seeing, as hehe will not grant. Then the real Countessappears and intercedes. The Count now mustthinks, Susanna, he gives chase.37Cherubino beg her pardon, which she again gives him.tries to kiss Susanna, but the CountSo all ends well.intervenes. He tries to box Cherubino’s ears,but strikes Figaro who has also intervened.© 2004 Peter MooresCherubino hides in an arbour.38The Count then woos his own wife,believing her to be Susanna, and gives her adiamond ring. Figaro tries to scare off theCount and the pretended Susanna hides inanother arbour, while the Count retires toChristopher Purvesstudied English atKing’s College,Cambridge beforeperforming andrejoin her later.39Susanna, being dressed uprecording with theas the Countess, now tests Figaro bypretending to flirt with him. Figaro recogniseshis wife’s voice and decides to join in thehighly innovative vocalrock and roll group,Harvey and thegame. This earns him a smart slap.40HeWallbangers. With theexplains and is forgiven. The Count returnsand Susanna tells Figaro that the Count hasjust been wooing his own wife in disguise.Figaro, for the benefit of the Count, now flirtswith the pretended Countess. The Countgroup’s demise in 1988,he resumed vocal training with David Keren,Diane Forlano and Janice Chapman.His operatic engagements include Figaro(Le nozze di Figaro) for Welsh National Opera,2021

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 22Scottish Opera and Opera North; Marcello(La Bohème) for Scottish Opera; Papageno(The Magic Flute), Faninal (Der Rosenkavalier)for Welsh National Opera and Opera North;Podesta (La gazza ladra) for GarsingtonOpera; Siegfried (Genoveva) and Dulcamara(L’elisir d’amore) for Opera North. He createdthe role of Executioner in James Macmillan’sInes de Castro and has performed Macmillan’sParthenogenesis at the Edinburgh Festival,where he has also appeared as Cecil in MariaStuada under Sir Charles Mackerras.Concert engagements include Mozart’s Massin C at Aix-en-Provence with the Sixteen,Stravinsky’s Les Noces with PhilippeHerreweghe in Brussels, Monteverdi’s Vespers1610 with Richard Hickox, Bach’s B MinorMass at the La Chaise-Dieu Festival, Handel’sJudas Maccabeus in Nuremberg and Saul withthe Gabrieli Consort at the Covent Gardenand La Chaise-Dieu Festivals, John Tavener’sApocalypse at the Proms with the City ofLondon Sinfonia, the St John Passion with PaulGoodwin in Madrid, Messiah with the ScottishChamber Orchestra, Hallé and UlsterOrchestras, Les Mamelles de Teresias with theLondon Sinfonietta under Sir Simon Rattle,Manoah (Samson) with Harry Christophers,Britten’s War Requiem and Haydn’s Creationwith the Ulster Orchestra, Belshazzar’s Feastwith the English Northern Sinfonia underPaul Daniel and with the Hallé, and Lucifer inHandel’s La Resurrezione for Paul McCreesh inRome, Amsterdam and London. ChristopherPurves gave his debut recital at the AldeburghFestival in June 2004. His recordings includeGottardo (The Thieving Magpie) for Chandos’Opera in English series.Rebecca Evans was bornin South Wales andstudied at the GuildhallSchool of Music andDrama. She hasestablished a majoroperatic career in Americawhere she has sungSusanna (Le nozze diFigaro) for Santa FeOpera; Adele (Die Fledermaus) for ChicagoLyric Opera; Zerlina (Don Giovanni), AnnTrulove (The Rake’s Progress) and Adina (L’elisird’amore) for San Franciso Opera; and bothSusanna and Zerlina for the MetropolitanOpera, New York.In Europe, she is a regular guest at theBayerische Staatsoper, Munich, where her roleshave included Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier),Zdenka (Arabella), Servilia (La clemenza diTito), Ilia (Idomeneo) and Nanetta (Falstaff ).Elsewhere she has sung Ilia for theNetherlands Opera and Opera de Lausanne;the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen forScottish Opera; Susanna, Ilia, Marzelline(Fidelio), Norina (Don Pasquale) and Hero(Beatrice and Benedict) for Welsh NationalOpera; Romilda (Xerxes) for English NationalOpera; and Zerlina, Nanetta and Johanna(Sweeney Todd ) at the Royal Opera House,Covent Garden.Her extensive concert experience includesappearances at the BBC Proms and EdinburghFestival; Gala Concerts with Andrea Bocelli inGermany and with Luciano Pavarotti inBritain. She has performed Bach’s Magnificatwith the San Francisco Symphony Orchestraunder Michael Tilson Thomas; Brahms’German Requiem with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra at the Tanglewood and RaviniaFestivals; and Mahler’s Fourth Symphony withthe Sapporo Symphony Orchestra underTadaaki Otaka. She has also appeared inAustralia at the Melbourne InternationalFestival and with the Australian ChamberOrchestra. In recital, she has sung at theWigmore Hall, London; and the Barcelona,Ravinia, Buxton and Belfast Festivals.Rebecca Evans’s many recordings includeIlia (Idomeneo) for Chandos’ Opera in Englishseries, Nanetta (Falstaff ) with Sir John EliotGardiner, a series of Gilbert and Sullivanrecordings with Sir Charles Mackerras and asolo recording of Italian songs.Yvonne Kenny wasborn in Sydney andmade her Londondebut in 1975 inDonizetti’s Rosmondad’Inghilterra. Afterwinning the KathleenFerrier Competition shejoined the Royal OperaHouse Covent Garden,where her roles haveincluded Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Ilia(Idomeneo), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro),Adina (L’elisir d'amore), Liù (Turandot),Aspasia (Mitridate) and Donna Anna (DonGiovanni). She has won international renownin the great Handel roles, notably Semele andAlcina (Covent Garden and La Fenice,Venice); Romilda (Xerxes) for English NationalOpera (in London and on tour to the USSR)and the Bavarian State Opera; Alcina withNicholas McGegan at the Göttingen Handel2223

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 24Festival; and both Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare)and Armida (Rinaldo) in Sydney.She has sung at the Vienna State Opera(Countess (Capriccio) and Susanna); La Scala,Milan (Pamina); Berlin Staatsoper (Countess(Capriccio)); Paris Opéra (Donna Elvira);Zurich and Glyndebourne (Donna Elvira andAlice Ford (Falstaff )); Countess (Le nozze diFigaro) in Washington and for the BayerischeStaatsoper, Munich; the Marschallin (DerRosenkavalier), Purcell’s The Fairy Queen andAlice Ford for English National Opera; andthe Marschallin (under Sir Charles Mackerras)in her debut with San Francisco Opera. Shereturns frequently to her native Australiawhere she has sung Gilda (Rigoletto), Pamina,Susanna, Alcina, Massenet’s Manon, Fiordiligi,Alice Ford, Governess (The Turn of the Screw),Countess (Capriccio) and the title roles inMaria Stuarda and L’incoronazione di Poppea.Yvonne Kenny has appeared in concert atthe Edinburgh, Salzburg and Aix-en-ProvenceFestivals, in Carnegie Hall and at the BBCPromenade concerts. Her recordings forChandos include Alice Ford (Falstaff ), theMarschallin (highlights from DerRosenkavalier) and two recital discs of GreatOperatic Arias, all as part of the Opera inEnglish series, as well as Lennox Berkeley’sA Dinner Engagement and Dyson’sThe Canterbury Pilgrims. For Opera Rara shehas recorded Ugo conte di Parigi, RobinsonCrusoe, Emilia di Liverpool, Il crociato in Egittoand Medea in Corinto. Yvonne Kenny wasmade a Member of the Order of Australia forServices to Music in 1989.William Dazeley wasborn in Warwickshireand is a graduate ofJesus College,Cambridge. He studiedsinging at the GuildhallSchool of Music andDrama, where he wonseveral prizes includingthe prestigious GoldMedal. He also won the1989 Decca–Kathleen Ferrier Prize, the 1990Royal Overseas League Singing Competition,the 1991 Richard Tauber Prize and the 1991Walther Gruner International LiederCompetition.Now established as one of the leadingbaritones of his generation, he has alreadyappeared with many of the world’s importantopera houses: roles include Count (Cherubin),Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) and Mercutio(Roméo et Juliette) at the Royal Opera House,Covent Garden; the Count (The Marriage ofFigaro), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) and thetitle role in Owen Wingrave for GlyndebourneTouring Opera; Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia)at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlin; Dr Faust atthe Salzburg Festival and at the Châteletconducted by Kent Nagano; and Scherasmin(Oberon) at the Châtelet under John EliotGardiner, which was also presented in concertat the Barbican.Concert appearances have included the titlerole in Schumann’s Faustszenen for a Europeantour conducted by Philippe Herreweghe,Schumann’s Requiem for Mignon under JohnEliot Gardiner, Mahler’s Des KnabenWunderhorn with the Royal FlandersPhilharmonic conducted by Herreweghe,Corigliano’s Dylan Thomas with the BBCSymphony conducted by Leonard Slatkin, andBach’s Christmas Oratorio with the BerlinPhilharmonic.World premieres include the role ofMahmoud in John Adams’ The Death ofKlinghoffer with the BBC Symphony, and thelead role of Jesus in Harrison Birtwistle’s TheLast Supper at the Deutsche Staatsoper Berlinconducted by Daniel Barenboim, which wasthen repeated at the Glyndebourne Festival.William Dazeley gives recital performancesat the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, StGeorge’s Bristol, and the Châtelet, and isregularly invited to sing at the Cheltenham,Aix en Provence and Saintes Festivals withsuch noted accompanists as Graham Johnsonand Iain Burnside.Diana Montague wasborn in Winchesterand studied at theRoyal NorthernCollege of Music.Since her debut asZerlina withGlyndebourne TouringOpera she hasappeared in venuessuch as the RoyalOpera House, Covent Garden, theMetropolitan Opera in New York, theThéâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, the Opéranational de Paris-Bastille, Teatro Colón inBuenos Aires and the Bayreuth and SalzburgFestivals.Her repertory includes the major roles formezzo-soprano in operas by Mozart, Gluck,Strauss, Rossini, Bellini and Berlioz, andengagements have included Benvenuto Cellini2425

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 26with Rome Opera; Iphigénie en Tauride inBuenos Aires, Madrid and with WelshNational Opera; Albert Herring, Le nozze diFigaro and Andromaca in Rossini’s Ermione atGlyndebourne; Le Comte Ory in Lausanne,Rome and Glyndebourne; Proserpina inMonteverdi’s Orfeo in Amsterdam; Ariadne aufNaxos in Lisbon; Marguerite (La Damnationde Faust) in Geneva; Minerva (Il ritornod’Ulisse in patria) in Amsterdam and Sydney;Meg Page (Falstaff ); The Bartered Bride andDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the RoyalOpera House Covent Garden, Junon inRameau’s Platée with The Royal Opera at theEdinburgh Festival and in London, OctavianDer Rosenkavalier at English National Opera,in Bilbao and at the Teatro Real in Madrid;Marguerite in Vienna, and Le nozze di Figaroat La Monnaie.Diana Montague’s many recordings includeMonteverdi’s Orfeo, I Capuleti e i Montecchi,Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor, Iphigénie enTauride, for Opera Rara Rosmondad’Inghilterra, Zoraida di Granata and Il crociatoin Egitto, and, as part of Chandos’ Opera inEnglish series, Idomeneo, Cavalleria rusticana,Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier (highlights),Faust, and two recital discs of Great OperaticArias.Born in Edinburgh,Frances McCafferty is agraduate of the RoyalScottish Academy ofMusic and Drama.After a number of yearsteaching singing, shejoined the D’OylyCarte Opera Company,where she performed allthe major contralto roles and recordedPatience, Orpheus in the Underworld and HMSPinafore.Performances include Katisha (The Mikado)with English National Opera, Soloka(Cherevichki) at Garsington, Auntie (PeterGrimes) at the Nationale Reis Oper, and Hata(The Bartered Bride) with GlyndebourneFestival Opera. She has also sung with theNew Israeli Opera, Stuttgart Staatsoper, OperaTheatre Company, Glyndebourne TouringOpera, as well as the Edinburgh InternationalFestival and at festivals in Ireland andSwitzerland. She is a regular guest artist atOpera North and the Royal Opera, CoventGarden, where she created the role of YetaZimmerman in the world premiere ofNicholas Maw’s Sophie’s Choice, conducted bySir Simon Rattle, directed by Trevor Nunnand broadcast live on both BBC television andradio. Concert appearances include the RTEand National Orchestra of Ireland, the UlsterOrchestra, the Singapore Symphony Orchestraand the BBC Concert Orchestra.She made her debut at La Fenice, Venice,singing Katisha (The Mikado) and has alsosung Madame Popova (The Bear) for theCerniers Festival, Switzerland, and the Nurse(Boris Godunov) for the Royal Opera, CoventGarden.Following studies atLondon University andTrinity College ofMusic, Jonathan Veirawon the 1996 Sir PeterPears SingingCompetition and wassponsored in his studiesat the National OperaStudio byGlyndebourne FestivalOpera and the Friends of Covent Garden.Jonathan Veira has appeared with the majorUK opera companies including The RoyalOpera, English National Opera,Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Scottish Opera,Welsh National Opera, Garsington Opera andOpera Northern Ireland. His roles with themhave included Banker/Theatre Director(Lulu), Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore), Harasta(The Cunning Little Vixen), Kolenatý (TheMakropulos Case), Baron Mirko Zeta (TheMerry Widow), Tonio (Pagliacci), Leporello(Don Giovanni), Varlaam (Boris Godunov),Calchas (La Belle Hélène), Sharpless (MadamButterfly), Sacristan (Tosca), Mustafa (L’italianain Algeri) and Keçal (The Bartered Bride).International engagements have includedThe Doctor (Vanessa) for Opéra du Rhin;Schaunard (Leoncavallo’s La Bohème) at theWexford Festival; Leporello (Don Giovanni)and Papageno (The Magic Flute) for OperaNew Zealand; Dr Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro)for Opéra de Nice, Zurich Opera,Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the Opérade Montpellier; and Claggart (Billy Budd ),Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), and Falstaff forthe Royal Danish Opera.John Graham-Hall studied at King’s College,Cambridge and the Royal College of Music.He has sung with all the major British operacompanies where roles include Albert Herring(Royal Opera House, Covent Garden);Vanya Kudrjas (Katya Kabanova), Flute(A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and Bob Boles2627

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 28(Peter Grimes) forGlyndebourne FestivalOpera; Don Basilio,Monostatos, Lysander(A Midsummer Night’sDream), Alwa (Lulu)and Herod (Salome)for English NationalOpera; Cassio (Otello)for Welsh NationalOpera; Eisenstein, Schoolmaster (The CunningLittle Vixen) for Scottish Opera; andAschenbach (Death in Venice), Lysander, AlbertHerring and Ferrando (Così fan tutte) forGlyndebourne Touring Opera.Other engagements have included BobBoles (Netherlands Opera); Basilio (LaMonnaie); the title role in Pascal Dusapin’snew opera Perela, l’Homme de fumée at theOpéra de Paris-Bastille and in Montpellier.Other roles at English National Opera, wherehe was a Company Principal, have includedSylvester (The Silver Tassie), Goro (MadamButterfly), Triquet (Eugene Onegin),Monostatos (The Magic Flute), Mime(The Rhinegold ) and Alwa (Lulu).John Graham-Hall has worked with manydistinguished conductors including Haitink,Harnoncourt, Boulez, Andrew Davis, Tate,Rattle, Gardiner and Abbado. His concertcareer has taken him all over Europe, workingwith all the major British orchestras andappearing frequently at the Barbican and theSouth Bank. Recordings for Chandos includeVaughan Williams’s The Poisoned Kiss, PeterGrimes, and, as part of the Opera in Englishseries, The Thieving Magpie and Berg’sWozzeck.Graeme Danby wasborn in CountyDurham and studiedat the Royal Academyof Music in London.His long associationwith English NationalOpera includesappearances asLorenzo in Bellini’sThe Capulets and the Montagues, Pimen (BorisGodunov), Don Basilio (The Barber of Seville),Dulcamara (The Elixir of Love), Somnus(Semele), Quince (A Midsummer Night’sDream), Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia),Arkel (Pelleas and Melisande) and Poo-Bah(The Mikado).His debut at the Royal Opera House,Covent Garden was in La traviata, and hisGlyndebourne debut was as Antonio (Le nozzedi Figaro). Further UK engagements includeBartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) for Opera Northand the Garsington Festival; Collatinus at theBuxton Festival; and Bosun (Billy Budd ) andMasetto (Don Giovanni) for Scottish Opera.Concert appearances include Beethoven’sSymphony No. 9 and Verdi’s Requiem at theRoyal Albert Hall, Mahler’s Eighth Symphonyat the Royal Festival Hall, and Iolanthe atManchester’s Bridgewater Hall.Sarah Tynan wasborn in London andstudied at the RoyalNorthern College ofMusic and the RoyalAcademy of Music(with PenelopeMackay). At theRAM, she wasawarded the Queen’sCommendation for Excellence.Operatic engagements include Pretty Pollyin Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy at the TeatroNacional S. João in Porto, the Governess inBritten’s Turn of the Screw for a British Counciltour of Russia, Elsie Maynard (The Yeomen ofthe Guard ) and Gianetta (The Gondoliers) forPhoenix Opera, and Barbarina for OperaHolland Park. Opera appearances at the RAMinclude the title role in The Cunning LittleVixen (conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras)and Zerlina (Don Giovanni) (conducted by SirColin Davis).Other engagements include her debut withWelsh National Opera as Iphis in Handel’sJephtha; Eleanora in Salieri’s Prima la musicaand Mlle Silberklang in Mozart’s DerSchauspieldirektor with the City of LondonSinfonia/Richard Hickox; and the MozartRequiem conducted by Sir Roger Norringtonat the Spitalfields Festival. Sarah Tynan iscurrently a member of the English NationalOpera Young Singers Programme.Stuart Kale is internationally recognised asone of the most outstanding singing actors inthe operatic world. A consummate musician,his roles cover a huge range of repertoire fromMonteverdi to Messiaen. He began his careerat Welsh National Opera before joiningEnglish National Opera, where he remainedfor eight years, singing roles such as DonOttavio (Don Giovanni), Michael in Martinů’sJulietta, Alfred (Die Fledermaus) and Nanki-Poo in Jonathan Miller’s production of TheMikado. In 1987 he began his flourishing2829

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 30freelance careersinging Hauptmann(Wozzeck) at theOpera du Rhin inStrasbourg and laterin Nancy, returning toENO to sing Herod(Salome).Notableengagements sinceinclude the High Priest in Idomeneo at CoventGarden; Hauptmann (Wozzeck) in SanFrancisco, Geneva, Zurich, Montpellier,Bordeaux and Bologna; Shuisky (BorisGodunov) in Strasbourg, Bordeaux andMontpellier; Quint (The Turn of the Screw)and Truffaldino (The Love for Three Oranges)for English National Opera; Zinoviev (LadyMacbeth) in Toulouse and Marseille; Valzacchiand the three tenor roles in Lulu at theChâtelet; Aeghiste in Karlsruhe; Bob Boles atthe Munich State Opera, Covent Garden,Genova and Strasbourg; Captain Vere (BillyBudd ) in Cologne; and Gregor (TheMakropoulos Case) and Herod in Strasbourg.Recordings in Chandos’ Opera in Englishseries include Boris Godunov (highlights),Madam Butterfly, Otello, Falstaff, Wozzeck andThe Thieving Magpie.Geoffrey Mitchell’s singing career hasencompassed a remarkably wide repertoirefrom early to contemporary music and hastaken him to Scandinavia, Germany, theformer Czechoslovakia, Canada andAustralasia. Early conducting experience withthe BBC led to a wider involvement with hisown singers and in turn to the establishment ofthe Geoffrey Mitchell Choir. Early recordingsresulted in the Choir’s long-term involvementwith Opera Rara for which it has made overthirty recordings. The Choir is enjoying agrowing reputation with further work from theBBC and international record companies. ForChandos the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir hasparticipated in numerous recordings in theacclaimed Opera in English series sponsored bythe Peter Moores Foundation.One of the world’s great orchestras, thePhilharmonia Orchestra is now in its sixthseason with renowned German maestroChristoph von Dohnányi as PrincipalConductor. That post was first held by OttoKlemperer, and the Orchestra has since hadimportant collaborations with Lorin Maazel(as Associate Principal Conductor), RiccardoMuti (as Principal Conductor and MusicDirector), Giuseppe Sinopoli (as MusicDirector) and, currently, Kurt Sanderling (asConductor Emeritus), Vladimir Ashkenazy (asConductor Laureate) and Sir CharlesMackerras (as Principal Guest Conductor),besides such eminent figures as WilhelmFurtwängler, Richard Strauss, ArturoToscanini, Guido Cantelli, Herbert vonKarajan and Carlo Maria Giulini. It continuesto engage world-class conductors and soloists,and attracts Europe’s most talented youngplayers to join its orchestral ranks.Resident Orchestra at the Royal FestivalHall, it maintains a central position in Britishmusical life also through regional residencieswhich provide an ideal opportunity to expanda dynamic educational and community-basedprogramme. Winner of numerous awards, ithas garnered unanimous critical acclaim for itsinnovative programming policy, at the heart ofwhich is a commitment to performing andcommissioning new music by today’s leadingcomposers.An increasing number of the Orchestra’sconcerts are being broadcast by BBC Radio 3,including its annual performance at the BBCProms. As the world’s most recordedsymphony orchestra, with over 1000 releasesto its credit, among these a number oftelevision and feature film soundtracks, thePhilharmonia Orchestra enjoys a worldwidereputation. The discography includes, forOpera Rara, several recital discs as well aseleven complete operas, and for Chandos, inthe Opera in English series sponsored by thePeter Moores Foundation, The ThievingMagpie, Wozzeck, Don Giovanni, The Elixir ofLove, Lucia of Lammermoor, Faust, Carmen,Aida, La Bohème, Madam Butterfly, Turandot,the award-winning Tosca and solo recitalalbums of operatic arias with Bruce Ford,Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, AlastairMiles, Yvonne Kenny and John Tomlinson.The Philharmonia Orchestra continues toconsolidate its international renown throughregular tours and through recent prestigiousresidencies at the Châtelet Théâtre Musical inParis, the Megaron in Athens and the LincolnCenter for the Performing Arts in New York.David Parry studied with Sergiu Celibidacheand began his career as Sir John Pritchard’sassistant. He made his debut with EnglishMusic Theatre, then became a staff conductorat Städtische Bühnen, Dortmund and atOpera North. He was Music Director ofOpera 80 from 1983 to 1987 and since 1992has been the founding Music Director ofAlmeida Opera.3031

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 32He works extensively in both opera andconcert, nationally and internationally. He hasconducted several productions at EnglishNational Opera and Opera North and appearsregularly with the Philharmonia and LondonPhilharmonic Orchestras. In 1996 he made hisdebut at the Glyndebourne Festivalconducting Così fan tutte, following it in 1998with the world premiere of Jonathan Dove’sFlight.He is a frequent visitor to Spain where hehas given concerts with most of the majorSpanish orchestras. He conducted the Spanishpremiere of Peter Grimes in Madrid and in1996 the first Spanish production ofThe Rake’s Progress. He has appeared inGermany, Switzerland, and The Netherlands,at the Pesaro Festival in Italy, the Hong KongInternational Festival, in Japan with a tour ofCarmen, and in Mexico with the UNAMSymphony Orchestra. Recent new productionshe has conducted include Fidelio at the NewZealand Festival, Lucia di Lammermoor at NewIsraeli Opera and Don Giovanni at StaatsoperHannover.His work in the recording studio includesthe BBC Television production of Marschner’sDer Vampyr and twenty-eight complete operarecordings under the sponsorship of the PeterMoores Foundation. Among these arenumerous discs for the Opera Rara labelwhich have won several awards, including theBelgian Prix Cecilia for Donizetti’s Rosmondad’Inghilterra. For Chandos he has conducted aseries of recitals of operatic arias – with BruceFord, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, JohnTomlinson, Della Jones and Andrew Shore –as well as Idomeneo, Carmen, The ThievingMagpie, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale, TheElixir of Love, Lucia of Lammermoor, Ernani, Iltrovatore, Aida, Faust, Cavalleria rusticana,Pagliacci, La bohème, Turandot, the awardwinningTosca and highlights from DerRosenkavalier, all in association with the PeterMoores Foundation.Yvonne Kenny as Countess Almavivawith Washington OperaCarol Pratt3233

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 34British philanthropist Sir Peter Moores established the Peter Moores Foundation in 1964to realise his charitable aims and, to fulfill one of these, the Compton Verney House Trustin 1993 to create a new art gallery in the country. Through his charities he has disbursedmore than £93 million to a wide variety of arts, environmental and social causes ‘to getthings done and open doors for people’.Sir Peter’s philanthropic work began with his passion for opera: in his twenties he helped anumber of young artists in the crucial, early stages of their careers, several of whom –Dame Joan Sutherland, Sir Colin Davis and the late Sir Geraint Evans amongst them –became world-famous.Today, the Peter Moores Foundation supports talented young singers with annualscholarships awarded through the Royal Northern College of Music, has made it possiblefor Chandos Records to issue the world’s largest catalogue of operas recorded in Englishtranslation, and enabled Opera Rara to record rare bel canto repertoire which wouldotherwise remain inaccessible to the general public.In live performance, the Foundation has encouraged the creation of new work andschemes to attract new audiences, financed the publication of scores, especially for worldpremieres of modern operas, and enabled rarely heard works to be staged by British operacompanies and festivals.Projects supported by the Foundation to help the young have ranged from a scheme toencourage young Afro-Caribbeans ‘stay at school’ for further education, to the endowmentof a Faculty Directorship and Chair of Management Studies at Oxford University (providingthe lead donation which paved the way for the development of the Said Business School).In 1993 the Foundation bought Compton Verney, a Grade 1 Georgian mansion inWarwickshire, designed by Robert Adam, with grounds by Capability Brown. ComptonVerney House Trust was set up by Sir Peter to transform the derelict mansion into aworld-class art gallery that would provide an especially welcoming environment for the‘first-time’ gallery visitor. The gallery, which houses six permanent collections, a LearningCentre for all ages, and facilities for major visiting exhibitions, was opened in March 2004by HRH the Prince of Wales. The Compton Verney website can be found at:www.comptonverney.org.ukSir Peter Moores was born in Lancashire and educated at Eton College and Christ Church,Oxford. He was a student at the Vienna Academy of Music, where he produced theAustrian premiere of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and worked as an assistantproducer with Viennese artists in Naples, Geneva and Rome, before returning to Englandin 1957 to join his father’s business, Littlewoods. He was Vice-Chairman of Littlewoods in1976, Chairman from 1977 to 1980 and remained a director until 1993.He received the Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an Honorary MA from ChristChurch, Oxford, in 1975, and was made an Honorary Member of the Royal NorthernCollege of Music in 1985. In 1992 he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire byHM the Queen. He was appointed CBE in 1991 and received a Knighthood in 2003 forhis charitable services to the arts.34 35

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 36Rebecca Evans as Susannawith Welsh National OperaBillCooperDiana Montague as Cherubinowith The Royal OperaClive Barda/ArenaPAL3637

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 38Figaro müßte etwa dreißig Jahre alt sein, wennwir seinem Erfinder Caron de BeaumarchaisGlauben schenken. Auch Mozart war dreißig,als die Oper 1786 uraufgeführt wurde. Eswäre kaum zu weit hergeholt, inBeaumarchais’ Schöpfung seines vielbegabtenBarbiers von Sevilla gewisse autobiographischeZüge hineinzulesen. Geht man noch einenoder zwei Schritte weiter, so findet man auchgewisse Parallelen mit Mozart selbst als demallzu begabten Bediensteten, der mit denoberen Gesellschaftsschichten einen allzuvertraulichen Umgang pflegte.Es wäre daher falsch, Figaro als den Tölpelin dieser Oper darzustellen, wie es gelegentlichgeschieht. Zugegeben, er neigt dazu, schnellerzu handeln und noch schneller zu sprechen,als er denkt, aber schließlich ist es seineAufgabe, die Handlung in Gang zu bringen.Figaro ist der Motor dieses Dramas. SeinDrängen treibt die Dinge voran, trotz derVerzögerungs- und Bremstaktiken der übrigenFiguren. Im Gegensatz zu ihm sind dieanderen alle vergleichsweise passiv und warteneher ab, wie die Dinge sich entwickeln. Undschließlich geht es ja um Figaros Hochzeit, wieFigaro’s Hochzeit38der Titel der Oper uns ins Gedächtnis ruft.Und Susannas, auch wenn wir dies demTitel nicht entnehmen können. Susanna, diewohl einige Jahre jünger ist als ihr Bräutigam,fällt die Rolle zu, sich als die Überlegenere zuerweisen. Sie erkennt, wie “geschickt” dasihnen zugeteilte Zimmer ausgewählt wurde,und durchschaut Graf Almavivas Plan, sie aufseine Reise nach London mitzunehmen. Siereagiert schnell genug, um CherubinosEntkommen aus der Kammer der Gräfin zuvertuschen. Sie findet die Mittel, FigarosSchulden bei Marcellina zu begleichen. Sie istes auch, die seinen riskanten Plan, den Grafendurch die nächtliche Verkleidung im Gartenzu täuschen, verwirft und durch ihre eigene,klügere List ersetzt. Susannas angeborenerVerstand ergänzt Figaros erworbene Findigkeit.In der Tat könnte man – trotz des Titels –leicht Susanna als die Hauptfigur dieser Opersehen. Jedenfalls fällt ihr die längste Rolle zu,geht man nach der Zahl der Noten, doch zählthier nicht die bloße Quantität. Einer derwunderbarsten Aspekte von Mozarts Genie –nicht nur in dieser Oper – ist seine Fähigkeit,Frauenrollen ebenso überzeugend zu entwerfenund auszuschmücken wie die von Männern.Diese Begabung teilt er mit nur wenigenanderen männlichen Komponisten, und beimännlichen Schriftstellern verhält es sichkaum anders. Die idealisierte Frau, das“Ewigweibliche” Goethes, ist der Fluch somancher Oper und manchen literarischenWerks des neunzehnten Jahrhunderts. Imzwanzigsten Jahrhundert teilen Janáček undBerg Mozarts wertvolle Begabung, sonstjedoch kaum jemand.Um die vorrevolutionären Elemente inDie Hochzeit des Figaro wird leicht zuvielAufhebens gemacht. Figaros Cavatina imErsten Akt, “Se vuol ballare, signor contino”(“Will einst das Gräflein ein Tänzchenwagen” – “So, little master, you’re dressed togo dancing”) mag wie ein Schlachtruf klingenund seine Konfrontation mit dem Grafen vorden Tanzszenen im Dritten Akt (“Das magsein. Ich mache keine Vorwürfe, wo ich mirmeiner Sache nicht sicher bin” – “Maybe so.I’m not one to accuse when I don’t know”)könnte den Zusammenbruch dergesellschaftlichen Ordnung vorausdeuten.Aber noch ist es nicht so weit. Es ist zu leicht,im Nachhinein klug zu sein, wie es auchNapoleon war, als er Figaros aufrührerischeHerausforderung “Sie haben sich die Mühe39gemacht, geboren zu werden, weiter nichts” als“die Revolution in Aktion” beschrieb.Beaumarchais in Paris und nach ihm Mozartin Wien spielen mit dem Feuer, aber noch istes Spiel.Das von Joseph Kerman in seiner StudieOpera as Drama eloquent formuliertekontrarevolutionäre Argument besagt, daß diewahren Helden dieser Oper der Graf und dieGräfin sind. Auch wenn diese These nichtganz zu überzeugen vermag, ist dochzutreffend, daß die Oper ebenso eine Prüfungihrer vor zwei Jahren geschlossenen Ehe ist wieder bevorstehenden Hochzeit von Figaro undSusanna. Der Graf mag zwar vordergründigder “Bösewicht” des Stücks sein, sollte aberdoch als sympathische Figur dargestelltwerden. Die anfänglich passive undlarmoyante Gräfin gewinnt im Dritten Aktihre Kraft und Entscheidungsfähigkeit zurückund fungiert bei den dramatischenEntwicklungen des Vierten Akts alsKatalysator. Die durch die ihrem irrendenGatten vergebende Gräfin (“Wie könnt ich dirzürnen? Mein Herz spricht für dich” – “I’m farmore forgiving, and so I say yes”) herbeigeführteLösung des Konflikts und ihre –zumindest zeitweilige – Versöhnung bildenden emotionalen Höhepunkt der Oper.

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 40Peter Hall hat einmal in einem Radio-Interview in unvergeßlicher Weise die heilsameWirkung des großen Vergebungsensemblesbeschrieben, in dem sich alle Mitwirkendennach dem Einschreiten der Gräfinzusammenfinden; besonders betonte er denkraftvollen Effekt der kurzenabwärtsschreitenden Orchesterpassagezwischen dem Ensemble und demabschließenden Chor, der die Lustbarkeiteneröffnet – ein flüchtiger Augenblick, in demalle Figuren in den Abgrund des Tragischenblicken. Untreue und Verrat könnten dieseEhen so leicht zerstören. Es gibt einenfurchtbaren Moment der Selbsterkenntnis,dann wendet man sich ab und zieht es vor,dieses Wissen um des vergänglichenVergnügens willen zu ignorieren. Der Gratzwischen Tragödie und Komödie ist sehrschmal.Es ist diese Balance zwischen den beidenPolen, die Mozart so überaus realistischerscheinen lassen und seine Opern soglaubwürdig machen. Sein besondererScharfblick zeigt sich bereits in La fintagiardiniera, die Mozart schon mit achtzehnJahren schrieb, und erreicht ihren Gipfel mitden drei Opern zu Libretti von Lorenzo DaPonte, von denen Die Hochzeit des Figaro dieerste ist. Am ausgewogensten zeigt sich dieseBalance in der Auflösung des Konflikts, docheigentlich durchzieht sie die gesamte Oper.Besonders deutlich und geradezu humorvollerscheint sie in Cherubinos Arie im Ersten Akt“Non so più, cosa son, cosa faccio” (“Ich weißnicht, was ich bin, was ich mache” – “I don’tknow what it is that I’m feeling”). Zu spürensein sollte sie auch in der teils schmerzvollen,teils erfreuten Reaktion auf Figarosmilitärische Arie “Non più andrai” am Endedes Ersten Akts (“Du wirst nicht mehrumherstreichen” – “Here’s an end to your lifeas a rover”). Die Herrlichkeiten, dieCherubino erwarten, sind nicht eigentlichmilitärischer Art.Obwohl Die Hochzeit des Figaro offiziell ausvier Akten besteht, die den vier Orten derHandlung entsprechen, ist das Werk ausmusikalischer Sicht als Zweiakter konzipiert,ähnlich den anderen beiden Da-Ponte-OpernDon Giovanni und Così fan tutte. In diesenOpern endet jede Hälfte mit einemausgedehnten Finale – ein musikalischesMittel der Handlungsgestaltung, das Mozartzum ersten Mal bereits in La finta giardinieraeinsetzte, im Finale des Zweiten Akts desFigaro jedoch zu höchster Perfektionentwickelte. Zugleich liegt hier einherausragendes Beispiel des Mozartschen Sinnsfür Ausgewogenheit vor. Von dem Momentan, als der Graf und die Gräfin in ihrSchlafzimmer zurückkehren und daseigentliche Finale beginnt, könnte dieSituation sich gleichermaßen zur Tragödie wiezur Komödie entwickeln. Tatsächlich setzt sichimmer wieder der Humor durch – gelegentlichvoller Heiterkeit, manchmal possenhaft –,trotzdem aber geht es um Leben und Tod.Walter Legge hat das Finale des ZweitenAkt wie folgt beschrieben: “Aus musikalischerSicht ist dies das meisterhafteste Ensemble,nicht nur in dieser Oper, sondern bei Mozartüberhaupt. Nahezu zwanzig Minuten langfließt die Musik ununterbrochen dahin, wobeisie auf jede Drehung und Wendung derkomplexen, sich rasch entfaltenden Komödiereagiert und zugleich die Handlung und dieverschiedensten Emotionen der Beteiligtenerhellt, reflektiert und kommentiert. Schrittfür Schritt die Handlung begleitend,intensiviert die Musik die Überraschungenund vertieft die Subtilitäten, zugleich aberwirft sie über das ganze recht niedereIntrigenspiel ein magisches Gewand derbezauberndsten Klänge, die dem Geschehenzwar getreulich folgen, dieses aber in dasreinste Gold der Schönheit transformieren.”Jeder wird sich aus diesem sublimen Finaleseine Lieblingspassage auswählen. Meine istdie zeitweilige Waffenruhe zwischen denStreitenden (allerdings kaum geteilt von demwild intrigierenden Grafen) vor demAuftauchen Antonios mit seinen zerbrochenenBlumentöpfen. Die Gräfin, Susanna undFigaro singen “Deh signor, noi contrastate”(“O Herr, widersetzt Euch nicht” – “Hear mypleading, I implore you, be compassionate Ipray”), und während der Graf sich fragt, woMarcellina bleibt, wird ihr Flehen vonHörnern und Bässen im Forte verstärkt.Dieser kurze Moment erhoffter Versöhnungnimmt auf magische Weise das Ende der Opervorweg.Nach Meinung des irischen Tenors MichaelKelly, der in der Uraufführung den Basiliound den Curzio spielte, war MozartsLieblingsnummer das Sextett im Dritten Akt.In der Tat kann dieses Stück mit seinenüberraschenden Enthüllungen undWendungen eine der komischsten Passagen dergesamten Oper sein; doch auch hier sindSusannas Wut und Verwirrung bitterer Ernst.Es gibt eine schöne Stelle nach dem Ende desSextetts, als der Graf und Curzio sich hastigzurückgezogen haben. Susanna fragt dieZurückbleibenden: “Wer könnte glücklicher4041

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 42sein als ich?”– “Who could be happier than Iam?”, worauf Figaro, Bartolo und Marcellinajeder für sich antworten: “Ich” (“I am”).Darauf singt das Quartett zusammen indichter Harmonie und im Pianissimo: “Undvon mir aus kann der Graf vor Wut platzen”(“And if the Count is furious, well that willserve him right!”). In dieser Passage sollte mannicht nur den komischen Effekt betonen.Der Vierte Akt ist in einer Aufführung amschwierigsten zu realisieren. Nach den drei imInnern des Schlosses spielenden Akten sollteder Garten die Freiheit und Freizügigkeit derfrischen Luft atmen. Diese versteckten Plätzeunter den Pinien sind wie Shakespeares Waldvor den Toren Athens, wo erotische Träumewahr werden können. Sobald das eigentlicheFinale mit Cherubinos “Leise, ganz leise tret’ich ihr näher, die Zeit wird nicht verlorensein” (“I’ll approach her, oh so softly, seize themoment while I may”) beginnt, schreitet dasGeschehen problemlos fort, die erste Hälftedieses Aktes hingegen besteht aus einerAnhäufung von kontemplativen Arien, die dieHandlung in keiner Weise vorantreiben.Figaros Tirade gegen die Frauen (“Ach, öffnetdoch eure Augen, ihr unvorsichtigen undtorhaften Männer” – “You foolish slaves ofCupid”) und Susannas zweideutigausgerichtetes Liebeslied (“Komm schnell,zögere nicht, du schöne Freude” – “Comequickly my beloved”) sind natürlich vonzentraler Bedeutung, Marcellinas und BasiliosGleichnisarien hingegen könnten marginalerscheinen. Eigentlich sind dies interessanteund aufschlußreiche Stücke. Marcellinas Ariestattet ihren Charakter mit Zügen derweiblichen Entrüstung ihrer großen Rede imDritten Akt von Beaumarchais’ Schauspiel aus.Bei Basilios “Eselshaut”-Anekdote handelt essich um eine eher konventionelleGleichnisarie, die jedoch zum Schluß nocheine traurig-ironische Wendung nimmt. BeideStücke verleihen ihren Figuren zusätzlicheFacetten und bereichern die dramatischeHandlung, doch sie kommen zu spät. ZumEnde des Abends wartet der Zuschauerungeduldig auf die Lösung des Konflikts. BeiAufführungen ist es daher angebracht, diesebeiden Arien zu streichen.Diese Streichung betont Figaros eigenenMoment tragischen Innehaltens, als seinoptimistisches Naturell zum ersten Malüberwältigt zu werden droht. Großartigernoch als seine wütende Arie ist die schonmitten im Finale stehende kurze Passage, wodas Tempo sich zum Larghetto im 3/4-Taktverlangsamt, das helle G-Dur dem getragenenEs-Dur weicht (der Tonart, in der zu Beginnauch die klagende Cavatina “Porgi amor” –“Gewähre, Amor” (“Hear my prayer”) derGräfin steht) und die Klarinettenzurückkehren. Unter dem stillen undgelassenen Nachthimmel, an dem engumschlungen Venus und Mars erscheinen,nimmt Figaro ein weiteres Mal die Fäden desDramas in die Hand und stellt sich seinempersönlichen Schicksal. Dieser magischeAugenblick dauert nur zwölf Takte, bevorFigaro erneut in die atemberaubenden Wirrender Auflösung verstrickt wird. Doch ganzgleich was sich danach abspielt und ungeachtetder dramatischen Enthüllung durch die Gräfin– dieser Augenblick genügt, ihm seine Operzurückzugeben und seine Ehe zu retten.© 2004 Nicholas PayneSynopseEinige Jahre vor Beginn der Oper hat GrafAlmaviva seine Rosina umworben undgeheiratet. Sie war das reiche Mündel einesDr. Bartolo aus Sevilla, der die Absicht gehegthatte, sie selbst zu ehelichen, um an ihr Geldzu kommen. Der Graf lebt nun in einigerEntfernung von Sevilla auf seinemFamiliensitz; Figaro ist sein Kammerdiener.Figaro selbst soll am heutigen Tage Susannaheiraten, die Kammerzofe Rosinas, der GräfinAlmaviva.COMPACT DISC ONEErster AktDer erste Akt spielt am frühen Morgen ineinem kleinen Bedienstetenzimmer, das Figaround Susanna als ihr zukünftiges Ehegemachzugewiesen worden ist. Die rechte Türe führtzum großen Saal des Schlosses, die mittlere zuden Privatgemächern der Gräfin und die linkezu denen des Grafen.1Nach der Ouvertüresehen wir Susanna, die ihren hochzeitlichenKopfschmuck anfertigt.2Figaro ist damitbeschäftigt, auszumessen, wo das Bett stehenkönnte,3 – 5doch als Susanna sieht, was erda tut, erklärt sie, der Raum käme keinesfallsin Frage! Nicht nur dient er als allgemeinerDurchgang, sondern, wichtiger noch, dasZimmer ist viel zu leicht zugänglich für denGrafen, der ihr nachstellt und gerne wie früherAnspruch auf sein Recht als Feudalherrerheben würde. Figaro ist baß erstaunt, als erhört, daß der Graf sich für sie interessiert. Sieerwidert, er habe doch wohl kaum geglaubt,der Graf habe ihnen aus Zuneigung zu ihmeine Mitgift versprochen.6 – 7Während4243

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 44die Gräfin sie zu sich ruft, verleiht Figaroseinen eifersüchtigen Gedanken Ausdruck:Sollte der Graf versuchen, Susanna zuverführen, wird Figaro alles daransetzen, seinePläne zu durchkreuzen.8 – 9Dr. Bartolo und seine HaushälterinMarcellina sind aus Sevilla eingetroffen.Marcellina hat Figaro Geld geliehen und damitdie Bedingung verknüpft, daß er sie heiratenmuß, wenn er das Geld nicht zurückzahlenkann. Bevor dieses nicht erstattet ist, ist Figarodaher offensichtlich nicht in der Lage, jemandanderen zu heiraten. Marcellina bittet Dr.Bartolo um Hilfe; dieser erwidert, daß er mehrals willens sei, sich an Figaro zu rächen.10 – 11Susanna kehrt zurück und indemMarcellina sich entfernt, tauschen die beidennoch einige geharnischte Komplimente aus.12Der Pagenjunge Cherubino erscheintund bittet Susanna um Rat und Hilfe. DerGraf hat ihn erwischt, als er mit derGärtnertochter Barbarina flirtete, und wenndie Gräfin nicht dazu gebracht werden kann,sich für ihn einzusetzen, soll er weggeschicktwerden und wird nie mehr seine liebe Susannasehen und auch nicht die Herrin, die er dochheimlich von ferne liebt. Als Susanna ihrErstaunen über soviel Liebe äußert,13erklärtCherubino ihr, daß er in die Liebe verliebt seiund überreicht ihr ein Lied, das er für dieGräfin geschrieben hat.14Der Graf tritt auf, woraufhin Cherubinosich versteckt. Der Graf flirtet mit Susanna,seine Avancen werden jedoch von demMusiklehrer Don Basilio unterbrochen.15Daraufhin versteckt sich auch der Graf. Alser jedoch vernimmt, was Basilio überCherubinos Aufmerksamkeiten gegenüber derGräfin zu sagen hat, kommt er aus seinemVersteck hervor16 – 17und droht,Cherubino zu entlassen. Er erzählt nocheinmal, wie er den Jungen in seinem Versteckunter der Tischdecke in Barbarinas Häuschenentdeckte. Indem er demonstriert, wie es ihmgelang, seinen Pagen ausfindig zu machen,wird Cherubino ein weiteres Mal entdeckt.Der Graf begreift, daß Cherubino alles ebenzu Susanna Gesagte mitangehört hat.18 – 20Nun erscheint Figaro mit seinenFreunden und bittet den Grafen, Susannaihren jungfräulichen Brautschmuck zupräsentieren, was dieser jedoch bis zuroffiziellen Zeremonie aufschieben möchte.21Um Cherubino loszuwerden, gibt der Grafim eine Stellung in seinem Regiment undschickt ihn nach Sevilla.22Figaro wünschtCherubino spöttisch viel Glück in seinerzukünftigen militärischen Laufbahn.COMPACT DISC TWOZweiter AktDer zweite Akt spielt in den Gemächern derGräfin. Die rechte Tür führt zur Haupttreppe,die in der Mitte zu Susannas Zimmer und dielinke zu einer kleinen Ankleidekammer. In dergegenüberliegenden Wand befindet sich einFenster.Susanna hat der Gräfin soeben ihrFrühstückstablett gebracht.1Rosina, jetzt Gräfin Almaviva, sehnt sichdanach, die Liebe ihres treulosen Herrnzurückzugewinnen.2Susanna kehrt zurück. Sie hat der Gräfinvon der Verlegenheit des Grafen berichtet undfügt nun hinzu, daß Figaro ihm durch Basilioeinen anonymen Brief hat zukommen lassen,der ihm verrät, daß die Gräfin heute Abendim Garten ein Stelldichein mit einemLiebhaber hat. Dabei handelt es sich um eineFinte, die ihn davon abhalten soll, Susannanachzustellen.Die Gräfin weist darauf hin, daß damit abernoch nicht Marcellinas drohende Interventionabgewendet ist. Susanna hat eine Idee: Sieselbst wird mit dem Grafen ein Stelldicheinvereinbaren, dann aber den als Susannaverkleideten Cherubino hinschicken. DieGräfin könnte dann die beiden überraschen,und damit geriete der Graf in eine Lage, in derer der Heirat einfach zustimmen müsse.3 – 4Cherubino kommt herein, um derGräfin sein Lied vorzusingen.5 – 6Der Plan wird ihm erläutert undSusanna arrangiert eine Generalprobe, wobeisie als erstes die Tür verschließt. Während ersich umzieht, läßt Cherubino seinenAnstellungsbrief fallen und die Gräfinbemerkt, daß dieser nicht versiegelt ist.Susanna beginnt, Cherubino als Mädchen zuverkleiden.Die Gräfin schickt Susanna, eine ihrereigenen Hauben zu holen.7An der rechtenTür ist ein Klopfen zu hören; der Graf istunerwartet zurückgekehrt. Cherubino wirdrasch in die Ankleidekammer geschoben undschließt sich ein.8Die Gräfin öffnet dierechte Türe und erklärt, sie habe gerade einKleid anprobiert und sich dabei mit Susannaunterhalten, die soeben hinausgegangen ist.Der Graf zeigt ihr Figaros anonymen Brief, indiesem Augenblick ist jedoch aus der Kammerein Geräusch zu hören – Cherubino hatirgendetwas umgeworfen. Der Graf verlangt zuwissen, wer dort drinnen ist. Die Gräfinerwidert, das sei Susanna, woraufhin der Grafdieser befiehlt, die Tür zu öffnen oder etwas4445

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 46zu sagen, was die Gräfin jedoch verbietet.Inzwischen kehrt Susanna unbemerkt in denRaum zurück, begreift die Situation undversteckt sich.9 – 10Da die Gräfin sich weigert, dieKammer zu öffnen, verschließt der Grafsämtliche Türen und geht Werkzeug holen,um die verschlossene Tür gewaltsamaufzubrechen; die Gräfin nimmt er mit.11Susanna überedet Cherubino, seine Tür zuöffnen. Da alle übrigen Ausgänge verschlossensind, springt er aus dem Fenster.12Susannaschließt sich in der Kammer ein.13Der Graf und die Gräfin kehren zurückund die Gräfin gesteht, daß sie für den Abendeine Überraschung geplant habe und daß sichin Wirklichkeit der Cherubino in der Kammerbefinde. In den Augen des Grafen scheint diesden anonymen Brief zu bestätigen.14DerGraf ruft Cherubino zu, er mögeherauskommen. Die Gräfin bittet ihn, nichtverärgert zu sein, wenn Cherubino ein wenigzerzaust aussehe, er sei dabei gewesen, sich alsMädchen zu verkleiden. Der Graf klagt seineFrau der Untreue an und will sich gerade ander Tür zu schaffen machen,15 – 16alsSusanna diese öffnet und heraustritt. Graf undGräfin sind sprachlos; der Graf empfindetdiesen Scherz als ebenso herzlos wie denanonymen Brief, den, wie sie ihm gestehen,Figaro geschrieben und Basilio überbracht hat.Er bittet seine Frau um Vergebung.17Figaro erscheint und verkündet, daß dieHochzeitsvorbereitungen nun nahezuabgeschlossen sind, doch der Graf fragt ihn,ob er den anonymen Brief geschrieben habe.Figaro streitet dies natürlich ab, obwohlSusanna und die Gräfin ihm die richtigeAntwort zuflüstern.18Der Gärtner Antonio tritt auf, um sichdarüber zu beklagen, daß jemand aus demFenster gesprungen ist und seine Blumenzerstört hat. Figaro sagt, das sei er gewesen;Antonio glaubt, daß es Cherubino war, aberder, sagt Figaro, ist bereits nach Sevillaabgereist. Der Graf fragt Figaro, warum ergesprungen sei. Figaro erwidert, er habe aufSusanna gewartet, als er ein großes Getösevernommen habe, der Grafen habe gebrüllt,und da ihm der anonyme Brief eingefallen sei(den zu schreiben er gerade noch abgestrittenhat), habe er es mit der Angst bekommen undsei aus dem Fenster gesprungen. Antonio fragt,ob die auf den Boden gefallenen Papiere denndann ihm gehören, doch der Graf greift nachihnen und fordert Figaro auf, sie zuidentifizieren. Die Gräfin erkennt CherubinosEinstellungsbrief und gibt diese Informationan Figaro weiter, der prompt erklärt, eshandele sich um den Kontrakt des Pagen, dener noch versiegeln solle.19Marcellina, Dr. Bartolo und Don Basilioerscheinen, um Marcellinas Anklage gegenFigaro vorzubringen. Mit der hierdurchgestifteten Verwirrung endet der Akt.COMPACT DISC THREEDritter AktDer Dritte Akt spielt im großen Saal, wo allefrei kommen und gehen können. Es ist späterNachmittag.1Der Graf versucht, sich dieWidersprüche der jüngsten Ereignisse zuerklären.2 – 4Die Gräfin schickt Susannazu ihm, um für den Abend ein Treffen zuvereinbaren. Sie beabsichtigt, selbst anSusannas Stelle zu erscheinen, da Cherubino jainzwischen nicht mehr da ist. Susanna gibtvor, sich das Riechsalz des Grafen borgen zuwollen und trifft bei dieser Gelegenheitdie Verabredung.5Beim Hinausgehenvertraut sie Figaro an, daß sie seinen Fallauch ohne Advokaten gewonnen habe.6Unglücklicherweise überhört der Graf ihreWorte.7Er explodiert vor Wut darüber, daßseine eigenen Diener ihn übertölpelt haben.8Barbarina überredet Cherubino, sich ihrund den Dorfmädchen anzuschließen, die derGräfin Blumen überreichen wollen.9 – 10Die Gräfin wartet auf Susanna undsingt dabei von wundervollen Augenblicken,die sie in der Vergangenheit mit dem Grafenerlebt hat.11Das Rechtsurteil bestimmt, daß Figaroseine Schulden bezahlen oder Marcellinaheiraten muß. Figaro entgegnet, er könne nichtohne Zustimmung seiner Eltern heiraten, unddie sei schwierig zu beschaffen, da er einFindelkind gewesen sei. Wenn allerdings unterden Anwesenden jemand das Muttermal anseinem Oberarm erkennen könnte …Marcellina erkennt es – Figaro ist das Kind, dasihr viele Jahre zuvor gestohlen wurde, und seinVater ist kein anderer als Dr. Bartolo. IhrAnspruch, Figaro zu heiraten, wird damitnichtig.12 – 13Nun erscheint jedochSusanna, die die Gräfin überredet hat, das fürdie Begleichung der Schulden notwendige Geldvorzustrecken. Sie sieht, wie Marcellina Figaroumarmt und zieht daraus die falschen Schlüsse,wird aber bald in die Versöhnung einbezogen.14Antonio erzählt dem Grafen, daßCherubino nicht nach Sevilla abgereist ist,sondern sich – als Mädchen verkleidet – imGärtenhaus befindet!4647

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 4815Susanna nähert sich ihr und berichtet,22 – 23Die doppelte Hochzeitsfeier nimmtder Graf habe der Verabredung zugestimmt.16Die Gräfin diktiert ihr eine Nachricht, umeinem Treffpunkt zu verabreden.17Die Notizwird mit einer Brosche versiegelt, die der Grafihr als Zeichen seiner Zustimmungzurücksenden soll.18 – 19Barbarina führt eine Gruppe vonDorfmädchen herein, um der Gräfin Blumenzu überreichen. Unter diesen befindet sich auchder als Mädchen verkleidete Cherubino. Indemdie Mädchen ihre Blumen darbieten, fällt derGräfin auf, daß eines von ihnen sie anjemanden erinnert.20Antonio und der Graferscheinen unerwartet und entlarven diesesMädchen. Es ist Cherubino. Der Graf bittet dieGräfin um eine Erklärung, doch sie ist ebensoüberrascht wie er selbst. Der Graf willCherubino bestrafen, doch Barbarina erbittetseine Vergebung und zugleich auch dieErlaubnis, Cherubino zu heiraten – alsGegenleistung für dem Grafen in derVergangenheit erwiesene Gefälligkeiten.21Figaro tritt auf, um den Tanz anzukündigen.Der Graf erklärt ihm, Cherubino habe nunzugegeben, aus dem Fenster gsprungen zu sein.Figaro erwidert, das möge schon so sein – wennein Mann aus dem Fenster springen könne, sokönnten es auch zwei.ihren Lauf – Figaro und Susanna, Marcellinaund Bartolo. Währenddessen steckt Susannadem Grafen den von ihr geschriebenen Briefzu. Figaro beobachtet, wie der Graf seinenFinger an einer Brosche sticht, die den ihmzugesteckten Brief versiegelt, weiß aber nicht,von wem dieser stammt.Vierter AktSchauplatz des Vierten Akts ist der im hellenMondlicht liegende Garten. In diesembefinden sich mehrere Lauben.24Barbarina hat die Brosche verloren, dieder Graf ihr gegeben hat, um sie Susannazurückzubringen.25Figaro und Marcellinaerfahren von ihr schon bald die ganzeGeschichte.26Figaro sinnt auf Rache,während Marcellina Susanna warnen will.27 – 28Figaro hat Basilio, Antonio undBartolo um Unterstützung gebeten, wenn erdie Sache ins Reine bringt.Barbarina kommt zurück, um einStelldichein mit Cherubino wahrzunehmen,29 – 30während Figaro wild vor Eifersuchtauf Susanna wartet.31 – 32Marcellina bringt Susanna und dieGräfin in den Garten und versteckt sich ineiner der Lauben.33 – 34Susanna – wissend,48daß Figaro sie belauscht – rächt sich für seineVerdächtigung, indem sie vorgibt, auf denGrafen zu warten.35 – 36Indem die Gräfin an SusannasStelle schlüpft, taucht Cherubino auf, umseine Verabredung mit Barbarina einzuhalten;als er jedoch – wie er glaubt – Susanna sieht,macht er sich davon.37Cherubino versuchtnun, Susanna zu küssen, doch der Grafunterbricht ihn. Er will Cherubino eineOhrfeige geben, erwischt jedoch Figaro, derebenfalls eingreifen wollte. Cherubinoversteckt sich in einer der Lauben.38Der Graf macht nun seiner eigenen Frauden Hof, die er für Susanna hält, und gibt ihreinen Diamantring. Figaro versucht den Grafzu vertreiben, und die angebliche Susannaversteckt sich in einer weiteren Laube,während der Graf sich zurückzieht, um sichihr später erneut zu nähern.39Die als Gräfingekleidete Susanna testet nun Figaro, indemsie mit ihm zu flirten beginnt. Figaro erkenntdie Stimme seiner Frau und beschließt, dasSpiel mitzuspielen. Das bringt ihm einenkräftigen Hieb ein.40Er erklärt – und ihmwird vergeben. Der Graf kehrt nun zurückund Susanna erzählt Figaro, daß er seinereigenen verkleideten Frau den Hof gemachthabe. Um den Grafen weiter zu täuschen,49flirtet Figaro nun mit der vermeintlichenGräfin. Der Graf mischt sich ein und diefalsche Gräfin versteckt sich in einer Laube.41In Gegenwart von Basilio, Bartolo undAntonio befiehlt der Graf ihr, aus der Laubeherauszukommen. Zuerst tauchen Cherubino,Barbarina und Marcellina auf, dann schließlichdie vermeintliche Gräfin. Der Graf klagt sieder Untreue an. Sie erbittet seine Vergebung,die er ihr verweigert. Nun erscheint diewirkliche Gräfin und greift ein. Jetzt ist es andem Grafen, um Vergebung zu bitten, die sieihm ein weiteres Mal gewährt. Damit endetalles im Guten.© 2004 Peter MooresÜbersetzung: Stephanie WollnyChristopher Purves studierte Anglistik amKing’s College Cambridge, bevor er mit derinnovativen Rockgruppe Harvey and theWallbangers von sich reden machte. Als sichdie Gruppe 1988 auflöste, nahm er seineGesangsausbildung bei David Keren, DianeForlano und Janice Chapman wieder auf.Hervorzuheben unter seinen Opernrollensind Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) an der WelshNational Opera, Scottish Opera und OperaNorth, Marcello (La Bohème) an der Scottish

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 50Opera, Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Faninal(Der Rosenkavalier) an der Welsh NationalOpera und Opera North, Podesta (La gazzaladra) an der Garsington Opera sowieSiegfried (Genoveva) und Dulcamara (L’elisird’amore) an der Opera North. Er schuf dieRolle des Executioner in James MacmillansInes de Castro und ist in MacmillansParthenogenesis bei den EdinburgherFestspielen aufgetreten, wo man ihn auch alsCecil in Maria Stuarda unter der Leitung vonSir Charles Mackerras erlebt hat.Zu seinem Konzertprogramm gehörtenMozarts Messe C-Dur in Aix-en-Provence mitThe Sixteen, Strawinskys Les Noces mitPhilippe Herreweghe in Brüssel, MonteverdisVespro della Beate Vergine mit Richard Hickox,Bachs Messe h-Moll beim Festival de la Chaise-Dieu, Händels Judas Maccabeus in Nürnbergund Saul mit dem Gabrieli Consort beimCovent Garden Festival und Festival de laChaise-Dieu, John Taveners Apocalypse bei denProms mit der City of London Sinfonia, dieJohannespassion mit Paul Goodwin in Madrid,Messiah mit dem Scottish Chamber Orchestra,Hallé Orchestra und Ulster Orchestra, LesMamelles de Teresias mit der LondonSinfonietta unter Sir Simon Rattle, Manoah(Samson) mit Harry Christophers, Brittens WarRequiem und Haydns Schöpfung mit demUlster Orchestra, Belshazzar’s Feast mit derEnglish Northern Sinfonia unter Paul Danielund mit dem Hallé Orchestra sowie Lucifer inHändels La Resurrezione für Paul McCreesh inRom, Amsterdam und London. ChristopherPurves gab sein Solodebüt beim AldeburghFestival im Juni 2004. Für die Chandos-Serie“Opera in English” hat er die Partie desGottardo (La gazza ladra) aufgenommen.Rebecca Evans wurde in Südwales geborenund studierte an der Guildhall School ofMusic and Drama. Als Opernsängerin hat siebesonders in Amerika viel Beachtunggefunden, so etwa als Susanna (Le nozze diFigaro) an der Santa Fe Opera, Adele(Die Fledermaus) an der Chicago Lyric Opera,Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Ann Trulove(The Rake’s Progress) und Adina (L’elisird’amore) an der San Franciso Opera sowieSusanna und Zerlina an der MetropolitanOpera New York. In Europa gastiert sieregelmäßig an der Bayerischen Staatsoper, wosie Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zdenka(Arabella), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Ilia(Idomeneo) und Nanetta (Falstaff ) gesungenhat. Weitere Rollen waren Ilia an derNederlandse Opera und Opéra de Lausanne,die Titelrolle in Das schlaue Füchslein an derScottish Opera, Susanna, Ilia, Marzelline(Fidelio), Norina (Don Pasquale) und Héro(Béatrice et Bénédict) an der Welsh NationalOpera, Romilda (Xerxes) an der EnglishNational Opera sowie Zerlina, Nanetta undJohanna (Sweeney Todd ) an der Royal OperaCovent Garden.Zu ihren umfangreichen Konzertverpflichtungengehören die BBC Proms unddie Edinburgher Festspiele, Galakonzerte mitAndrea Bocelli in Deutschland und mitLuciano Pavarotti in Großbritannien. Sie hatBachs Magnificat mit dem San FranciscoSymphony Orchestra unter Michael TilsonThomas, das Requiem von Brahms mit demBoston Symphony Orchestra bei denFestspielen von Tanglewood und Ravinia undMahlers Vierte mit dem Sapporo SymphonyOrchestra unter Tadaaki Otaka aufgeführt. InAustralien ist sie beim MelbourneInternational Festival und mit dem AustralianChamber Orchestra aufgetreten. AlsRecitalkünstlerin hat sie in der LondonerWigmore Hall sowie bei den Festspielen vonBarcelona, Ravinia, Buxton und Belfastgesungen.Neben zahlreichen anderen Schallplattenhat Rebecca Evans Ilia (Idomeneo) für dieChandos-Serie “Opera in English”, Nanetta(Falstaff ) mit Sir John Eliot Gardiner, eineReihe von Gilbert-und-Sullivan-Aufnahmenmit Sir Charles Mackerras und eineSoloschallplatte mit italienischen Liedernaufgenommen.Die aus Sydney stammende Yvonne Kennygab ihr Londoner Operndebüt 1975 alsDonizettis Rosmonda d’Inghilterra. Nachdemsie den Kathleen Ferrier Wettbewerbgewonnen hatte, kam sie an die Royal OperaCovent Garden, wo sie Pamina (DieZauberflöte), Ilia (Idomeneo), Susanna (Lenozze di Figaro), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Liù(Turandot), Aspasia (Mitridate) und DonnaAnna (Don Giovanni ) sang. InternationalenRuhm errang sie in den großen Händel-Rollen, vor allem Semele und Alcina (CoventGarden und Teatro La Fenice), Romilda(Xerxes) an der English National Opera (inLondon und auf Tournee durch dieSowjetunion) und der Bayerischen Staatsoper,Alcina mit Nicholas McGegan bei denHändel-Festspielen Göttingen sowie Cleopatra(Giulio Cesare) und Armida (Rinaldo) inSydney.Erfolge feierte sie auch an der WienerStaatsoper (Gräfin (Capriccio) und Susanna),5051

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 52Mailänder Scala (Pamina), DeutschenStaatsoper Berlin (Gräfin (Capriccio)), PariserOpéra (Donna Elvira), in Zürich und inGlyndebourne (Donna Elvira und Alice Ford(Falstaff )), als Gräfin (Le nozze di Figaro) inWashington und an der BayerischenStaatsoper, Marschallin (Der Rosenkavalier),Purcells The Fairy Queen und Alice Ford ander English National Opera sowie alsMarschallin (unter der Leitung von Sir CharlesMackerras) bei ihrem Debüt an der SanFrancisco Opera. Sie kehrt regelmäßig nachAustralien zurück, wo sie Gilda (Rigoletto),Pamina, Susanna, Alcina, Massenets Manon,Fiordiligi, Alice Ford, Governess (The Turn ofthe Screw), Gräfin (Capriccio) und dieTitelrollen in Maria Stuarda undL’incoronazione di Poppea gesungen hat.Yvonne Kenny ist konzertant bei denFestspielen von Edinburgh, Salzburg und Aixen-Provence,in der Carnegie Hall und bei denBBC Proms aufgetreten. Für Chandos hat sieAlice Ford (Falstaff ), die Marschallin (Auszügeaus Der Rosenkavalier) und zwei Recitals mitgroßen Opernarien aufgenommen, alle in derReihe “Opera in English”, sowie LennoxBerkeleys A Dinner Engagement und DysonsThe Canterbury Pilgrims. Für Opera Rara hatsie an Ugo conte di Parigi, Robinson Crusoe,Emilia di Liverpool, Il crociato in Egitto undMedea in Corinto witgewirkt. 1989 wurde siefür ihre Verdienste um die Musik mit demOrder of Australia geehrt.William Dazeley wurde in Warwickshiregeboren und studierte am Jesus CollegeCambridge. Im Rahmen seinerGesangsausbildung an der Guildhall School ofMusic and Drama wurde er unter anderemmit der begehrten Goldmedaille ausgezeichnet.Darüber hinaus gewann er denDecca–Kathleen-Ferrier-Preis 1989, denGesangswettbewerb der Royal Overseas League1990, den Richard-Tauber-Preis 1991 und deninternationalen Walther-Gruner-Liederwettbewerb 1991.Als einer der führenden Baritone seinerGeneration ist er inzwischen an vielenberühmten Opernhäusern in aller Weltaufgetreten, mit Rollen wie Comte (Cherubin),Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) und Mercutio(Roméo et Juliette) an der Royal Opera CoventGarden, als Graf (Le nozze di Figaro), Figaro(Il barbiere di Siviglia) und Owen Wingravemit der Glyndebourne Touring Opera, alsFigaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) an derDeutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Dr. Faust bei denSalzburger Festspielen und am ChâteletThéâtre Musical in Paris unter der Leitungvon Kent Nagano sowie als Scherasmin(Oberon) am Châtelet mit John Eliot Gardinerund in einer konzertanten Aufführung imLondoner Barbican.Konzerterfolge waren auch die Titelrolle inSchumanns Faustszenen auf einerEuropatournee mit Philippe Herreweghe,Schumanns Requiem für Mignon mit JohnEliot Gardiner, Mahlers Des KnabenWunderhorn mit Herreweghe und demKoninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest vanVlaanderen, Coriglianos Dylan Thomas mitLeonard Slatkin und dem BBC SymphonyOrchestra sowie das Weihnachtsoratorium vonBach mit den Berliner Philharmonikern.In Welturaufführungen hat er Mahmoud inder John-Adams-Oper The Death ofKlinghoffer mit dem BBC SymphonyOrchestra und Jesus in Harrison BirtwistlesThe Last Supper an der Deutschen StaatsoperBerlin unter der Leitung von DanielBarenboim gesungen; mit letztererInszenierung kam er später auch nachGlyndebourne.William Dazeley gibt Solokonzerte in derWigmore Hall und dem Purcell Room(London), St. George’s (Bristol) und amChâtelet, und er wird regelmäßig zurTeilnahme an Festspielen wie Cheltenham,Aix-en-Provence und Saintes eingeladen,begleitet von Spitzenpianisten wie GrahamJohnson und Iain Burnside.Diana Montague wurde in Winchestergeboren und studierte am Royal NorthernCollege of Music. Seit ihrem Debüt als Zerlinamit der Glyndebourne Touring Opera ist siean vielen namhaften Opernhäusern – RoyalOpera Covent Garden, Metropolitan OperaNew York, Théâtre de la Monnaie Brüssel,Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, Teatro ColónBuenos Aires – sowie bei den Bayreuther undSalzburger Festspielen aufgetreten.Ihr Repertoire umfasst die wichtigen Rollenfür Mezzosopran in Opern von Mozart,Gluck, Strauss, Rossini, Bellini und Berlioz,und zu ihren Verpflichtungen gehörtenBenvenuto Cellini in Rom, Iphigénie en Tauridein Buenos Aires, Madrid und an der WelshNational Opera, Albert Herring, Le nozze diFigaro und Andromaca in Rossinis Ermione inGlyndebourne, Le Comte Ory in Lausanne,Rom und Glyndebourne, Proserpina inMonteverdis Orfeo in Amsterdam, Ariadne aufNaxos in Lissabon, Marguerite (La Damnationde Faust) in Genf, Minerva (Il ritorno d’Ulissein patria) in Amsterdam und Sydney, Meg5253

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 54Page (Falstaff ), Die verkaufte Braut undDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg an der RoyalOpera Covent Garden, Junon in RameausPlatée mit der Royal Opera bei denEdinburgher Festspielen und in London,Oktavian (Der Rosenkavalier) an der EnglishNational Opera, in Bilbao und am Teatro Realin Madrid, Marguerite in Wien und Le nozzedi Figaro an La Monnaie.Diana Montague hat zahlreicheSchallplatten aufgenommen, u.a. MonteverdisOrfeo, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, Luciadi Lammermoor, Iphigénie en Tauride, fürOpera Rara Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, Zoraida diGranata und Il crociato in Egitto sowie für dieChandos-Serie “Opera in English” Idomeneo,Cavalleria rusticana, Oktavian in DerRosenkavalier (Auszüge), Faust und zweiRecitals mit großen Opernarien.Frances McCafferty wurde in Edinburghgeboren und studierte an der Royal ScottishAcademy of Music and Drama. Nach einigenJahren als Gesangslehrerin trat sie der D’OylyCarte Opera Company bei, mit der sie allegroßen Altrollen in den Gilbert-und Sullivan-Opern sang und Patience, Orpheus in theUnderworld und HMS Pinafore aufSchallplatte aufnahm.Andere Rollen waren Katisha (The Mikado)an der English National Opera, Soloka (DiePantöffelchen) in Garsington, Auntie (PeterGrimes) an der niederländischen NationaleReisopera und Hata (Die verkaufte Braut) inGlyndebourne. Weitere Stationen waren dieNew Israeli Opera, Staatsoper Stuttgart, OperaTheatre Company, Glyndebourne TouringOpera sowie die Edinburgher Festspiele undFestivals in Irland und der Schweiz. Sie gastiertregelmäßig an der Opera North und derRoyal Opera Covent Garden, wo sie dieRolle der Yeta Zimmerman in derWelturaufführung von Nicholas Maws Sophie’sChoice sang – eine von Simon Rattle dirigierteAufführung unter der Regie von Trevor Nunn,die von der BBC als Funk- und Fernseh-Livesendung ausgestrahlt wurde.Konzertauftritte hat sie mit dem RTE ConcertOrchestra, National Symphony Orchestra ofIreland, Ulster Orchestra, SingaporeSymphony Orchestra und BBC ConcertOrchestra gegeben.Am Teatro La Fenice in Venedigdebütierte sie als Katisha (The Mikado).Sie hat Madame Popova (The Bear) beimFestival von Cerniers in der Schweiz undAmme (Boris Godunow) an der Royal OperaCovent Garden gesungen.Nach seinem Studium an der UniversitätLondon und am Trinity College of Musicgewann Jonathan Veira 1996 den Sir PeterPears Gesangswettbewerb und wurde bei seinerweiteren Ausbildung am National OperaStudio durch die Glyndebourne Festival Operaund die Friends of Covent Garden unterstützt.Jonathan Veira ist an allen großen britischenOpernhäusern aufgetreten: Royal Opera,English National Opera, GlyndebourneFestival Opera, Scottish Opera, WelshNational Opera, Garsington Opera und OperaNorthern Ireland. Zu seinen Rollen gehörtendabei Bankier/Theaterdirektor (Lulu),Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore), Harašta (Dasschlaue Füchslein), Dr. Kolenatý (Die SacheMakropulos), Baron Mirko Zeta (Die lustigeWitwe), Tonio (Pagliacci), Leporello (DonGiovanni), Warlaam (Boris Godunow), Calchas(La Belle Hélène), Sharpless (MadamaButterfly), Mesner (Tosca), Mustafa (L’italianain Algeri) und Keçal (Die verkaufte Braut).International reüssierte er als Doctor(Vanessa) an der Opéra du Rhin, Schaunard(Leoncavallos La Bohème) beim WexfordFestival, Leporello (Don Giovanni) undPapageno (Die Zauberflöte) an der Opera NewZealand, Dr. Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) ander Opéra de Nice, in Zürich, Glyndebourneund an der Opéra de Montpellier sowie alsClaggart (Billy Budd ), Don Alfonso (Così fantutte) und Falstaff an Den Kongelige OperaKopenhagen.John Graham-Hall studierte am King’sCollege Cambridge und am Royal College ofMusic. Er ist mit allen namhaftenOpernensembles Großbritanniens aufgetreten,so etwa als Albert Herring (Royal OperaCovent Garden), Kudrjásý (Katja Kabanowa),Flute (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) und BobBoles (Peter Grimes) in Glyndebourne, als DonBasilio, Monostatos, Lysander (A MidsummerNight’s Dream), Alwa (Lulu) und Herodes(Salome) an der English National Opera,Cassio (Otello) an der Welsh National Opera,Eisenstein, Lehrer (Das schlaue Füchslein) ander Scottish Opera sowie Aschenbach (Deathin Venice), Lysander, Albert Herring undFerrando (Così fan tutte) mit derGlyndebourne Touring Opera.Weitere Rollen waren Bob Boles(Nederlandse Opera), Basilio (La Monnaie),die Titelrolle in Pascal Dusapins neuer OperPerela, l’Homme de fumée an der Opéra deParis-Bastille und in Montpellier. An derEnglish National Opera, der er als erster Tenorangehörte, sang er auch Sylvester (The Silver5455

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 56Tassie), Goro (Madam Butterfly), Triquet(Eugen Onegin), Monostatos (Die Zauberflöte),Mime (Das Rheingold ) und Alwa (Lulu).John Graham-Hall hat mit vielenberühmten Dirigenten zusammengearbeitet,u.a. Haitink, Harnoncourt, Boulez, AndrewDavis, Tate, Rattle, Gardiner und Abbado.Seine Konzertkarrierie hat ihn durch ganzEuropa geführt, er hat mit allen namhaftenbritischen Orchestern konzertiert und ist inLondon häufig im Barbican und in derFestival Hall aufgetreten. Zu seinenSchallplattenaufnahmen für Chandos gehörenThe Poisoned Kiss von Vaughan Williams, PeterGrimes und, in der Reihe “Opera in English”,The Thieving Magpie und Bergs Wozzeck.Graeme Danby wurde in County Durhamgeboren und studierte an der Royal Academyof Music in London. Seine langjährigesWirken an der English National Opera fandAusdruck in Rollen wie Lorenzo in BellinisI Capuleti e i Montecchi, Pimen (BorisGodunow), Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia),Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore), Somnus (Semele),Quince (A Midsummer Night’s Dream),Collatinus (The Rape of Lucretia), Arkel(Pelléas et Mélisande) und Poo-Bah (TheMikado).Er debütierte an der Royal Opera CoventGarden in La traviata und in Glyndebourneals Antonio (Le nozze di Figaro). WeitereRollen waren Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) ander Opera North und beim GarsingtonFestival, Collatinus beim Buxton Festivalsowie Bosun (Billy Budd ) und Masetto(Don Giovanni) an der Scottish Opera.Konzertant ist er in Beethovens Neunter undVerdis Requiem in der Royal Albert Hallaufgetreten, in Mahlers Achter in der RoyalFestival Hall und in Iolanthe in derBridgewater Hall Manchester.Sarah Tynan wurde in London geboren undstudierte am Royal Northern College of Musicund an der Royal Academy of Music (beiPenelope Mackay), wo sie mit der Queen’sCommendation for Excellence ausgezeichnetwurde.Zu ihren Opernrollen gehören Pretty Pollyin Birtwistles Punch and Judy am TeatroNacional S. João in Porto, Governess inBrittens Turn of the Screw auf einer Russland-Tournee der Kulturorganisation BritishCouncil, Elsie Mainard (The Yeomen of theGuard) und Gianetta (The Gondoliers) an derPhoenix Opera sowie Barbarina an der OperaHolland Park. An der RAM sang sie dieTitelrolle in Das schlaue Füchslein (mitSir Charles Mackerras) und Zerlina(Don Giovanni) (mit Sir Colin Davis).Sie debütierte an der Welsh NationalOpera als Iphis in Händels Jephtha, sangEleanora in Salieris Prima la musica und Mlle.Silberklang in Mozarts Der Schauspieldirektormit der City of London Sinfonia/RichardHickox und Mozarts Requiem mit Sir RogerNorrington beim Spitalfields Festival. SarahTynan wird von der National Opera imRahmen des Nachwuchsförderprogrammsunterstützt.Stuart Kale gilt auf der internationalenOpernszene als einer der besten singendenSchauspieler. Das Repertoire diesesVollblutmusikers ist denkbar breit gefächertund reicht von Monteverdi bis Messiaen. Erbegann seine Karriere an der Welsh NationalOpera, bevor er der English National Operabeitrat, wo er in seinen acht Jahren u.a. DonOttavio (Don Giovanni), Michael in MartinůsJulietta, Alfred (Die Fledermaus) und Nanki-Poo in Jonathan Millers Inszenierung vonThe Mikado sang. 1987 leitete er seineblühende Karriere als freischaffender Sängermit dem Hauptmann (Wozzeck) an der Opéradu Rhin in Straßburg und in Nancy ein, bevorer als Herodes (Salome) an der EnglishNational Opera gastierte.Bedeutende Rollen waren der Oberpriesterin Idomeneo an der Royal Opera CoventGarden, Hauptmann (Wozzeck) in SanFrancisco, Genf, Zürich, Montpellier,Bordeaux und Bologna, Schuiski (BorisGodunow) in Straßburg, Bordeaux undMontpellier, Quint (The Turn of the Screw)und Truffaldino (The Love for Three Oranges)an der English National Opera, Sinowi(Lady Macbeth von Mzensk) in Toulouse undMarseille, Valzacchi und die drei Tenorrollenvon Lulu am Châtelet Théâtre Musical inParis, Aeghiste in Karlsruhe, Bob Boles inMünchen, Covent Garden, Genua undStraßburg, Captain Vere (Billy Budd ) in Kölnsowie Gregor (Die Sache Makropulos) undHerodes in Straßburg.Für die Chandos-Serie “Opera in English”hat er Boris Godunov (Auszüge), MadamButterfly, Otello, Falstaff, Wozzeck undThe Thieving Magpie aufgenommen.Geoffrey Mitchells Gesangskarriere hat ihmein bemerkenswert breitgefächertes Repertoirevon der alten bis zur neuen Musik beschertund ihn nach Skandinavien, Deutschland, indie ehemalige Tschechoslowakei, nach Kanada5657

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 58und Australasien geführt. Nachdem er bei derBBC erste Dirigiererfahrungen gesammelthatte, begann er mit eigenen Sängern zuarbeiten und gründete den Geoffrey MitchellChoir. Aus ersten Aufnahmen entwickelte sicheine langfristige Zusammenarbeit des Chorsmit Opera Rara, für die er über dreißigTonträger aufgenommen hat. Der Chorgenießt wachsendes Ansehen und ist bei derBBC und internationalen Plattenfirmengefragt. Für Chandos hat der GeoffreyMitchell Choir an zahlreichen Aufnahmen derhervorragend kritisierten Reihe Opera inEnglish unter der Schirmherrschaft der PeterMoores Foundation teilgenommen.Das Philharmonia Orchestra, eines dergroßen Orchester der Welt, steht nun bereitsim sechsten Jahr unter der Leitung seinesberühmten deutschen ChefdirigentenChristoph von Dohnányi. Er setzt eineTradition fort, die mit Otto Klemperer begannund über Lorin Maazel (Erster Gastdirigent),Riccardo Muti (Chefdirigent undMusikalischer Leiter), Giuseppe Sinopoli(Musikalischer Leiter) bis zu Kurt Sanderling(Emeritierter Dirigent), Vladimir Ashkenazy(Ehrendirigent) und Sir Charles Mackerras(Hauptgastdirigent) führt, aber auch dieZusammenarbeit mit Wilhelm Furtwängler,Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini, GuidoCantelli, Herbert von Karajan und CarloMaria Giulini einbezog. Das Orchesterverpflichtet weiterhin Gastdirigenten undSolisten von Weltrang, während einige dergrößten europäischen Nachwuchstalente inseine Reihen aufgenommen werden.Das Philharmonia Orchestra ist in derRoyal Festival Hall ansässig und nimmt einezentrale Position im MusiklebenGroßbritanniens ein, nicht nur durch seineLondoner Konzerte, sondern auch durch festeKontakte mit Aufführungsstätten in anderenTeilen des Landes, die eine ideale Gelegenheitfür die Erweiterung seines dynamischen undbevölkerungsnahen musikpädagogischenProgramms bieten. Das Orchester ist mitzahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet worden undhat beispiellose kritische Unterstützung fürseine innovative Programmpolitik gewonnen,die in ihrem Kern der Bestellung undDarbietung neuer Musik von führendenKomponisten unserer Zeit verpflichtet ist.Die Konzerte des Orchesters werden immerhäufiger von BBC Radio 3 übertragen, nichtzuletzt im Rahmen der jährlichen BBC Proms.Mit über 1000 Schallplattenaufnahmenverfügt das Philharmonia Orchestra über diegrößte Orchesterdiskographie der Welt, dieauch Fernseh- und Filmmusik beinhaltet, undgenießt weltweit höchstes Ansehen. DasOrchester hat für Opera Rara mehrere Recitalssowie elf komplette Opern eingespielt und inder Reihe “Opera in English” für Chandos mitUnterstützung durch die Peter MooresFoundation The Thieving Magpie, Wozzeck,Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, Lucia ofLammermoor, Faust, Carmen, Aida, La Bohème,Madam Butterfly, Turandot, die preisgekrönteTosca und Opernarien in Solorecitals mit BruceFord, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny und JohnTomlinson aufgenommen. Das PhilharmoniaOrchestra untermauert seinen internationalenRang durch regelmäßige Tourneen undGastauftritte an berühmten Häusern wie demChâtelet Théâtre Musical in Paris, demMegaron in Athen und dem Lincoln Centerfor the Performing Arts in New York.David Parry hat bei Sergiu Celibidache studiertund seine berufliche Laufbahn als Assistent vonSir John Pritchard begonnen. Er hat am EnglishMusic Theatre debütiert und wurde dannDirigent mit Festvertrag an den StädtischenBühnen Dortmund und an der Opera North.Von 1983 bis 1987 war er Musikdirektor derOpera 80 und seit 1992 Gründungsmitgliedund Direktor der Almeida Opera.Er übt in Großbritannien und internationaleine weitgespannte Tätigkeit in den BereichenOper und Konzert aus, hat mehrereProduktionen der English National Opera undder Opera North dirigiert und tritt regelmäßigmit dem Philharmonia Orchestra und demLondon Philharmonic Orchestra auf. 1996 gaber sein Debüt beim Glyndebourne Festival mitCosì fan tutte und hat dort 1998 dieUraufführung von Jonathan Doves Flightgeleitet.Er ist häufig in Spanien zu Gast und hat mitden meisten bedeutenden spanischenOrchestern Konzerte gegeben. In Madrid hat erdie spanische Uraufführung von Peter Grimesdirigiert, und 1996 die erste spanischeInszenierung von The Rake’s Progress. Er ist inDeutschland, der Schweiz und denNiederlanden aufgetreten, bei den Festspielen inPesaro, beim Hong Kong International Festival,in Japan anläßlich einer Carmen-Tournee undin Mexiko mit dem UNAM SymphonyOrchestra. Zu den Neuproduktionen, die er inletzter Zeit dirigiert hat, zählen Fidelio beimNew Zealand Festival, Lucia di Lammermoor ander New Israeli Opera und Don Giovanni ander Staatsoper Hannover.5859

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 60Seine Tätigkeit im Aufnahmestudio umfaßtdie Produktion von Marschners Der Vampyrfürs BBC-Fernsehen und achtundzwanzigvollständige Opernaufzeichnungen unter derSchirmherrschaft der Peter MooresFoundation. Darunter befinden sich zahlreicheAufnahmen der Reihe Opera Rara, diemehrere Preise gewonnen haben, beispielsweiseden belgischen Prix Cecilia für DonizettisRosmonda d’Inghilterra. Für Chandos hat er dieAufzeichnung einer Serie von Programmenmit Opernarien geleitet (mit Bruce Ford,Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, JohnTomlinson, Della Jones und Andrew Shore),außerdem Idomeneo, Carmen, The ThievingMagpie, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale,The Elixir of Love, Lucia of Lammermoor,Ernani, Il trovatore, Aida, Faust, Cavalleriarusticana, Pagliacci, La bohème, Turandot,die preisgekrönte Tosca und Highlightsus dem Rosenkavalier, jeweils inZusammenarbeit mit der Peter MooresFoundation.Bill CooperWilliam Dazeley as Count Almaviva with Opera North6061

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 62Figaro aurait une trentaine d’années, si l’on encroit Caron de Beaumarchais qui a imaginé lepersonnage. Lorsque l’opéra fut créé en 1786,Mozart avait aussi trente ans. Voir un élémentautobiographique dans la création parBeaumarchais de son Barbier de Séville,personnalité aux talents multiples, n’est guèreun caprice de l’imagination. Et si l’on yregarde de plus près, quelques similitudes avecMozart apparaissent dans la personnalité de cesujet trop talentueux et un peu trop familieravec ses supérieurs en termes sociaux.C’est sans doute une erreur donc deprésenter Figaro dans cet opéra, et tel est le casparfois, comme le bouc émissaire. Il est vraiqu’il a tendance à agir et à parler plus vite qu’ilne pense, mais son rôle dans l’intrigue est delancer l’action. Figaro est le moteur du drame.C’est l’urgence qui l’anime qui le faitprogresser, en dépit des intrigues des autresprotagonistes qui le retardent ou le freinent.Et, par contraste, ces derniers sont tousrelativement passifs, attendant de voir le coursque prendront les événements. Ce sont lesnoces de Figaro après tout, comme nous lerappelle le titre de l’opéra.Les Noces de Figaro62Et de Susanna, bien que le titre ne le précisepas. C’est Susanna, un peu plus jeune sansdoute que son futur époux, qui ouvre la voieau personnage. Elle perçoit d’emblée la“commodité” de la chambre qui leur a étécédée et voit clair dans le projet du comteAlmaviva de les prendre avec lui en mission àLondres. Elle réagit avec la rapidité vouluepour couvrir Cherubino contraint de se sauverpar le cabinet attenant à la chambre de laComtesse. Elle trouve les moyens nécessairespour que soit acquittée la dette de Figaroenvers Marcellina. C’est elle qui fait avorter leplan risqué qu’il conçoit afin de duper leComte la nuit dans le jardin en se déguisant,pour le remplacer par son propre projet, plusingénieux. Le bon sens naturel de Susannacomplète l’ingéniosité acquise par Figaro.En effet, et en dépit du titre de l’œuvre,Susanna pourrait aisément être considéréecomme le personnage central de l’opéra. Sonrôle est le plus long sûrement, en termes denotes, mais il n’y a pas que le nombre de notesqui importe. L’un des plus merveilleux aspectsdu génie de Mozart, dans cet opéra et ailleurs,est son habileté à dessiner et à colorer lescaractères féminins avec autant de convictionque les caractères masculins. C’est un talentque partagent à vrai dire peu d’hommes qu’ilssoient compositeurs ou auteurs. La femmeidéalisée, l’“Ewigweibliche” de Goethe est lefléau de nombreux opéras et œuvres littérairesau dix-neuvième siècle. Au vingtième siècle, cetalent précieux qu’avait Mozart ne s’estmanifesté pour ainsi dire que chez Janáček etBerg.Trop d’importance peut être accordée auxaspects pré-révolutionnaires des Noces de Figaro.La cavatine de Figaro dans l’Acte I “Si vousvoulez danser, mon petit comte” (“So, littlemaster, you’re dressed to go dancing”) peutapparaître comme le tocsin annonçant lecombat et sa confrontation avec le Comte avantles danses dans l’Acte III (“Et pourquoi pas?Je ne dispute pas de ce que j’ignore.” – “Maybeso. I’m not one to accuse when I don’t know”)pourrait présager du démantèlement de l’ordresocial. Mais ce n’est pas le moment encore. Ilest trop facile de faire preuve de sagesse quand aeu lieu l’événement, comme Napoléon lorsqu’ildécrivit le défi incendiaire de Figaro “Vous avezpris la peine de naître” comme “la Révolutionen action”. Beaumarchais à Paris, et Mozartensuite à Vienne, jouent avec le feu, mais celareste du drame.63Selon Joseph Kerman qui défend avecéloquence l’argument contre-révolutionnairedans Opera as Drama, les véritables héros ethéroïne de l’opéra sont le Comte et laComtesse. Bien que sa thèse ne soit pas tout àfait convaincante, il est vrai que l’opéra estautant une interrogation sur leurs deux annéesde mariage que sur le futur mariage de Figaro etSusanna. Le Comte, s’il est ostensiblement le“scélérat” dans cette œuvre, devrait restersympathique. La Comtesse, en dépit d’unépisode de passivité et de pleurnicheries,retrouve force et détermination dans l’Acte IIIet est le catalyseur du drame dans l’Acte IV.La résolution amenée par la clémence de laComtesse face au comportement dévoyé de sonépoux (“Plus docile que vous, je vous l’accorde”– “I’m far more forgiving, and so I say yes”.) etleur réconciliation, temporaire du moins,forment le climax émotionnel de l’opéra.Peter Hall décrivit de façon mémorable, lorsd’une interview à la radio, l’effet lénifiant dugrand ensemble du pardon qui regroupe tousles protagonistes du drame et suitl’intervention de la Comtesse, et toutspécialement la force du bref passage orchestraldescendant entre cet ensemble et le chœurfinal de réjouissance, instant fugace lorsquetous contemplent les abysses de la tragédie. Par

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 64la perfidie et la trahison, ces unions peuvent sifacilement être anéanties. Une terrifiante prisede conscience a lieu, puis les acteurs du dramese détournent, choisissant d’oublier pourprofiter des plaisirs du moment. La frontièreentre tragédie et comédie est si fragile.C’est l’équilibre que Mozart établit entre cesdeux pôles qui le rend suprêmement réaliste etqui confère tant de crédibilité à ses opéras.C’est cette vision particulière manifeste déjàdans La finta giardiniera, composé lorsqu’iln’avait que dix-huit ans et qui atteint unsommet dans les trois opéras écrits avecLorenzo da Ponte dont le premier est Les Nocesde Figaro. Cet équilibre est maintenu avec uneparticulière délicatesse dans la résolution dudrame, mais il est assuré tout au long del’opéra. Il est merveilleusement illustré, avecune touche d’humour, dans l’aria deCherubino dans l’Acte I “Non so più, cosason, cosa faccio” (“Je ne sais qui je suis, ce queje fais” – “I don’t know what it is that I’mfeeling”). Et il imprègne sans doute la réactionmi-douloureuse, mi-satisfaite de l’adolescent àl’aria militaire de Figaro “Non più andrai” à lafin de l’Acte I (“Plus n’iras” – “Here’s an endto your life as a rover”). Les gloiresqu’escompte Cherubino ne sont passtrictement martiales.Si formellement Les Noces de Figaro est uneœuvre en quatre actes correspondant auxquatre lieux où se déroule l’action,musicalement nous avons à faire à unestructure en deux actes similaire à celle desdeux autres opéras Da Ponte, Don Giovanni etCosì fan tutte. Chacune des deux parties de cesopéras se termine par un long finale, unprocédé de développement de l’action par lamusique dont Mozart fut le pionnier dansLa finta giardiniera déjà, mais qu’ilperfectionna dans le finale de l’Acte II deFigaro. L’œuvre est aussi l’exemple suprême dusens de l’équilibre de Mozart. A partir dumoment où le Comte et la Comtesseretournent dans la chambre et où le finaleproprement dit commence, l’issue pourraitaussi bien être tragique que comique. Enl’occurrence, l’humour émerge sans cesse,parfois de manière désopilante, et mêmegrotesque, mais la situation reste une questionde vie ou de mort.Walter Legge décrivit en ces termes le finalede l’Acte II: “Musicalement c’est l’ensemble leplus magistral, non seulement de cet opéra,mais dans tout Mozart. Pendant près de vingtminutes, la musique s’épanche en un fluxcontinu, épousant chaque sinuosité de cettecomédie complexe et précipitée, illuminant,réfléchissant, commentant l’action et la largepalette d’émotions des participants. Emboîtantle pas à l’action, la musique amplifie les effetsde surprise, souligne les subtilités et revêtcependant l’ensemble de ce jeu d’intriguesassez sordide d’une houppelande magique auxsonorités les plus enchanteresses qui, tout enrestant fidèles à l’action, la transmutent en laplus pure merveille qui soit.”Dans ce finale sublime, chacun aura sonpassage d’élection. Le mien est la trêvetemporaire entre les combattants (bien que leComte aux folles intrigues ne soit guère danscet état d’ esprit) avant l’incursion d’Antonioavec les débris de ses pots de fleurs. LaComtesse, Susanna et Figaro chantent “Dehsignor, noi contrastate” (“Ah, Monseigneur,consentez: couronnez donc mes (leurs) désirs.”– “Heed my pleading, I implore you, becompassionate I pray”) et, tandis que le Comtepart en pensée à la recherche de Marcellina,cors et contrebasses soulignent leur plaidoyerforte. Ce bref moment de réconciliationespérée est une anticipation magique de la finde l’opéra.Selon Michael Kelly, le ténor irlandais quiinterpréta les rôles de Basilio et de Curzio dansla production originale, Mozart avait uneprédilection, dans cet opéra, pour le sextuor del’Acte III. Ce passage pourrait certes être l’undes plus comiques avec ses révélations-surpriseset ses revirements, mais une fois encore, lafurie et la déconvenue de Susanna sont d’unsérieux absolu. Il y a un moment superbe aprèsla fin du sextuor et le départ du Comte et deCurzio dans la confusion. Susanna demande àceux qui sont restés: “Qui connaît bonheursemblable au mien?” – “Who could be happierthan I am?” et Figaro, Bartolo et Marcellinarépondent chacun “Moi” (“I am”) Puisensemble et en parfaite harmonie, le quatuorchante pianissimo “Et que le comte crève dema joie!” (“And if the Count is furious, wellthat will serve him right!”). L’interprétation dece moment ne devrait pas être teinté decomédie seulement.L’Acte IV est le plus difficile à mener à bienlors de l’exécution de l’oeuvre. Après trois actesse déroulant à l’intérieur du château, le jardindevrait exhaler un parfum de liberté. Lesrecoins sous les pins évoquent la forêt deShakespeare, hors d’Athènes, où peuvent seréaliser des rêves voluptueux. Lorsque le finaleproprement dit commence sur les paroles deCherubino: “Je l’approcherai, oh sidoucement, et saisirai le moment tant que je lepeux” (“I’ll approach her, oh so softly, seize themoment while I may”), tout avance bien, mais6465

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 66la première moitié de cet acte voit sedévelopper des arias méditatifs qui necontribuent en rien au progrès de l’action. Ladiatribe de Figaro contre les femmes (“Ohvous folles esclaves de Cupidon” – “Youfoolish slaves of Cupid”) et la mélodied’amour quelque peu ambiguë de Susanna(“Ah, viens, ne tarde plus, mon beau plaisir” –“Come quickly my beloved”) sontévidemment essentiels, mais les arias diparagone de Marcellina et Basilio peuventsembler marginaux. En fait, ce sont des airsintéressants et révélateurs. L’air de Marcellinaétoffe son caractère en faisant apparaître unpeu de cette indignation féministe perçue dansson importante intervention dans l’Acte III dela pièce de Beaumarchais. L’anecdote “peaud’âne” de Basilio est une aria di paragone plusconventionnel, mais assombri par une notetristement ironique. Tous deux ajoutent unedimension aux caractères et à la richesse dudrame, mais ils arrivent trop tard. En fin desoirée, on est impatient de voir l’intrigue sedénouer. Et les supprimer lors des exécutionsest donc plus pragmatique.Du fait de cette suppression, c’est plut tôtque Figaro lui-même vit un moment tragique,lorsque sa nature optimiste menace pour unefois d’être submergée. La brève section, au cœurdu finale, dans laquelle le tempo prend del’ampleur sous forme d’un larghetto en 3/4 estplus magnifique encore que son aria vibrant decolère; le lumineux sol majeur cède la place àun mi bémol majeur (la tonalité de la cavatineplaintive que chante la Comtesse losqu’elleapparaît pour la première fois “Porgi amor” –“Prête, Amour, quelque confort” – “Hear myprayer”), et les clarinettes réapparaissent. Sousun ciel obscurci par la nuit, tranquille et serein,sous Vénus et Mars unis en une étreintepassionnée, Figaro rassemble une fois encore lesfils du drame et affronte sa destinée. Cemoment magique ne durent que douzemesures, puis il se trouve à nouveau précipitédans l’haletant dénouement. Mais ceci suffit, endépit de ce qui survient ensuite et de larévélation dramatique de la Comtesse, à luirendre son opéra – et son mariage.© 2004 Nicholas PayneSynopsisQuelques années avant que débute l’opéra, lecomte Almaviva avait courtisé Rosina et l’avaitépousée. Elle était la riche pupille d’un certaindocteur Bartolo de Séville qui avait lui-mêmeenvisagé de se marier avec elle afin de mettre lamain sur sa fortune. Le comte Almaviva vitnon loin de Séville dans son manoir ancestral,et Figaro est son valet. Figaro quant à lui vacélébrer aujourd’hui ses noces avec Susanna,qui n’est autre que la chambrière de Rosina, lacomtesse Almaviva.COMPACT DISC ONEActe ILe premier acte se déroule au petit matin dansune chambrette cédée à Figaro et à Susannacomme futur logement. La porte de droitemène à la salle principale du château, la portecentrale aux appartements de la Comtesse et laporte de gauche à ceux du Comte.1Aprèsl’ouverture de l’opéra, nous trouvons Susannapréparant son chapeau de mariée.2Figaromesure la chambrette pour y placer le lit,3 – 5mais comprenant les intentions deFigaro, Susanna précise qu’il est hors dequestion de s’installer là! Cette pièce est nonseulement un lieu de passage, mais elle estsurtout trop facile d’accès pour le Comte quila poursuit et voudrait rétablir les privilègesféodaux du seigneur du château. Figaro estabasourdi d’apprendre que le Comte s’intéresseà Susanna. Celle-ci lui répond qu’il devait sedouter que la dot promise par le Comte n’étaitpas à la mesure des sentiments qu’il éprouvaitpour lui.6 – 7Susanna est appelée par laComtesse. Figaro exprime sa jalousie: si leComte tente de conter fleurette à Susanna, ilusera de tous les mauvais tours possibles pourdéjouer ses plans.8 – 9Le docteur Bartolo et sagouvernante Marcellina arrivent de Séville.Marcellina a prêté de l’argent à Figaro à lacondition qu’il l’épouse s’il ne peut larembourser. Tant qu’il n’a pu lui restituer lasomme, Figaro n’est évidemment pas enmesure d’envisager un autre mariage.Marcellina demande de l’aide au DocteurBartolo; celui-ci répond qu’il ne sera que tropheureux de se venger sur Figaro.10 – 11Susanna réapparaît, et lorsqueMarcellina quitte la pièce, elles échangentquelques phrases acerbes.12Le page Cherubino vient demanderconseil et assistance à Susanna. Le Comte l’asurpris flirtant avec Barbarina, la fille dujardinier, et à moins que l’on persuade laComtesse d’intervenir, il sera congédié et neverra plus jamais sa chère Susanna, ni d’ailleursla Comtesse qu’il vénère à distance. LorsqueSusanna exprime sa surprise face à ses amoursmultiples,13Cherubino lui dit qu’il estamoureux de l’Amour et il lui remet une petitechanson qu’il a écrite pour la Comtesse.6667

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 6814Le Comte entre, et Cherubino se cache. Comtesse. La porte, à droite, mène à l’escalierLe Comte fait la cour à Susanna, mais sesavances sont interrompues par Don Basilio, lemaître de musique.15Le Comte se cacheaussi. Toutefois, lorsqu’il entend ce que Basilioa à dire au sujet de l’intérêt que porteCherubino à la Comtesse, il émerge de sacachette16 – 17et menace de congédierCherubino. Il raconte qu’il a trouvé le pagecaché sous la nappe du guéridon chezBarbarina. Au moment où il montre commentil a réussi à trouver son page, Cherubino estdécouvert dans sa cachette, une fois encore. LeComte se rend compte que Cherubino aentendu ce qu’il vient de dire à Susanna.18 – 20Figaro entre avec ses amis pourdemander au Comte de revêtir Susanna de sarobe de mariée, symbole de candeur, mais leComte désire attendre la cérémonie officielle.21Pour se débarrasser de Cherubino, le Comtelui donne une charge dans son propre régimentet l’envoie à Séville.22Ironiquement, Figarosouhaite un destin heureux à Cherubino dans safuture carrière militaire.COMPACT DISC TWOActe IIL’acte II se déroule dans les appartements de la68principal, la porte du fond à la chambre deSusanna et une porte, à gauche, à un petitcabinet. Le mur qui lui fait face est percéd’une fenêtre.Susanna vient de déposer chez la Comtessele plateau du petit déjeuner.1Rosina, devenue la comtesse Almaviva,espère retrouver l’amour de son époux quicourt la prétentaine.2Susanna réapparaît. Elle avait raconté àla Comtesse la déconvenue du Comte; elleajoute maintenant que Figaro a envoyé unelettre anonyme au Comte par l’entremise deBasilio, disant que la Comtesse a un rendezvousgalant en soirée, dans le jardin. Ceci estune invention pure et simple pour empêcherqu’il poursuive Susanna.La Comtesse souligne que ceci n’évitera pasl’intervention que menace de faire Marcellina.Susanna a une idée: elle donnera elle-mêmerendez-vous au Comte, mais y enverra à saplace Cherubino, travesti. La Comtesse lessurprendra et ceci mettra le Comte dans unesituation telle qu’il devra donner sonconsentement au mariage.3 – 4Cherubino entre pour chanter sapetite chanson à la Comtesse.5 – 6Le plan est mis au point et Susannafait un essai de déguisement. Elle ferme toutd’abord la porte. Pendant qu’il se dévêtit,Cherubino laisse tomber son brevet et laComtesse remarque qu’il n’a pas été cacheté.Susanna habille Cherubino en fille.La Comtesse envoie Susanna chercher un deses bonnets.7On frappe à la porteprincipale; le Comte est rentré à l’improviste.Cherubino se précipite dans le cabinetattenant à la chambre et s’y enferme.8LaComtesse ouvre la porte principale fermée àclef et explique au Comte qu’elle essayait unerobe et parlait à Susanna qui vient de quitter.Le Comte lui montre la lettre anonyme deFigaro, et c’est à ce moment qu’un bruitfracassant provient du cabinet – Cherubinodoit avoir renversé quelque chose. Le Comteveut savoir qui s’y trouve. C’est Susanna, auxdires de la Comtesse; le Comte lui donnel’ordre d’ouvrir ou de répondre, mais laComtesse le lui interdit. A ce moment,Susanna revient subrepticement dans lachambre; elle se rend compte de ce qui sepasse et se cache.9 – 10Comme la Comtesse refuse de luidonner accès au cabinet, le Comte fermetoutes les portes à clef et va chercher des outilspour forcer la serrure de celle du cabinet;il veut que la Comtesse l’accompagne.11Susanna persuade Cherubino d’ouvrir.Trouvant toutes les portes fermées, il saute parla fenêtre.12Susanna s’enferme dans lecabinet.13Le Comte et la Comtesse réapparaissent.La Comtesse admet qu’elle préparait unesurprise pour la soirée. Elle admet aussi quec’est Cherubino, qui se trouve dans le cabinet.Ceci, aux yeux du Comte, semble éclaircir laquestion du billet anonyme.14Le Comteintime Cherubino de sortir. La Comtesse lesupplie de ne pas se fâcher s’il voit Cherubinoun peu débraillé: il se travestissait en fille.Le Comte accuse son épouse d’infidélité,15 – 16puis ouvre la porte du cabinet etSusanna paraît sur le seuil. Le Comte et laComtesse sont tous deux ahuris et le Comtetrouve cette plaisanterie aussi cruelle que cellede la lettre anonyme qui, lui révèlent-elles, aété écrite par Figaro et délivrée par Basilio. Ildemande pardon à son épouse.17Figaro entre pour annoncer que lespréparatifs de la noce sont presque terminés.Le Comte lui demande s’il est l’auteur de lalettre anonyme. Figaro le nie bien sûr, malgréque Susanna et la Comtesse l’incitent àl’admettre.18Antonio, le jardinier, entre pour seplaindre que quelqu’un a sauté par la fenêtre et69

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 70a abîmé ses fleurs. Figaro avoue être lecoupable. Antonio pense qu’il s’agit plutôt deCherubino, mais Figaro le prétend déjà partipour Séville. Le Comte demande à Figaropourquoi il a fait cela. Figaro prétend qu’ilattendait Susanna quand il a entendu desbruits étouffés, le Comte qui criait, et pensantau billet anonyme (qu’il vient de dire qu’il n’apas écrit), il a pris peur et a sauté par lafenêtre. Antonio demande si donc les papierstrouvés au sol lui appartiennent, mais leComte s’en empare et demande à Figaro dequoi il s’agit. La Comtesse reconnaît le brevetde Cherubino et en avertit Figaro qui expliqueque c’est le brevet du page qui lui a été confiépour être cacheté.19Marcellina, le Docteur Bartolo et DonBasilio entrent pour soutenir la cause deMarcellina contre Figaro. La confusion quececi engendre clôture l’acte.COMPACT DISC THREEActe IIIL’acte III se déroule dans la Grande salle oùtous peuvent aller et venir. Il est tard dansl’après-midi.1Le Comte essaye d’élucider lescontradictions des récents événements. LaComtesse envoie Susanna fixer un rendez-vousau Comte dans la soirée.2 – 4La Comtessea l’intention, comme Cherubino est parti, d’yaller à la place de Susanna. Sous prétexte de luiemprunter son flacon de sels, Susanna adressela parole au Comte et lui fixe rendez-vous.5En quittant, elle confie à Figaro qu’ellelui a fait gagner son procès, sans avocat.6Malheureusement, le Comte l’entend.7Il est furieux de se trouver dupé par sespropres sujets.8Barbarina persuade Cherubino de sejoindre à elle et aux jeunes filles du villagepour offrir des fleurs à la Comtesse.9 – 10La Comtesse attend Susanna etchante les moments merveilleux qu’elle a vécusavec le Comte naguère.11La sentence veut que Figaro paye sadette ou épouse Marcellina. Figaro dit qu’il nepeut se marier sans l’assentiment de sesparents, et vu son statut d’enfant trouvé, cesera difficile à avoir. Toutefois si quelqu’unreconnaît l’hiéroglyphe imprimé sur sonbras… Marcellina reconnaît la marque – il estl’enfant qu’elle a eu il y a bon nombred’années et qui lui a été volé; son père n’estautre que le Docteur Bartolo. Marcellinan’exige donc plus d’épouser Figaro.12 – 13Mais Susanna entre, après avoirpersuadé la Comtesse de lui avancer la sommenécessaire au remboursement de la dette deFigaro. Elle trouve Marcellina embrassantFigaro et en tire une conclusion hâtive eterronée; peu après, elle participe toutefois à cesmoments de réconciliation.14Antonio dit au Comte que Cherubinon’est pas parti par Séville, mais qu’il se trouvedans la maison du jardinier, travesti en fille!15Susanna rejoint la Comtesse et l’informeque le Comte a accepté le rendez-vous.16La Comtesse lui dicte une note pour enfixer le lieu.17Le billet est scellé avec uneépingle que le Comte devra renvoyer pourmontrer qu’il accepte de s’y rendre.18 – 19Barbarina fait entrer un groupe dejeunes paysannes désireuses d’offrir des fleurs àla Comtesse. Parmi elles se trouve Cherubinotravesti. Au moment où les jeunes filles luiremettent les fleurs, la Comtesse a l’impressionde reconnaître l’une d’entre elles.20Antonioet le Comte rentrent à l’improviste etdémasquent la jeune fille. Elle n’est autre queCherubino. Le Comte exige une explication dela Comtesse, qui est aussi surprise que lui. LeComte est sur le point de châtier Cherubinolorsque Barbarina l’implore de lui pardonneret lui demande de pouvoir l’épouser enéchange des faveurs qu’elle lui a accordées.21Figaro entre pour annoncer la danse. LeComte lui dit que Cherubino reconnaîtmaintenant qu’il a sauté par la fenêtre. Figarorépond que c’est possible – si lui a sauté, unautre a pu le faire aussi.22 – 23La double cérémonie de noces –celles de Figaro et Susanna, et celles deMarcellina et Bartolo – commence. Pendantcelles-ci, Susanna remet furtivement au Comtele billet qu’elle a écrit. Figaro voit le Comte sepiquer le doigt avec l’épingle qui scelle le feuilletqui lui a été donné, mais dont il ignore l’auteur.Acte IVLe jardin, au clair de lune, sert de décor auquatrième acte. On y voit plusieurs pavillons.24Barbarina a perdu l’épingle que leComte lui a demandé de remettre à Susanna.25Figaro et Marcellina lui font bientôtraconter toute l’histoire.26Figaro cherche àprendre sa revanche et Marcellina à prévenirSusanna.27 – 28Figaro a demandé à Basilio,Antonio et Bartolo de venir l’aider àdébrouiller l’affaire.Barbarina revient pour aller au rendez-vousfixé avec Cherubino,29 – 30tandis queFigaro, fou de jalousie, attend Susanna.31 – 32Marcellina arrive avec Susanna et laComtesse et elle se cache dans un des7071

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 72pavillons.33 – 34Susanna, consciente que et la prétendue Comtesse se cache dans unFigaro les écoute, se venge de ses soupçons en pavillon.41Devant Basilio, Bartolo etprétendant qu’elle attend le Comte.Antonio, le Comte lui demande de sortir du35 – 36Tandis que la Comtesse se glisse à pavillon. Les premiers à apparaître sontla place de Susanna, Cherubino arrive pourretrouver Barbarina. Mais voyant, commeil le croit, Susanna, il lui donne la chasse.37Cherubino tente d’embrasser Susanna,mais le Comte intervient. Il veut donner unsoufflet à Cherubino, mais il frappe Figaro quis’est approché. Cherubino se cache dans undes pavillons.Cherubino, Barbarina et Marcellina, et enfinla soi-disant Comtesse. Le Comte l’accused’infidélité. Elle lui demande pardon, mais leComte refuse ses excuses. La véritableComtesse apparaît alors et intercède en safaveur. Le Comte doit maintenant luidemander pardon à elle, ce qu’il obtient unefois encore. Tout est bien qui finit bien.38Le Comte fait alors la cour à sa propreépouse qu’il prend pour Susanna et il luidonne une bague ornée d’un brillant. Figaro© 2004 Peter MooresTraduction: Marie-Françoise de Meeûsessaye de faire fuir le Comte et la soi-disantSusanna se cache dans un autre pavillon tandisque le Comte se retire pour la rejoindre plusChristopher Purves a étudié la littératureanglaise au Kings College de Cambridge avanttard.39Susanna qui a revêtu les vêtements de de se produire et d’enregistrer avec le groupela Comtesse met maintenant Figaro à l’épreuveen essayant de lui faire la cour. Figaroreconnaît la voix de Susanna et décide d’entrerlui aussi dans le jeu. Ceci lui vaut une bellevocal de rock and roll très innovateur, Harveyand the Wallbangers. À la suite de la dissolutiondu groupe en 1988, il reprit ses études vocalesavec David Keren, Diane Forlano et Janicegifle.40Il explique l’affaire et est pardonné. Chapman.Le Comte réapparaît et Susanna dit à Figaroque le Comte vient de conter fleurette à sapropre épouse, travestie. Figaro, faisant ainsil’affaire du Comte, fait la cour maintenant à leprétendue Comtesse. Le Comte les interromptIl a chanté des rôles tels que Figaro(Le nozze di Figaro) au Welsh National Opera,au Scottish Opera et à l’Opera North,Marcello (La Bohème) au Scottish Opera,Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Faninal (DerRosenkavalier) au Welsh National Opera et àl’Opera North, Podesta (La gazza ladra) auGarsington Opera, Siegfried (Genoveva) etDulcamara (L’elisir d’amore) à l’Opera North.Il a créé le rôle du Bourreau dans Ines deCastro de James Macmillan. Il s’est produitdans Parthenogenesis de Macmillan au Festivald’Édimbourg, où il a également chanté le rôlede Cecil dans Maria Stuarda sous la directionde Sir Charles Mackerras.En concert, Christopher Purves s’est produitdans la Messe en ut mineur de Mozart à Aixen-Provenceavec l’ensemble Sixteen, Les Nocesde Stravinski sous la direction de PhilippeHerreweghe à Bruxelles, les Vêpres de 1610 deMonteverdi sous la direction de RichardHickox, la Messe en si mineur de Bach auFestival de La Chaise-Dieu, Judas Maccabeusde Haendel à Nuremberg, Saul avec le GabrieliConsort à Covent Garden et à La Chaise-Dieu, l’Apocalypse de John Tavener aux BBCProms de Londres avec le City of LondonSinfonia, la Passion selon saint Jean sous ladirection de Paul Goodwin à Madrid, le Messieavec le Scottish Chamber Orchestra, le HalléOrchestra et l’Orchestre d’Ulster, Les Mamellesde Tirésias avec le London Sinfonietta sous ladirection de Sir Simon Rattle, Manoah(Samson) sous la direction de HarryChristophers, le War Requiem de Britten etDie Schöpfung de Haydn avec l’Orchestred’Ulster, Belshazzar’s Feast avec l’EnglishNorthern Sinfonia sous la direction de PaulDaniel et avec le Hallé Orchestra, et Luciferdans La Resurrezione de Haendel sous ladirection de Paul McCreesh à Rome,Amsterdam et Londres. Christopher Purves afait ses débuts en récital au Festivald’Aldeburgh en juin 2004. Ses enregistrementsincluent le rôle de Gottardo (La gazza ladra)pour la série Opera in English de Chandos.Née dans le Sud du Pays de Galles, RebeccaEvans a étudié à la Guildhall School of Musicand Drama de Londres. Elle poursuit uneimportante carrière lyrique aux États-Unis oùelle a chanté Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) auSanta Fe Opera, Adele (Die Fledermaus) auChicago Lyric Opera, Zerlina (Don Giovanni),Ann Trulove (The Rake’s Progress) et Adina(L’elisir d’amore) au San Franciso Opera, et lesrôles de Susanna et de Zerlina au MetropolitanOpera de New York.En Europe, elle est régulièrement invitée auBayerische Staatsoper de Munich où elle s’estproduite dans les rôle de Sophie (DerRosenkavalier), Zdenka (Arabella), Servilia (Laclemenza di Tito), Ilia (Idomeneo), et Nanetta7273

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 74(Falstaff ). Elle a également chanté le rôle d’Iliaà l’Opéra des Pays-Bas et à l’Opéra deLausanne, le rôle titre dans Le Petit Renardrusé au Scottish Opera, Susanna, Ilia,Marzelline (Fidelio), Norina (Don Pasquale) etHero (Béatrice et Bénédict) au Welsh NationalOpera, Romilda (Xerxes) à l’English NationalOpera, Zerlina, Nanetta and Johanna (SweeneyTodd ) au Royal Opera de Covent Garden.Très demandée en concert, Rebecca Evanss’est produite aux BBC Proms de Londres etau Festival d’Édimbourg, dans des concerts degala avec Andrea Bocelli en Allemagne et avecLuciano Pavarotti en Angleterre. Elle a chantédans le Magnificat de Bach avec le SanFrancisco Symphony Orchestra sous ladirection de Michael Tilson Thomas, Eindeutsches Requiem de Brahms avec le BostonSymphony Orchestra au Festival deTanglewood et au Festival de Ravinia, et dansla Quatrième Symphonie de Mahler avecl’Orchestre symphonique de Sapporo sous ladirection de Tadaaki Otaka. Elle s’estégalement produite en Australie au Festival deMelbourne et avec l’Australian ChamberOrchestra. En récital, elle a chanté auWigmore Hall de Londres, et dans les festivalsde Barcelone, Ravinia, Buxton et Belfast.La très riche discographie de Rebecca Evansinclut le rôle d’Ilia (Idomeneo) pour la sérieOpera in English de Chandos, Nanetta(Falstaff ) sous la direction de Sir John EliotGardiner, plusieurs opéras de Gilbert etSullivan sous la direction de Sir CharlesMackerras, et un album de mélodies italiennes.Née à Sydney, Yvonne Kenny a fait ses débutsà Londres en 1975 dans Rosmondad’Inghilterra de Donizetti. Après avoirremporté le Concours Kathleen Ferrier, elle estdevenue membre du Royal Opera de CoventGarden où elle a chanté les rôles de Pamina(Die Zauberflöte), Ilia (Idomeneo), Susanna (Lenozze di Figaro), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Liù(Turandot), Aspasia (Mitridate) et DonnaAnna (Don Giovanni). Elle s’est faite uneréputation internationale pour sesinterprétations des grands rôles haendéliens,notamment Semele et Alcina (à CoventGarden et à La Fenice de Venise), Romilda(Xerxes) à l’English National Opera (à Londreset en tournée en URSS) et au BayerischeStaatsoper de Munich, Alcina sous la directionde Nicholas McGegan au Festival Haendel deGöttingen, Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) etArmida (Rinaldo) à Sydney.Yvonne Kenny a chanté au Staatsoper deVienne (la Comtesse (Capriccio) et Susanna), àLa Scala de Milan (Pamina), au BerlinStaatsoper (la Comtesse (Capriccio)), à l’Opérade Paris (Donna Elvira), à Zurich et àGlyndebourne (Donna Elvira et Alice Ford(Falstaff )), la Comtesse (Le nozze di Figaro) àWashington et au Bayerische Staatsoper deMunich, la Maréchale (Der Rosenkavalier),The Fairy Queen de Purcell et Alice Ford àl’English National Opera, la Maréchale (sousla direction de Sir Charles Mackerras) pour sesdébuts au San Francisco Opera. Elle retournefréquemment en Australie où elle a chanté lesrôles de Gilda (Rigoletto), Pamina, Susanna,Alcina, Manon de Massenet, Fiordiligi, AliceFord, la Gouvernante (The Turn of the Screw),la Comtesse (Capriccio) et les rôles titres dansMaria Stuarda et L’incoronazione di Poppea.Yvonne Kenny s’est produite en concertdans les festivals d’Édimbourg, Salzburg etAix-en-Provence, au Carnegie Hall de NewYork et aux BBC Proms de Londres. Sesenregistrements dans la série Opera in Englishde Chandos incluent Alice Ford (Falstaff ), laMaréchale (extraits de Der Rosenkavalier) etdeux récitals dans la série Great OperaticArias. Elle a également enregistré A DinnerEngagement de Lennox Berkeley etThe Canterbury Pilgrims de Dyson. Pour lasérie Opera Rara, elle a enregistré Ugo conte diParigi, Robinson Crusoe, Emilia di Liverpool,Il crociato in Egitto et Medea in Corinto. En1989, Yvonne Kenny a été créée Member ofthe Order of Australia pour ses services rendusà la musique.Né dans le Warwickshire, William Dazeley fitses études à Jesus College à Cambridge. Ilétudia le chant à la Guildhall School of Musicand Drama où il remporta plusieurs prix dontla prestigieuse Médaille d’Or. Il remportaégalement le Prix Decca–Kathleen Ferrier en1989, le Concours de chant de la RoyalOverseas League en 1990, le Prix RichardTauber en 1991 et le Concours internationalde Lieder Walther Gruner également en 1991.Reconnu comme l’un des plus grandsbarytons de sa génération, il a déjà chanté avecles plus grandes compagnies lyriques dumonde. Il fut entre autres le Comte(Cherubin), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) etMercutio (Roméo et Juliette) au Royal OperaHouse, Covent Garden; le Comte (Les Nocesde Figaro), Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) et lerôle-titre d’Owen Wingrave pour leGlyndebourne Touring Opera; Figaro (Ilbarbiere di Siviglia) au Deutsche Oper àBerlin; Dr Faust au Festival de Salzbourg et auChâtelet sous la baguette de Kent Nagano; et7475

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 76Scherasmin (Oberon) au Châtelet sous labaguette de John Eliot Gardiner, une œuvreégalement proposée dans une version deconcert au Barbican.En concert, il a chanté entre autres le rôletitrede Faustszenen de Schumann dans le cadred’une tournée européenne dirigée par PhilippeHerreweghe, le Requiem pour Mignon deSchumann sous la baguette de John EliotGardiner, Des Knaben Wunderhorn de Mahleravec le BBC Symphony Orchestra dirigé parLeonard Slatkin et le Christmas Oratorio deBach avec la Philharmonie de Berlin.Parmi ses créations mondiales, notons lerôle de Mahmoud dans The Death ofKlinghoffer de John Adams avec le BBCSymphony Orchestra ainsi que le rôleprincipal de Jésus dans The Last Supper deHarrison Birtwistle au Deutsche Oper deBerlin sous la baguette de Daniel Barenboïm,opéra repris ensuite dans le cadre du Festivalde Glyndebourne.William Dazeley se produit en récital auWigmore Hall, à la Purcell Room, àSt George’s à Bristol et au Châtelet. Il estrégulièrement invité à chanter aux Festivals deCheltenham, Aix-en-Provence et Saintes, avecdes accompagnateurs aussi distingués queGraham Johnson et Iain Burnside.Née à Winchester, Diana Montague a étudiéau Royal Northern College of Music deManchester. Depuis ses débuts dans le rôle deZerlina avec le Glyndebourne Touring Opera,elle s’est produite dans des théâtres tels que leRoyal Opera de Covent Garden de Londres, leMetropolitan Opera de New York, le Théâtrede la Monnaie de Bruxelles, l’Opéra nationalde Paris-Bastille, le Teatro Colón de BuenosAires, ainsi qu’aux festivals de Bayreuth etSalzburg.Son répertoire inclut les grands rôles demezzo-soprano dans les opéras de Mozart,Gluck, Strauss, Rossini, Bellini et Berlioz. Elles’est produite dans Benvenuto Cellini à l’Opérade Rome, Iphigénie en Tauride à Buenos Aires,Madrid et au Welsh National Opera, AlbertHerring, Le nozze di Figaro et dans le rôled’Andromaca dans Ermione de Rossini àGlyndebourne, Le Comte Ory à Lausanne,Rome et Glyndebourne, Proserpina dansl’Orfeo de Monteverdi à Amsterdam,Ariadne auf Naxos à Lisbonne, Marguerite(La Damnation de Faust) à Genève, Minerva(Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) à Amsterdam etSydney, Meg Page (Falstaff ); La Fiancéevendue et Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg auRoyal Opera de Covent Garden, Junon dansPlatée de Rameau avec le Royal Opera auFestival d’Édimbourg et à Londres, Octavian(Der Rosenkavalier) à l’English NationalOpera, à Bilbao et au Teatro Real de Madrid,Marguerite à Vienne, et Le nozze di Figaro auThéâtre de la Monnaie de Bruxelles.Parmi les nombreux enregistrements deDiana Montague, on citera l’Orfeo deMonteverdi, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma,Lucia di Lammermoor et Iphigénie en Tauride.Elle a enregistré Rosmonda d’Inghilterra,Zoraida di Granata et Il crociato in Egitto pourOpera Rara, Idomeneo, Cavalleria rusticana,Octavian dans Der Rosenkavalier (extraits) etFaust dans la série Opera in English, et deuxrécitals dans la série Great Operatic Arias.Née à Édimbourg, Frances McCafferty estdiplômée de la Royal Scottish Academy ofMusic and Drama. Après avoir enseigné lechant pendant plusieurs années, elle estdevenue membre de la D’Oyly Carte OperaCompany avec laquelle elle a interprété tousles grands rôles de mezzo-soprano, etenregistré Patience, Orphée aux Enfers, etHMS Pinafore.Elle a chanté des rôles tels que Katisha(The Mikado) avec l’English National Opera,Soloka (Cherevichki) au Garsington Opera,Auntie (Peter Grimes) au Nationale Reis Operet Hata (La Fiancée vendue) au Festival deGlyndebourne. Elle s’est également produiteau Nouvel Opéra d’Israël, au Staatsoper deStuttgart, à l’Opera Theatre Company, avec leGlyndebourne Touring Opera, ainsi qu’auFestival d’Édimbourg et dans des festivals enIrlande et en Suisse. Elle est régulièrementinvitée par l’Opera North et par le RoyalOpera de Covent Garden où elle a créé le rôlede Yeta Zimmerman dans la premièremondiale de Sophie’s Choice de Nicholas Maw,sous la direction de Sir Simon Rattle, dans unemise en scène de Trevor Nunn et retransmis endirect à la Télévision et à la Radio de la BBC.Elle s’est produite en concert avec le RTE etl’Orchestre national d’Irlande, l’Orchestred’Ulster, le Singapore Symphony Orchestra etle BBC Concert Orchestra.Frances McCafferty a fait ses débuts àLa Fenice de Venise dans le rôle de Katisha(The Mikado), et elle a également chantéMadame Popova (The Bear) en Suisse auFestival de Cerniers, et la Nourrice (BorisGodounov) au Royal Opera de Covent Garden.Après avoir étudié à l’Université de Londres etau Trinity College of Music, Jonathan Veira aremporté en 1996 le Concours de chant SirPeter Pears, puis a bénéficié du soutien7677

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 78financier du Festival de Glyndebourne et desAmis de Covent Garden pour poursuivre saformation au National Opera Studio deLondres.Il s’est produit avec les grandes compagnieslyriques en Grande-Bretagne, notamment auRoyal Opera de Covent Garden, à l’EnglishNational Opera, au Festival de Glyndebourne,au Scottish Opera, au Welsh National Opera,au Garsington Opera et à l’Opéra d’Irlande duNord, dans des rôles tels que le Directeur dethéâtre (Lulu), Dulcamara (L’elisir d’amore),Harasta (Le Petit Renard rusé), Kolenatý(L’Affaire Makropoulos), le Baron Mirko Zeta(Die lustige Witwe), Tonio (Pagliacci),Leporello (Don Giovanni), Varlaam (BorisGodounov), Calchas (La Belle Hélène),Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Sacristan(Tosca), Mustafa (L’italiana in Algeri) et Keçal(La Fiancée vendue).Jonathan Veira s’est produit à l’étrangerdans des rôles tels que le Docteur (Vanessa) àl’Opéra du Rhin, Schaunard (dans La Bohèmede Leoncavallo) au Wexford Festival, Leporello(Don Giovanni) et Papageno (Die Zauberflöte)à l’Opera New Zealand, Bartolo (Le nozze diFigaro) à l’Opéra de Nice, à l’Opéra de Zurich,au Festival de Glyndebourne et à l’Opéra deMontpellier, Claggart (Billy Budd ), DonAlfonso (Così fan tutte), et Falstaff à l’Opéraroyal du Danemark.John Graham-Hall a fait ses études au King’sCollege de Cambridge et au Royal College ofMusic de Londres. Il s’est produit avec toutesles grandes compagnies lyriques de Grande-Bretagne dans des rôles tels que Albert Herring(Covent Garden), Vanya Kudrjas (KatyaKabanova), Flute (A Midsummer Night’sDream) et Bob Boles (Peter Grimes) au Festivalde Glyndebourne, Don Basilio, Monostatos,Lysander (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Alwa(Lulu) et Hérode (Salomé) à l’English NationalOpera, Cassio (Otello) au Welsh NationalOpera, Eisenstein, l’Instituteur (Le PetitRenard rusé) au Scottish Opera, Aschenbach(Death in Venice), Lysander, Albert Herring etFerrando (Così fan tutte) avec le GlyndebourneTouring Opera.Parmi les autres engagements de JohnGraham-Hall, on citera Bob Boles (Opéra desPays-Bas), Basilio (Théâtre de la Monnaie deBruxelles), le rôle titre dans le nouvel opéra dePascal Dusapin, Perela, l’Homme de fumée, àl’Opéra de Paris-Bastille et à Montpellier.À l’English National Opera, où il a été“Company Principal”, il a également incarnéles rôles de Sylvester (The Silver Tassie), Goro(Madam Butterfly), Triquet (Eugene Onegin),Monostatos (The Magic Flute), Mime(The Rhinegold ) et Alwa (Lulu).John Graham-Hall a chanté sous ladirection de nombreux chefs éminents tels queHaitink, Harnoncourt, Boulez, Andrew Davis,Tate, Rattle, Gardiner et Abbado. Il s’estproduit en concert à travers toute l’Europe,travaillant avec tous les grands orchestresbritanniques, et se produisant fréquemment àLondres au Barbican Centre et au South Bank.Ses enregistrements pour Chandos incluentThe Poisoned Kiss de Vaughan Williams,Peter Grimes de Britten, et dans la série Operain English, The Thieving Magpie et Wozzeckde Berg.Né dans le comté de Durham, Graeme Danbya étudié à la Royal Academy of Music deLondres. Il est associé depuis longtemps avecl’English National Opera où il a incarné desrôles tels que Lorenzo dans I Capuleti e iMontecchi de Bellini, Pimen (Boris Godounov),Don Basilio (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Dulcamara(L’elisir d’amore), Somnus (Semele), Quince(A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Collatinus(The Rape of Lucretia), Arkel (Pelléas etMélisande) et Poo-Bah (The Mikado).Il a fait ses débuts au Royal Opera deCovent Garden dans La traviata, et àGlyndebourne dans le rôle d’Antonio(Le nozze di Figaro). Parmi ses autresengagements en Grande-Bretagne, on peutciter Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) à l’OperaNorth et au Garsington Festival, Collatinus auBuxton Festival, Bosun (Billy Budd ) etMasetto (Don Giovanni) au Scottish Opera.En concert, Graeme Danby s’est produitdans la Neuvième Symphonie de Beethoven etle Requiem de Verdi au Royal Albert Hall deLondres, dans la Huitième Symphonie deMahler au Royal Festival Hall de Londres, etdans Iolanthe au Bridgewater Hall deManchester.Sarah Tynan est née à Londres et a fait sesétudes au Royal Northern College of Music età la Royal Academy of Music (avec PenelopeMackay) où elle a reçu the Queen’sCommendation for Excellence.Parmi ses rôles à l’opéra, notons Pretty Pollydans Punch and Judy de Birtwistle au TeatroNacional S. João à Porto, la gouvernante dansThe Turn of the Screw de Britten lors d’unetournée du British Council en Russie, ElsieMaynard (The Yeomen of the Guard ) etGianetta (The Gondoliers) pour Phoenix Operaainsi que Barbarina pour Opera Holland Park.7879

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 80A la Royal Academy of Music, elle a tenu lerôle-titre de La Petite Renarde rusée (sous ladirection de Sir Charles Mackerras) et le rôlede Zerlina (Don Giovanni) (sous la directionde Sir Colin Davis).Elle a également été Iphis dans Jephtha deHaendel pour ses débuts avec le WelshNational Opera; Eleanora dans Prima lamusica de Salieri et Mlle Silberklang dansDer Schauspieldirektor de Mozart avec le Cityof London Sinfonia sous la baguette deRichard Hickox; elle a chanté le Requiem deMozart sous la baguette de Sir RogerNorrington dans le cadre du Festival deSpitalfields.Sarah Tynan est membre de l’EnglishNational Opera Young Singers Programme,programme mis sur pied pour aider les jeunestalents.Stuart Kale est reconnu sur la scèneinternationale comme l’un des chanteursacteursles plus remarquables du mondeopératique. Musicien accompli, ses rôlesrecouvrent un large répertoire allant deMonteverdi à Messiaen. Il commença sacarrière avec le Welsh National Opera avant derejoindre les rangs de l’English National Operaoù il resta huit ans, tenant des rôles tels DonOttavio (Don Giovanni ), Michael dans Juliettade Martinů, Alfred (Die Fledermaus) et Nanki-Poo dans le Mikado mis en scène par JonathanMiller. En 1987, il commença une carrièreflorissante en indépendant, chantantHauptmann (Wozzeck) à l’Opéra du Rhin àStrasbourg puis à Nancy, retrouvant la scènede l’English National Opera sous les traits deHérode (Salome).Depuis, il a été notamment le Grand Prêtredans Idomeneo à Covent Garden, Hauptmann(Wozzeck) à San Francisco, Genève, Zurich,Montpellier, Bordeaux et Bologne; Chouiski(Boris Godounov) à Strasbourg, Bordeaux etMontpellier; Quint (The Turn of the Screw) etTruffaldino (The Love for Three Oranges) pourl’English National Opera; Zinovi (LadyMacbeth) à Toulouse et Marseille; Valzacchi etles trois rôles de ténor dans Lulu au Châtelet;Aeghiste à Karlsruhe; Bob Boles à l’Opéra deMunich, Covent Garden, Genève etStrasbourg; Captain Vere (Billy Budd ) àCologne; et Gregor (L’Affaire Makropoulos) etHérode à Strasbourg.Il a enregistré entre autres pourChandos dans la série Opera in EnglishBoris Godunov (extraits), Madam Butterfly,Otello, Falstaff, Wozzeck et The ThievingMagpie.Durant sa carrière de chanteur, GeoffreyMitchell aborda un répertoireremarquablement varié, depuis la musiqueancienne jusqu’à la musique contemporaine, seproduisant en Scandinavie, en Allemagne,dans l’ancienne Tchécoslovaquie, au Canada eten Australasie. Après avoir fait ses premièresarmes de chef d’orchestre avec la BBC, ildécida de prendre une part active dans cedomaine avec ses propres chanteurs et fonda leGeoffrey Mitchell Choir. Par suite de sespremiers enregistrements l’ensemble travailledepuis longtemps avec Opera Rara pour qui ila réalisé plus de trente enregistrements. CeChœur ne cesse d’élargir sa réputation,travaillant avec la BBC et plusieurs maisons dedisques internationales. Pour Chandos, leGeoffrey Mitchell Choir a participé à plusieursenregistrements pour Opera in English, unesérie de disques très prisés financée par la PeterMoores Foundation.Reconnu comme l’un des plus grandsorchestres du monde, le PhilharmoniaOrchestra a depuis plus de cinq ans le grandmaestro allemand Christoph von Dohnányipour chef principal. Le premier à avoir tenu ceposte fut Otto Klemperer et l’Orchestre depuislors a collaboré avec succès avec Lorin Maazel(au poste de chef principal assistant), RicardoMuti (chef principal et directeur musical),Giuseppe Sinopoli (directeur musical), unetradition qui se poursuit aujourd’hui avec KurtSanderling (chef émérite), Vladimir Ashkenazy(chef lauréat) et Sir Charles Mackerras (chefprincipal invité). L’ensemble a également étéassocié à des personnalités aussi éminentes queWilhelm Furtwängler, Richard Strauss, ArturoToscanini, Guido Cantelli, Herbert vonKarajan et Carlo Maria Giulini. L’Orchestrecontinue à collaborer avec des chefs et dessolistes de stature mondiale et recrute les jeunesinstrumentistes les plus talentueux d’Europe.Orchestre résident au Royal Festival Hall, iljoue également un rôle central dans la viemusicale britannique en choisissant desrésidences régionales qui sont l’occasion idéalede développer un programme éducatifdynamique centré sur la communauté. Lauréatde nombreux prix, l’ensemble a été saluéunanimement par les critiques pour sesprogrammes innovateurs dont l’un desobjectifs principaux est l’interprétation et lacommande d’œuvres nouvelles des plus grandscompositeurs d’aujourd’hui.Un nombre croissant de concerts del’Orchestre sont retransmis par BBC Radio 3,entre autres sa participation annuelle aux8081

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 82Promenade Concerts de la BBC. L’orchestresymphonique le plus enregistré au monde, avecplus de mille disques à son actif, parmi lesquelsplusieurs bandes originales pour le cinéma et latélévision, le Philharmonia Orchestra est réputédans le monde entier. Sa discographiecomprend, pour Opera Rara, plusieurs disquesde récitals ainsi que onze intégrales d’opéras et,pour Opera in English chez Chandos, sériefinancée par la Peter Moores Foundation,The Thieving Magpie, Wozzeck, Don Giovanni,ua carriera come The assistente Elixir of Love, di Sir Lucia John of Pritchard. Lammermoor, Faust,Carmen, Aïda, La Bohème, Madam Butterfly,Turandot, une version primée de Tosca ainsique plusieurs récitals solistes d’airs lyriques avecBruce Ford, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny et JohnTomlinson. Le Philharmonia Orchestraconsolide constamment sa réputationinternationale grâce à des tournées régulières etrécemment de prestigieuses résidences auChâtelet Théâtre Musical à Paris, au Megaron àAthènes et au Lincoln Center for thePerforming Arts à New York.Après avoir étudié avec Sergiu Celibidache,David Parry commença sa carrière commeassistant de Sir John Pritchard. Il fit ses débutsavec l’English Music Theatre avant de devenirl’un des chefs d’orchestre au StädtischeBühnen à Dortmund et à Opera North.Directeur musical d’Opera 80 de 1983 à 1987,il est directeur musical d’Almeida Operadepuis sa fondation en 1992.Sa carrière, nationale et internationale, estextrêmement remplie, aussi bien sur la scènelyrique qu’en concert. Il a dirigé plusieursproductions de l’English National Opera et del’Opera North et collabore régulièrement avecle Philharmonia Orchestra et le LondonPhilharmonic Orchestra. C’est avec Così fantutte qu’il fit ses débuts au Festival deGlyndebourne en 1996, une scène qu’ilretrouva en 1998 pour diriger la créationmondiale de Flight de Jonathan Dove.Il séjourne fréquemment en Espagne où il adirigé en concert la plupart des grandsorchestres espagnols. C’est lui qui dirigea lapremière espagnole de Peter Grimes à Madridet en 1996 la première production espagnolede The Rake’s Progress. Il a dirigé en Allemagne,en Suisse, aux Pays-Bas, au Festival de Pesaroen Italie, au Festival international de Hong-Kong, au Japon pour une tournée de Carmenet au Mexique avec l’Orchestre symphoniqued’UNAM. Il a récemment dirigé plusieursnouvelles productions dont Fidelio au Festivalde Nouvelle-Zélande, Lucia di Lammermooravec le New Israeli Opera et Don Giovanni al’Opéra d’état de Hannover.En studio, il a participé entre autresà la production de la BBC Television deDer Vampyr de Marschner, dirigeant aussivingt-huit intégrales d’opéras financées par laPeter Moores Foundation. Plusieurs de cesintégrales furent enregistrées pour Opera Raraet primées, Rosmonda d’Inghilterra de Donizettirecevant en Belgique le Prix Cecilia. PourChandos, David Parry a dirigé une séried’enregistrements d’airs d’opéra (avec BruceFord, Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill,Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, John Tomlinson,Della Jones et Andrew Shore) de même queDon Giovanni, Don Pasquale, L’elisir d’amore,Lucia di Lammermoor, Ernani, Il trovatore,Aida, Faust, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci,La bohème, Turandot, l’enregistrement primé deTosca et des extraits de Der Rosenkavalier, tousces enregistrements étant réalisés encollaboration avec la Peter Moores Foundation.8283

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 84Secondo il suo creatore, Caron deBeaumarchais, Figaro dovrebbe avere circatrent’anni. Mozart aveva la stessa età nel 1786,anno in cui l’opera venne eseguita per la primavolta. Non è completamente fuori luogoleggere un elemento autobiograficonell’eclettico personaggio del barbiere diSiviglia creato da Beaumarchais. Basta fareancora qualche passo avanti per trovare alcuniparalleli con Mozart, servitore anche troppoabile e in rapporti di confidenza ancheeccessiva con i suoi superiori.È errato quindi descrivere Figaro come ilcapro espiatorio di quest’opera, come talvoltaaccade. È vero che il personaggio ha latendenza ad agire e a parlare senza riflettere,ma la sua funzione nella vicenda è proprioquella di dare l’avvio all’azione. Figaro è ilmotore di questo dramma. È la sua insistenzaa portarlo avanti, a dispetto delle tattiche didilazione a cui fanno ricorso gli altripersonaggi per rallentare la vicenda. Percontro, gli altri si dimostrano tuttirelativamente passivi e attendono l’esito deglieventi. Dopo tutto si tratta delle nozze diFigaro, come ci ricorda il titolo dell’opera.Le nozze di Figaro84E di Susanna, anche se il titolo non lofarebbe pensare. È Susanna, presumibilmentequalche anno più giovane del suo sposo, adimostrare i limiti di lui. È lei a non lasciarsiingannare dalla “comodità” della camera daletto assegnata a lei e a Figaro e dal progettodel Conte Almaviva di portarli con sé alla suaambasciata di Londra. È lei a reagire consufficiente tempestività per occultare la fuga diCherubino dallo studio della Contessa. È lei atrovare il modo di ripagare il debito di Figaroa Marcellina. È lei a troncare sul nascere ilrischioso piano di lui di ingannare il Contecon un travestimento nel giardino di notte, infavore della propria versione, più astuta.L’ingegno innato di Susanna è complementareall’ingenuità acquisita di Figaro.Anzi, e a dispetto del titolo dell’opera, èfacile vedere in Susanna il personaggio centraledell’opera. Il suo è certamente il ruolo piùlungo, se si contano le note, ma non solo perquesto. Uno degli aspetti più meravigliosi delgenio di Mozart, e non solo in quest’opera, èla capacità di ritrarre e colorare le donne inmaniera convincente quanto gli uomini. È unaqualità non condivisa da tanti altricompositori, né da molti scrittori. La donnaidealizzata, la “Ewigweibliche” di Goethe, è lamaledizione di gran parte dell’opera e dellaletteratura dell’Ottocento. Nel Ventesimosecolo a condividere il prezioso dono diMozart saranno Janáček e Berg, ma non moltialtri.Si può leggere anche troppo negli aspettiprotorivoluzionari delle Nozze di Figaro. Lacavatina di Figaro nell’Atto I, “Se vuol ballare,signor contino” (“So, little master, you’redressed to go dancing” nella traduzione inglesedi Jeremy Sams) può sembrare il segnaled’allarme e il suo scontro con il Conte primadelle danze nell’Atto III (“Perché no? Io nonimpugno mai quel che non so” – “Why not.I’m not one to accuse when I don’t know”)può far presagire il crollo dell’ordine sociale.Ma è presto ancora. È troppo facile vedere lecose col senno di poi, come fece di Napoleonenel definire l’accesa sfida di Figaro – “Voi visiete preso il disturbo di nascere, null’altro” –come “rivoluzione in atto”. Beaumarchais aParigi e Mozart dopo di lui a Viennascherzano con il fuoco, ma si tratta pur sempredi una commedia.La tesi controrivoluzionaria,eloquentemente espressa da Joseph Kerman inOpera as Drama, è che il vero eroe e l’eroina85dell’opera siano il Conte e la Contessa. Perquanto non sia completamente convincente, èvero che l’opera è un esame dei due anni delloro matrimonio quanto delle nozze di Figaroe Susanna. Il Conte, sebbene siaapparentemente il “cattivo” dell’opera, deverimanere simpatico. La Contessa, per quantoinizialmente passiva e lacrimosa, ritrova lapropria forza e determinazione nell’Atto III edè il catalizzatore del dramma nell’Atto IV. Lasoluzione che nasce dal perdono della Contessanei confronti dell’errore del marito (“Piùdocile io sono, e dico di sì” – “I’m far moreforgiving, and so I say yes”) e la lororiconciliazione, almeno temporanea,costituiscono il culmine emotivo dell’opera.Durante un’intervista radiofonica, il registaPeter Hall ha proposto una descrizionememorabile dell’effetto risanatore del grandeconcertato del perdono che coinvolge l’interocast dopo l’intervento della Contessa, esoprattutto il potere del breve passaggiodiscendente orchestrale tra questo concertato eil festoso coro finale, un fugace momento incui tutti i personaggi confrontano l’abisso dellatragedia. L’infedeltà e il tradimento possonodistruggere così facilmente questi matrimoni.C’è un terribile momento di autocoscienza epoi tutti distolgono lo sguardo, scegliendo di

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 86ignorarlo per i piaceri del momento. Il confinetra tragedia e commedia è molto tenue.È proprio l’equilibrio tra i due generi arendere Mozart estremamente realistico e le sueopere così credibili. È la profondità particolaregià evidente ne La finta giardiniera, compostaad appena diciott’anni, che raggiunge il proprioapogeo con la trilogia realizzata incollaborazione con Lorenzo da Ponte, di cui Lenozze di Figaro è la prima opera. L’equilibriomigliore si ritrova nel momento dellarisoluzione del dramma, ma viene raggiunto intutta l’opera. Viene splendidamente e in parteumoristicamente esposto nell’aria di Cherubinonell’Atto I “Non so più, cosa son, cosa faccio”(“I don’t know what it is that I’m feeling”). Edovrebbe essere presente nella reazione a metàtra dolore e piacere dell’adolescente all’ariamilitare di Figaro “Non più andrai” (“Here’s anend to your life as a rover”) alla fine dell’Atto I.Le glorie che Cherubino pregusta non sonosolo marziali.Sebbene Le nozze di Figaro sianominalmente in quattro atti, checorrispondono alle sue quattro ambientazioni,musicalmente si tratta di una struttura in dueatti simile a quelle delle altre opere di da Ponte,Don Giovanni e Così fan tutte. Ciascuna metàdi ogni opera si conclude con un vasto finale,un espediente per sviluppare l’azione attraversola musica di cui Mozart fu pioniere già ne Lafinta giardiniera ma che perfezionò nel finaledell’Atto II del Figaro. È anche il supremoesempio del senso di equilibrio mozartiano.Dal momento in cui il Conte e la Contessaritornano nella camera da letto e inizia il vero eproprio finale, l’esito potrebbe essereugualmente tragico o comico. L’umorismocontinua ad emergere in momenti oradivertenti ora addirittura farseschi, ma si trattapur sempre di una questione di vita e di morte.Walter Legge ha descritto così il finaledell’Atto II: “Dal punto di vista musicalequesto è il concertato più magistrale, non soloin quest’opera ma in tutta la produzione diMozart. Per quasi venti minuti la musicafluisce ininterrotta, rispondendo a tutte lealternanze e ai colpi di scena della complicatae rapida vicenda, illuminando, riflettendo,commentando l’azione e le emozionienormemente diverse dei partecipanti. Passoper passo con l’azione, la musica intensifica lesorprese, aggiunge senso alle sottigliezze e peròcopre l’intera e piuttosto sordida vicenda diintrigo con il magico manto della musica piùincantevole che, per quanto sempre fedele allavicenda, la tramuta in una bellezza purissima,aurea.”Tutti avranno il loro momento preferito inquesto sublime finale. Il mio è la treguatemporanea tra i combattenti (per quanto noncondivisa dal Conte che complottafuriosamente) prima dell’ingresso di Antoniocon i suoi vasi rotti. La Contessa, Susanna eFigaro cantano “Deh signor, noi contrastate”(“Hear my pleading, I implore you, becompassionate I pray?”) e, mentre il Contecerca mentalmente Marcellina, corni econtrabbassi sottolineano con un forte la loropreghiera. Il breve momento di speratariconciliazione anticipa magicamente la finedell’opera.Secondo Michael Kelly, il tenore irlandeseche interpretò Basilio e Curzionell’allestimento originale, il brano preferito diMozart nell’opera era il sestetto dell’Atto III.Può essere indubbiamente una delle sezionipiù divertenti, con le sue rivelazioni e icapovolgimenti a sorpresa, eppure ancora unavolta l’ira e la frustrazione di Susanna sonorealissime. C’è un bellissimo tocco dopo la finedel sestetto, dopo la disordinata ritirata delConte e di Curzio. Susanna chiede a quelli chesono rimasti “Chi al par di me contenta!”(“Who could be happier than I am?”) e Figaro,Bartolo e Marcellina rispondono ognuno “Io”(“I am”). Poi insieme e in stretta armonia ilquartetto canta pianissimo “E schiatti il signorConte al gusto mio!” (“And if the Count isfurious, well that will serve him right!”)Questo momento non dovrebbe essereeseguito solo per il suo effetto comico.L’Atto IV è il più difficile da eseguire benein una rappresentazione teatrale. Dopo le treambientazioni all’interno, il giardino dovrebbecomunicare la libertà e la licenza dell’ariaaperta. I nascondigli sotto i pini sono come ilbosco di Shakespeare nei dintorni di Atene,dove le fantasie sessuali sono realizzabili. Unavolta iniziato il finale vero e proprio con “Pianpianin le andrò più presso, tempo perso nonsarà”– “I’ll approach her, oh so softly, seize themoment while I may” di Cherubino, tuttoprocede bene, ma la prima metà di questo attovede un accumularsi di arie di riflessione chenulla fanno per portare avanti la vicenda. Ladiatriba di Figaro contro le donne (“Aprite unpo’ quegl’occhi” – “You foolish slaves ofCupid”.) e l’ambiguo canto d’amore diSusanna (“Deh, vieni, non tardar” – “Comequickly my beloved”) sono naturalmenteindispensabili, ma le arie di similitudine diMarcellina e Basilio possono sembraremarginali. In realtà sono brani interessanti erivelatori. Quello di Marcellina dà corpo al suopersonaggio con l’indignazione femminista del8687

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 88suo grande discorso nell’Atto III dell’operateatrale di Beaumarchais. L’aneddoto del“cuoio d’asino” di Basilio è un’aria disimilitudine più convenzionale, ma con uncolpo di scena tristemente ironico. Entrambele arie aggiungono una dimensione ulteriore aipersonaggi e alla ricchezza del dramma, maarrivano troppo tardi. Verso la fine della serata,si è impazienti di arrivare all’epilogo. Quindinelle rappresentazioni è più pratico tagliarli.Questo taglio anticipa il momento ditragico riposo di Figaro, quando la sua naturaottimista per una volta minaccia di esseresopraffatta. Ancora più grande della sua ariaincollerita è la sezione breve, inserita nel finale,in cui il tempo si amplia in un larghetto in trequarti; la vivace tonalità di sol maggiore lasciail posto al mi bemolle maggiore (la chiavedella piangente cavatina di esordio dellaContessa “Porgi amor” – “Hear my prayer”); eritornano i clarinetti. Sotto il tranquillo eplacido cielo notturno dove Venere e Marteosservano abbracciati, Figaro riunisce ancorauna volta le fila del dramma e affronta il suodestino personale. Questo magico momentodura solo dodici battute, prima di reinseirsinello svolgimento affannoso dell’epilogo. Manonostante quanto accade dopo e ladrammatica rivelazione della Contessa, è88sufficiente per restituirgli l’opera e il suomatrimonio.© 2004 Nicholas PayneSynopsisAntefatto dell’opera: il Conte Almaviva si èinnamorato di Rosina, pupilla del DottorBartolo di Siviglia, e l’ha sposata a dispetto deltutore, che avrebbe preferito impalmare lui laragazza e assicurarsi la sua dote. Il Conte si èpoi trasferito lontano da Siviglia nella sua villadi famiglia, dove vive, e Figaro è diventato suoservitore. Oggi sono previste le nozze di Figaroe Susanna, cameriera di Rosina, ormaidiventata la Contessa Almaviva.COMPACT DISC ONEAtto IIl primo atto si svolge di mattina presto inquella che sarà la camera nuziale assegnata aFigaro e Susanna. La porta a destra conducealla sala principale del castello, quella centralealle stanze della Contessa e quella di sinistra aquelle del Conte.1A conclusionedell’ouverture vediamo Susanna che prepara ilcappello per le nozze.2Figaro prende lemisure per vedere dove sistemare il letto,3 – 5ma Susanna va su tutte le furie sorpreso con Barbarina, la figlia delquando capisce ciò che sta facendo l’uomo.Oltre a essere una sala di passaggio, è troppoaccessibile al Conte che le fa la corte evorrebbe riesumare l’antico ius primae noctisfeudale. Figaro rimane sbalordito quandogiardiniere; se non riuscirà a convincere laContessa a intercedere per lui, sarà cacciato viae non potrà più vedere la sua cara Susanna o laSignora che venera da lontano. QuandoSusanna manifesta la propria sorpresa per leviene a sapere che il Conte si interessa alla sua sue tante avventure,13Cherubino le rivela difidanzata. La donna ribatte che Figaro pecca diingenuità se pensa che la dote promessa dalessere innamorato dell’Amore e le consegnauna canzone da lui composta per la Contessa.Conte sia solo una dimostrazione del suo14Entra il Conte e Cherubino si nasconde.affetto per il servitore.6 – 7Susanna viene Il Conte corteggia Susanna ma viene interrottochiamata dalla Contessa e Figaro manifesta la dal maestro di musica, Don Basilio.15Asua gelosia: se il Conte cerca di sedurre lafidanzata, Figaro utilizzerà ogni espediente permandare all’aria i suoi piani.questo punto anche il Conte si nasconde.Tuttavia quando sente quello che Basilio ha dadire a proposito delle attenzioni di Cherubino8 – 9Da Siviglia sono arrivati il Dottor nei confronti della Contessa esce dal suoBartolo e la sua governante Marcellina. nascondiglio16 – 17e minaccia di licenziareQuest’ultima ha concesso un prestito a Figaroa condizione che, se non riuscirà a pagarlo,dovrà sposarla. Naturalmente finché il prestitonon viene restituito Figaro non può sposareun’altra donna. Marcellina chiede l’aiuto delDottor Bartolo il quale si dichiara ben lieto divendicarsi di Figaro.il paggio. Racconta di aver trovato il ragazzonascosto sotto il tavolo nella casa di Barbarinae, mentre dimostra come è riuscito asmascherarlo, scopre nuovamente Cherubino.Il Conte quindi si rende conto che Cherubinoha sentito la sua precedente conversazione conSusanna.10 – 11Ritorna Susanna e mentre18 – 20Adesso entra Figaro con i suoiMarcellina se ne va le due donne si scambianodegli acidi convenevoli.amici e chiede al Conte di offrire a Susanna laveste bianca delle nozze, ma il Conte rimanda12Entra il paggio Cherubino per chiedere fino alla cerimonia ufficiale.21Per liberarsi diconsigli e l’aiuto di Susanna. Il Conte lo ha Cherubino, il Conte gli dà un incarico presso89

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 90il proprio reggimento e lo spedisce a Siviglia.22Figaro esprime un comico augurio aCherubino per la sua futura carriera militare.COMPACT DISC TWOAtto IIIl secondo atto si svolge nell’appartamentodella Contessa. La porta di destra conduce allascala principale, quella al centro alla camera diSusanna e quella di sinistra a un piccolospogliatoio. Sulla parete dirimpetto si vede unafinestra.Susanna ha appena lasciato il vassoio con lacolazione della Contessa.1Rosina, oggi Contessa Almaviva, siaugura di riconquistare l’amore del suodonnaiolo consorte.2Ritorna Susanna. Aveva rivelato allaContessa la sconfitta del Conte e adessoaggiunge che Figaro ha inviato una letteraanonima al Conte tramite Basilio, in cui glirivela che la Contessa ha un appuntamentoquella sera con un amante nel giardino. Sitratta di una bugia per impedirgli diperseguitare Susanna.La Contessa fa notare che questo non fermail minacciato intervento di Marcellina.Susanna ha un’idea: fisserà lei stessa un90appuntamento con il Conte, ma invieràCherubino, vestito da donna. La Contessapotrà sorprenderli e questo costringerà ilConte a dare il proprio consenso alle nozze.3 – 4Cherubino entra per cantare la suacanzone alla Contessa.5 – 6Viene spiegato il piano e Susannaorganizza una prova generale, chiudendo perprima cosa la porta a chiave. Mentre si cambia,Cherubino lascia cadere la sua patente perl’esercito e la Contessa vede che non è statasigillata. Susanna inizia a vestire Cherubino dadonna.La Contessa manda Susanna a prendere unadelle sue cuffie.7Qualcuno bussa al portoned’ingresso: il Conte è tornato all’improvviso.Cherubino viene spinto nell’armadio e sichiude dentro.8La Contessa apre e spiegache stava provando un abito e parlava conSusanna, che è appena uscita. Il Conte lemostra la lettera anonima di Figaro, ma inquel momento si sente un rumore provenientedall’armadio – Cherubino ha rovesciatoqualcosa. Il Conte esige di sapere chi si trova lìdentro. La Contessa dice che si tratta diSusanna e il Conte le ordina di aprire oparlare, ma la Contessa glielo proibisce. Senzafarsi vedere, Susanna rientra nella stanza,capisce quello che sta accadendo e si nasconde.9 – 10Dal momento che la Contessa rifiuta18Entra Antonio, il giardiniere, perdi aprire l’armadio, il Conte chiude a chiavetutte le porte ed esce con la moglie per prenderelamentarsi: qualcuno è uscito dalla finestra eha rotto i vasi con i fiori. Figaro dice che èdegli attrezzi e forzare la porta.11Susanna stato lui; Antonio è convinto che si trattasse diconvince Cherubino ad aprire. Trovando tuttele porte chiuse, il ragazzo scappa dalla finestra.Cherubino, ma Figaro dice che è già partitoper Siviglia. Il Conte chiede a Figaro perché è12Susanna si chiude nell’armadio.saltato dalla finestra e Figaro risponde che13Ritornano il Conte e moglie. La stava aspettando Susanna quando ha sentitoContessa ammette che stava preparando unasorpresa per la sera e che nell’armadio si trovain realtà Cherubino. Questo sembraconfermare il contenuto della lettera anonima.un diverbio, il Conte che gridava, e pensandoalla lettera anonima (che ha appena negato diaver scritto) si è spaventato ed è saltato fuoridalla finestra. Antonio chiede se le carte che14Il Conte chiede a Cherubino di uscire. La sono cadute sono sue, ma il Conte le prende eContessa lo supplica di non prendersela se vedeCherubino un po’ in disordine, dal momentoche si stava vestendo da donna. Il Conte accusala moglie di infedeltà e sta per buttare giù lachiede a Figaro di identificarle. La Contessariconosce la patente di Cherubino e passal’informazione a Figaro, il quale spiega cheil paggio l’aveva lasciata a lui perché laporta15 – 16quando esce Susanna. Il Conte e sigillasse.la Contessa sono stupefatti, il Conte considera19Entrano Marcellina, il dottor Bartolo equesto uno scherzo crudele come la letteraanonima e le donne gli rivelano che è statascritta da Figaro e consegnata da Basilio. Ildon Basilio per rivendicare il contratto diMarcellina e Figaro e il secondo atto siconclude tra la confusione generale.Conte chiede perdono alla moglie.17Entra Figaro per annunciare che i COMPACT DISC THREEpreparativi delle nozze sono quasi terminati,ma il Conte gli chiede se è stato lui a scriverela lettera anonima. Figaro nega naturalmente,nonostante le imbeccate di Susanna e dellaContessa.Atto IIIIl Terzo atto si svolge nel salone dove tuttipossono andare e venire liberamente. È il tardopomeriggio.91

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 921Il Conte sta cercando di spiegarsi le Bartolo. La sua pretesa di sposare Figarocontraddizioni degli ultimi avvenimenti. quindi crolla.12 – 13Però entra Susanna che2 – 4La Contessa invia Susanna a prendere ha convinto la Contessa ad anticipare il denaroappuntamento con lui per questa sera. Adessoche Cherubino è partito, la donna pensa diandare lei all’appuntamento al posto diSusanna. Con la scusa di chiedergli in prestitonecessario per ripagare il debito. Nel vedereMarcellina che abbraccia Figaro arriva allaconclusione sbagliata, ma ben presto si unisceanche lei alla riconciliazione.i sali, Susanna si avvicina al Conte e consegna14Antonio rivela al Conte che Cherubinoil biglietto.5Uscendo, confida a Figaro che non è partito per Siviglia, ma si trova nellaha vinto la sua causa senza bisogno di casa del giardinere ed è vestito da donna.avvocato.6Purtroppo il Conte la sente.15Arriva Susanna e riferisce che il Conte7Esplode, furioso nel trovarsi ingannato dai ha accettato l’appuntamento.16La Contessasuoi stessi servitori.detta un biglietto per fissare il posto.8Barbarina convince Cherubino adandare con lei e con le ragazze del villaggio aoffrire fiori alla Contessa.9 – 10La Contessa aspetta Susanna erievoca il passato e i suoi meravigliosimomenti d’amore con il Conte.11Il giudizio legale in merito alla lite traFigaro e Marcellina è che l’uomo debba pagareil proprio debito o sposarla. Figaro sostieneche non può sposarsi senza il consenso dei suoigenitori e, dal momento che è un trovatello, lacosa sarà difficile, a meno che qualcuno nonriconosca il segno sul suo braccio… È unarivelazione per Marcellina: Figaro è il bambinoda lei avuto molti anni prima e che le era statorapito. Suo padre non è altri che il Dottor9217Il biglietto viene chiuso con una spilla cheil Conte deve rimandare per dimostrare cheaccetta.18 – 19Entra Barbarina con le ragazze delvillaggio. Nel gruppo si trova Cherubinovestito da donna. Mentre le ragazze le offrono ifiori, la Contessa nota che una di esse le ricordaqualcuno.20L’ingresso improvviso di Antonioe del Conte la smaschera: si tratta diCherubino. Il Conte chiede spiegazioni allaContessa, ma la donna è sorpresa quanto lui. IlConte decide di punire Cherubino, maBarbarina lo supplica di perdonarlo e chiede disposarlo, in cambio delle sue passate gentilezze.21Entra Figaro per annunciare la danza. IlConte gli dice che Cherubino adesso ammettedi essere saltato fuori dalla finestra. Figarorisponde che è possibile: se può saltare unapersona, possono saltare anche due.22 – 23Procede la doppia cerimonianuziale per Figaro e Susanna, Marcellina eBartolo. Durante il suo svolgimento Susannaconsegna di nascosto al Conte la lettera che hascritto. Figaro vede il conte pungersi il ditocon una spilla che sigilla un biglietto che gli èstato consegnato, ma non sa chi l’abbiainviato.Atto IVIl quarto atto si svolge nel giardino illuminatodalla luna, dove si trovano diversi cespugli.24Barbarina ha perso la spilla che le avevadato il Conte perché la riportasse a Susanna.25Figaro e Marcellina ben presto si fannoraccontare la storia.26Figaro vuole vendettae Marcellina va ad avvisare Susanna.27 – 28Figaro ha chiesto a Basilio, Antonio eBartolo di andare ad aiutarlo a sistemare lecose.Barbarina ritorna per un appuntamento conCherubino29 – 30mentre Figaro, fuori di sédalla gelosia, aspetta Susanna.31 – 32Marcellina conduce Susanna e laContessa sul posto e si nasconde in uno deicespugli.33 – 34Susanna, sapendo che Figaroascolta, si vendica per i suoi sospetti facendofinta di attendere il Conte.35 – 36Mentre la Contessa prende il postodi Susanna, arriva Cherubino per il suoappuntamento con Barbarina ma, credendo divedere Susanna,37la segue e cerca di baciarla;interviene il Conte, che cerca di dare unoschiaffo a Cherubino e colpisce invece Figaroche è intervenuto anche lui. Cherubino sinasconde in un cespuglio.38Il Conte quindi corteggia la moglie,credendo che si tratti di Susanna, e le dà unanello di brillanti. Figaro cerca di spaventare ilConte e la finta Susanna si nasconde in unaltro cespuglio, mentre il Conte si ritira per93raggiungerla più tardi.39Susanna, che portagli abiti della Contessa, adesso mette alla provaFigaro fingendo di flirtare con lui. Figaroriconosce la voce della moglie e decide distare al gioco. Così ci rimedia uno schiaffo.40Spiega e viene perdonato. Ritorna il Contee Susanna dice a Figaro che il Conte hacorteggiato la propria moglie travestita. AdessoFigaro, a beneficio del Conte, flirta con lafinta contessa. Il Conte lo interrompe e la fintaContessa si nasconde in un cespuglio.41Davanti a Basilio, Bartolo e Antonio, ilConte le chiede di venire fuori dal cespuglio. Iprimi a uscire sono Cherubino, Barbarina e

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 94Marcellina, e alla fine la finta contessa. IlConte la accusa di essere infedele. La donnachiede di essere perdonata e lui rifiuta. Aquesto punto entra la vera Contessa aintercedere per lei. Adesso è il Conte a doverchiedere perdono; la moglie glielo concedeancora una volta. Così tutto finisce bene.© 2004 Peter MooresTraduzione: Emanuella GuastellaChristopher Purves ha studiato inglese pressoil King’s College di Cambridge prima diesibirsi e registrare con l’innovativo complessorock Harvey and the Wallbangers. Quando ilgruppo si è sciolto nel 1988 ha ripreso glistudi di canto con David Keren, DianeForlano e Janice Chapman.I suoi impegni operistici comprendonoFigaro (Le nozze di Figaro) per la WelshNational Opera, la Scottish Opera e OperaNorth; Marcello (La Bohème) per la ScottishOpera; Papageno (Il flauto magico), Faninal(Der Rosenkavalier) per Welsh National Operae Opera North; il Podestà (La gazza ladra) perla Garsington Opera; Siegfried (Genoveva) eDulcamara (L’elisir d’amore) per Opera North.Ha creato il ruolo del Boia in Ines de Castro diJames Macmillan e ha interpretatoParthenogenesis di Macmillan al Festival diEdimburgo, dove è comparso anche nelle vestidi Cecil nella Maria Stuarda diretta da sirCharles Mackerras.Gli impegni concertistici comprendono laMessa in do maggiore di Mozart a Aix-en-Provence con i Sixteen, Les Noces di Stravinskijcon Philippe Herreweghe a Bruxelles, i Vespridel 1610 di Monteverdi con Richard Hickox,la Messa in re minore di Bach al festival di LaChaise-Dieu, Judas Maccabeus di Handel aNorimberga e Saul con il Gabrieli Consort aifestival del Covent Garden e di La Chaise-Dieu, Apocalypse di John Tavener ai Prom conla City of London Sinfonia, la Passione secondoSan Giovanni con Paul Goodwin a Madrid, ilMessiah con la Scottish Chamber Orchestra, laHallé e la Ulster Orchestra, Les Mamelles deTirésias di Poulenc con la London Sinfoniettadiretta da sir Simon Rattle, Manoah (Samson)con Harry Christophers, War Requiem diBritten e la Creazione di Haydn con la UlsterOrchestra, Belshazzar’s Feast di Walton con laEnglish Northern Sinfonia diretta daPaul Daniel e con la Hallé, e Lucifero neLa Resurrezione di Handel per Paul McCreesha Roma, Amsterdam e Londra. ChristopherPurves ha svolto il suo primo recitalall’Aldeburgh Festival nel giugno 2004. Ladiscografia comprende Gottardo (The ThievingMagpie) per la serie Opera in English diChandos.Rebecca Evans è nata nel Galles del sud e hastudiato presso la Guildhall School of Musicand Drama. Ha un’importante carriera teatralein America dove ha cantato Susanna (Le nozzedi Figaro) per la Santa Fe Opera; Adele(Die Fledermaus) per la Chicago Lyric Opera;Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Ann Trulove(The Rake’s Progress) e Adina (L’elisir d’amore)per la San Franciso Opera; Susanna e Zerlinaper la Metropolitan Opera di New York.In Europa è ospite regolare della BayerischeStaatsoper di Monaco, per cui ha interpretato,tra l’altro, Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zdenka(Arabella), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Ilia(Idomeneo) e Nannetta (Falstaff ). Inoltre hacantato Ilia per la Netherlands Opera el’Opera de Lausanne; il ruolo di protagonistain The Cunning Little Vixen per la ScottishOpera; Susanna, Ilia, Marzelline (Fidelio),Norina (Don Pasquale) e Hero (Beatrice andBenedict) per la Welsh National Opera;Romilda (Xerxes) per la English NationalOpera; Zerlina, Nanetta e Johanna (SweeneyTodd ) alla Royal Opera House, CoventGarden.La sua intensa attività concertisticacomprende apparizioni ai Prom della BBC e alFestival di Edimburgo; concerti di gala conAndrea Bocelli in Germania e con LucianoPavarotti in Gran Bretagna. Ha interpretato ilMagnificat di Bach con la San FranciscoSymphony Orchestra diretta da MichaelTilson Thomas; il Requiem di Brahms con laBoston Symphony Orchestra ai festival diTanglewood e Ravinia; la quarta Sinfonia diMahler con la Sapporo Symphony Orchestradiretta da Tadaaki Otaka. È inoltre comparsain Australia al Melbourne InternationalFestival e con la Australian ChamberOrchestra. Si è esibita in recital alla WigmoreHall di Londra e ai festival di Barcellona,Ravinia, Buxton e Belfast.La ricca discografia di Rebecca Evanscomprende Ilia (Idomeneo) per la serie Operain English di Chandos, Nanetta (Falstaff ) consir John Eliot Gardiner, una serie diregistrazioni di opera di Gilbert and Sullivancon sir Charles Mackerras e un disco solisticodi brani italiani.Yvonne Kenny è nata a Sydney e ha esordito aLondra nel 1975 nella Rosmonda d’Inghilterradi Donizetti. Dopo aver vinto il concorsointitolato a Kathleen Ferrier entrava alla Royal9495

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 96Opera House, Covent Garden, dove i suoiruoli hanno compreso Pamina (DieZauberflöte), Ilia (Idomeneo), Susanna (Lenozze di Figaro), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Liù(Turandot), Aspasia (Mitridate) e Donna Anna(Don Giovanni). Ha conquistato famainternazionale con i grandi ruoli handeliani,soprattutto Semele e Alcina (Covent Garden eLa Fenice); Romilda (Xerxes) per EnglishNational Opera (a Londra e in tournée inURSS) e l’Opera di Stato della Baviera; Alcinacon Nicholas McGegan al Festival di Handel aGöttingen; Cleopatra (Giulio Cesare) e Armida(Rinaldo) a Sydney.Ha cantato con l’opera di Vienna (Contessa(Capriccio) e Susanna), La Scala di Milano(Pamina); la Staatsoper di Berlino (Contessa(Capriccio)); l’Opéra di Parigi (Donna Elvira);Zurigo e Glyndebourne (Donna Elvira e AliceFord (Falstaff )); Contessa (Le nozze di Figaro)a Washington e per l’Opera di Monaco; hainterpretato la Marescialla (Der Rosenkavalier),The Fairy Queen di Purcell e Alice Ford perEnglish National Opera; è stata la Marescialla(per la direzione di sir Charles Mackerras) nelsuo debutto con la San Francisco Opera.Ritorna spesso nel suo paese, l’Australi, doveha cantato Gilda (Rigoletto), Pamina, Susanna,Alcina, Manon (Massenet), Fiordiligi, AliceFord, la Governante (The Turn of the Screw), laContessa (Capriccio) e il ruolo di protagonistain Maria Stuarda e L’incoronazione di Poppea.Yvonne Kenny è comparsa in concerto aifestival di Edimburgo, Salisburgo e Aix-en-Provence, alla Carnegie Hall e ai Prom dellaBBC. La discografia per Chandos comprendeAlice Ford (Falstaff ), la Marescialla (DerRosenkavalier, momenti salienti) e due dischidi arie operistiche (Great Operatic Arias), tuttinell’ambito della serie Opera in English, oltrea registrare A Dinner Engagement di LennoxBerkeley e The Canterbury Pilgrims di Dyson.Per Opera Rara ha registrato Ugo conte diParigi, Robinson Crusoe, Emilia di Liverpool, Ilcrociato in Egitto e Medea in Corinto. Per il suocontributo alla musica Yvonne Kenny è statainsignita dell’onorificenza Member of theOrder of Australia.William Dazeley è nato nel Warwickshire e haconseguito la laurea a Cambridge, presso ilJesus College. Ha studiato canto presso laGuildhall School of Music and Drama, dove siè aggiudicato diversi premi, tra cui laprestigiosa Gold Medal. Ha vinto inoltre ilpremio Decca–Kathleen Ferrier Prize del1989, il concorso di canto Royal OverseasLeague del 1990, il premio Richard Tauber nel1991 e il concorso internazionale liederisticoWalther Gruner nello stesso anno.Considerato uno dei principali baritonidella sua generazione, è già apparso in moltiimportanti teatri lirici di tutto il mondo.I ruoli comprendono il Conte (Cherubin),Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) e Mercutio(Roméo et Juliette) alla Royal Opera House,Covent Garden; il Conte (Le nozze di Figaro),Figaro (Il barbiere di Siviglia) e il ruolo diprotagonista in Owen Wingrave per laGlyndebourne Touring Opera; Figaro(Il barbiere di Siviglia) alla Deutsche Staatsoperdi Berlinp; Dr Faust al festival di Salisburgo eallo Châtelet per la direzione di Kent Nagano;Scherasmin (Oberon) allo Châtelet diretto daJohn Eliot Gardiner, presentato anche inconcerto al Barbican.Le apparizioni in concerto comprendono ilruolo di protagonista in Faustszenen diSchumann in una tournée europea diretta daPhilippe Herreweghe, Requiem per Mignon diSchumann diretto da John Eliot Gardiner,Des Knaben Wunderhorn di Mahler con laRoyal Flanders Philharmonic diretta daHerreweghe, Dylan Thomas di Corigliano conla BBC Symphony diretta da Leonard Slatkin,e l’Oratorio di Natale di Bach con i BerlinerPhilharmoniker.Le prime mondiali comprendono il ruolo diMahmoud in The Death of Klinghoffer di JohnAdams con la BBC Symphony, e il ruoloprincipale di Jesus in The Last Supper diHarrison Birtwistle alla Deutsche Staatsoper diBerlino, diretto da Daniel Barenboim,replicato poi al Glyndebourne Festival.William Dazeley si esibisce in recital pressola Wigmore Hall, la Purcell Room, St George’sa Bristol e lo Châtelet, e viene regolarmenteinvitato a cantare ai festival di Cheltenham,Aix en Provence e Saintes con accompagnatoriillustri quali Graham Johnson e IainBurnside.Diana Montague è nata a Winchester e hastudiato presso il Royal Northern College ofMusic. Dopo il suo esordio nelle vesti diZerlina con la Glyndebourne Touring Opera ècomparsa alla Royal Opera House, CoventGarden, alla Metropolitan Opera di New York,al Théâtre de la Monnaie di Bruxelles,all’Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, al TeatroColón di Buenos Aires e ai Festival diBayreuth e Salisburgo.Il suo repertorio riunisce i principali ruoliper mezzosoprano nelle opere di Mozart,Gluck, Strauss, Rossini, Bellini e Berlioz, e isuoi impegni hanno compreso Benvenuto9697

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 98Cellini con l’Opera di Roma; Iphigénie enTauride a Buenos Aires, Madrid e con la WelshNational Opera; Albert Herring, Le nozze diFigaro e Andromaca nell’Ermione di Rossini aGlyndebourne; Le Comte Ory a Losanna,Roma e Glyndebourne; Proserpina nell’Orfeodi Monteverdi ad Amsterdam; Ariadne aufNaxos a Lisbona; Marguerite (La Damnationde Faust) a Ginevra; Minerva (Il ritornod’Ulisse in patria) ad Amsterdam e Sydney;Meg Page (Falstaff ); The Bartered Bride eDie Meistersinger von Nürnberg alla RoyalOpera House Covent Garden, Junon nelPlatée di Rameau con la Royal Opera alFestival di Edimburgo e a Londra, Octavian inDer Rosenkavalier alla English National Opera,a Bilbao e al Teatro Real di Madrid;Marguerite a Vienna e Le nozze di Figaro alteatro La Monnaie.Le ricca discografia di Diana Montaguecomprende Orfeo di Monteverdi, I Capuleti e iMontecchi, Norma, Lucia di Lammermoor,Iphigénie en Taurine; per Opera RaraRosmonda d’Inghilterra, Zoraida di Granata e Ilcrociato in Egitto, e per la serie Opera inEnglish di Chandos, Idomeneo, Cavalleriarusticana, Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier(momenti salienti), Faust, e due dischi diGreat Operatic Arias.Nata a Edimburgo, Frances McCafferty si èdiplomata presso la Royal Scottish Academy ofMusic and Drama. Dopo diversi anni comeinsegnante di canto è entrata alla D’OylyCarte Opera Company, dove ha interpretato iprincipali ruoli per contralto e ha registratoPatience, Orpheus in the Underworld e HMSPinafore.I suoi ruoli comprendono Katisha(The Mikado) con la English National Opera,Soloka (Cherevichki) a Garsington, Auntie(Peter Grimes) alla Nationale Reis Oper e Hata(The Bartered Bride) con la GlyndebourneFestival Opera. Ha inoltre cantato con la NewIsraeli Opera, l’Opera di Stoccarda, l’OperaTheatre Company, la Glyndebourne TouringOpera, oltre a comparire al Festivalinternazionale di Edimburgo e quellidell’Irlanda e della Svizzera. È regolarmenteospite di Opera North e della Royal Opera,Covent Garden, dove ha creato il ruolo di YetaZimmerman alla prima mondiale di Sophie’sChoice di Nicholas Maw diretta da sir SimonRattle, per la regia di Trevor Nunn, trasmessadal vivo in radio e televisione dalla BBC. NelRegno Unito ha svolto concerti con la RTE ela National Orchestra of Ireland, l’Orchestradell’Ulster, la Singapore Symphony Orchestrae la BBC Concert Orchestra.Frances McCafferty ha esordito al TeatroLa Fenice di Venezia nelle vesti di Katisha(The Mikado); ha inoltre cantato MadamePopova (The Bear) per il festival svizzero diCerniers e la nutrice (Boris Godunov) per laRoyal Opera, Covent Garden.Dopo i suoi studi presso la London Universitye il Trinity College of Music, Jonathan Veira havinto nel 1996 il concorso di canto intitolato aSir Peter Pears e ha ottenuto una borsa distudio dalla Glyndebourne Festival Opera edall’associazione Friends of Covent Garden peril National Opera Studio.Jonathan Veira è comparso con le principalicompagnie liriche del Regno Unito: The RoyalOpera, English National Opera, GlyndebourneFestival Opera, Scottish Opera, Welsh NationalOpera, Garsington Opera e Opera NorthernIreland. I suoi ruoli hanno compreso ilbanchiere/direttore teatrale (Lulu), Dulcamara(L’elisir d’amore), Harasta (La volpe astuta),Kolenatý (L’affare Makropulos), il barone MirkoZeta (La vedova allegra), Tonio (Pagliacci),Leporello (Don Giovanni), Varlaam (BorisGodunov), Calchas (La Belle Hélène), Sharpless(Madama Butterfly), il sagrestano (Tosca),Mustafà (L’italiana in Algeri) e Keçal (La sposavenduta).I suoi impegni internazionali hannocompreso The Doctor (Vanessa) per Opéra duRhin; Schaunard (La Bohème di Leoncavallo)al festival di Wexford; Leporello (DonGiovanni) e Papageno (The Magic Flute) perOpera New Zealand; Dr Bartolo (Le nozze diFigaro) per l’Opéra de Nice, l’opera di Zurigo,la Glyndebourne Festival Opera e l’Opéra deMontpellier; Claggart (Billy Budd ), DonAlfonso (Così fan tutte) e Falstaff per la RoyalDanish Opera.John Graham-Hall ha studiato presso il King’sCollege di Cambridge e il Royal College ofMusic di Londra. Ha cantato con le principalicompagnie teatrali britanniche, interpretandoruoli tra cui Albert Herring (Royal OperaHouse, Covent Garden); Vanya Kudrjas(Katá Kabánova), Flute (A Midsummer Night’sDream) e Bob Boles (Peter Grimes) per laGlyndebourne Festival Opera; Don Basilio,Monostato, Lysander (A Midsummer Night’sDream), Alwa (Lulu) e Herod (Salome) per laEnglish National Opera; Cassio (Otello) per laWelsh National Opera; Eisenstein, il maestrodi scuola (La volpe astuta) per la ScottishOpera; Aschenbach (Death in Venice),Lysander, Albert Herring e Ferrando (Così fantutte) per la Glyndebourne Touring Opera.9899

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 100Altri impegni hanno compreso Bob Boles(Netherlands Opera); Basilio (La Monnaie); ilruolo di protagonista nella nuova opera diPascal Dusapin, Perela, l’Homme de fuméeall’Opéra de Paris-Bastille e a Montpellier. Perla English National Opera, di cui è statosolista, ha interpretato Sylvester (The SilverTassie), Goro (Madam Butterfly), Triquet(Eugene Onegin), Monostatos (The MagicFlute), Mime (The Rhinegold ) e Alwa (Lulu).John Graham-Hall ha lavorato con moltiillustri direttori d’orchestra, tra cui BernanrdHaitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, PierreBoulez, Andrew Davis, Jeffrey Tate, SimonRattle, John Eliot Gardiner e Claudio Abbado.La sua carriera concertistica lo ha portato intutta Europa a lavorare con le principaliorchestre britanniche con apparizioni frequentinegli auditori del Barbican e del South Bank.La discografia per Chandos comprendeThe Poisoned Kiss di Vaughan Williams, PeterGrimes e, per la serie Opera in English,The Thieving Magpie di Rossini e Wozzeck diBerg.Graeme Danby è nato in Irlanda, nella conteadi Durham e ha studiato presso la RoyalAcademy of Music di Londra. Nel corso dellasua lunga collaborazione con English NationalOpera è comparso nelle vesti di Lorenzo neI Capuleti e i Montecchi di Bellini, Pimen(Boris Godunov), Don Basilio (The Barber ofSeville), Dulcamara (The Elixir of Love),Somnus (Semele), Quince (A MidsummerNight’s Dream), Collatinus (The Rape ofLucretia), Arkel (Pelleas and Melisande) ePoo-Bah (The Mikado).Ha debuttato alla Royal Opera House,Covent Garden ne La traviata, e aGlyndebourne nelle vesti di Antonio (Le nozzedi Figaro). Altri impegni nel Regno Unitocomprendono Bartolo (Le nozze di Figaro) perOpera North e per il Garsington Festival;Collatinus al festival di Buxton; Bosun(Billy Budd ) e Masetto (Don Giovanni) per laScottish Opera.Le apparizioni in concerto comprendono laSinfonia N. 9 di Beethoven e la Messa daRequiem di Verdi alla Royal Albert Hall,l’ottava Sinfonia di Mahler alla Royal FestivalHall e Iolanthe alla Bridgewater Hall diManchester.Sarah Tynan è nata a Londra e ha studiatopresso il Royal Northern College of Music e laRoyal Academy of Music (con PenelopeMackay), dove ha ricevuto la Queen’sCommendation for Excellence.I suoi impegni operistici comprendonoPretty Polly in Punch and Judy di Birtwistle alTeatro Nacional S. João di Porto, laGovernante in The Turn of the Screw di Brittenper una tournée del British Council in Russia,Elsie Maynard (The Yeomen of the Guard ) eGianetta (The Gondoliers) per la PhoenixOpera, e Barbarina per Opera Holland Park.Le apparizioni teatrali alla Royal Academy ofMusic comprendono il ruolo di protagonistain The Cunning Little Vixen (diretta da sirCharles Mackerras) e Zerlina (Don Giovanni)(diretta da sir Colin Davis).Altri impegni comprendono il suo debuttocon la Welsh National Opera nel ruolo diIphis in Jephtha di Handel; Eleanora in Primala musica di Salieri, Mlle Silberklang in DerSchauspieldirektor di Mozart con la City ofLondon Sinfonia/Richard Hickox; e ilRequiem di Mozart diretto da sir RogerNorrington al Festival di Spitalfields. SarahTynan attualmente partecipa allo YoungSingers Programme della English NationalOpera.Stuart Kale ha una reputazione a livellointernazionale come uno dei più notevolicantanti-attori del mondo della lirica. È uneccellente musicista; i suoi ruoli coprono unrepertorio estremamente vasto che va daMonteverdi a Messiaen. Ha iniziato la suacarriera alla Welsh National Opera prima dientrare alla English National Opera, dove èrimasto per otto anni, interpretando, fral’altro, il ruolo di Don Ottavio (DonGiovanni), Michael nella Julietta di Martinů,Alfred (Die Fledermaus) e Nanki-Poonell’allestimento del Mikado per la regia diJonathan Miller. Nel 1987 iniziava unacarriera indipendente di successo cantandoHauptmann (Wozzeck) all’Opéra du Rhin e aNancy e facendo ritorno alla English NationalOpera per interpretare Herod (Salome).Tra i suoi principali impegni vanno ricordatil’Alto Sacerdote in Idomeneo al CoventGarden; Hauptmann (Wozzeck) a SanFrancisco, Ginevra, Zurigo, Montpellier,Bordeaux e Bologna; Sciuiski (Boris Godunov)a Strasburgo, Bordeaux e Montpellier; Quint(The Turn of the Screw) e Truffaldino (TheLove for Three Oranges) per English NationalOpera; Zinovij (La lady Macbeth del distrettodi Mzensk) a Tolosa e Marsiglia; Valzacchi e itre ruoli per tenore nella Lulu allo Châtelet;Bob Boles (Peter Grimes) all’Opera di Monaco,al Covent Garden, a Genova e a Strasburgo;Captain Vere (Billy Budd ) a Colonia; Gregor(L’affare Makropoulos) e Herod a Strasburgo.100101

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 102Le registrazioni per la serie Opera in Englishdi Chandos comprendono Boris Godunov(brani salienti), Madam Butterfly, Otello,Falstaff, Wozzeck e The Thieving Magpie.La carriera di cantante di Geoffrey Mitchellracchiude un repertorio notevole che spaziadalla musica antica a quella contemporanea eche l’ha portato in Scandinavia, Germania,nella ex Cecoslovacchia, in Canada eAustralasia. L’esperienza di direzione degli inizicon la BBC lo ha condotto ad un maggiorecoinvolgimento con i suoi stessi cantanti einoltre alla creazione del Geoffrey MitchellChoir. Le prime registrazioni sono sfociate nelcoinvolgimento a lungo termine del Coro conOpera Rara, per la quale ha inciso più ditrenta registrazioni. Il Coro gode di una famasempre maggiore con ulteriore lavoro dallaBBC e da case discografiche internazionali. Perla Chandos il Geoffrey Mitchell Choir hapartecipato a numerose registrazioni nelleapplaudite serie di Opera in English con ilpatrocinio della Peter Moores Foundation.La Philharmonia Orchestra, una delle piùgrandi orchestre del mondo, è diretta per lasesta stagione consecutiva dal famoso maestrotedesco Christoph von Dohnányi, in qualità diDirettore Principale. In precedenza questacarica era appartenuta a Otto Klemperer e daallora l’Orchestra ha collaborato con nomi diprestigio come Lorin Maazel (DirettorePrincipale Associato), Riccardo Muti (DirettorePrincipale e Direttore Musicale), GiuseppeSinopoli (Direttore Musicale) e, attualmente,Kurt Sanderling (Direttore Emerito), VladimirAshkenazy (Direttore Laureato) e Sir CharlesMackerras (Direttore Principale Ospite), oltreche con artisti importanti come WilhelmFurtwängler, Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini,Guido Cantelli, Herbert von Karajan e CarloMaria Giulini. L’Orchestra continua acollaborare con direttori e solisti di famamondiale, oltre ad attrarre nelle sue fila igiovani musicisti europei di maggiore talento.Orchestra Residente presso la Royal FestivalHall di Londra, occupa una posizione centralenella vita musicale britannica anche attraversoresidenze regionali che offrono un’opportunitàideale per espandere il suo dinamicoprogramma educativo, basato sulle comunità.Vincitrice di numerosi premi, è stata lodataall’unanimità dai critici per la sua politica diprogrammazione particolarmente innovativa efortemente incentrata sull’impegno ad eseguiree commissionare musiche nuove firmate daimaggiori compositori contemporanei.I concerti dell’Orchestra sono trasmessisempre più frequentemente da BBC Radio 3,incluso l’apparizione annuale in occasione deiBBC Proms. La Philharmonia Orchestra godedi una reputazione a livello mondiale ed èl’orchestra sinfonica che ha inciso di più intutto il mondo, con un catalogo di oltre1000 incisioni, tra cui una serie di colonnesonore per film e televisione. La suadiscografia include, per Opera Rara, numerosidischi di recital, oltre a undici operecomplete, e nella serie Opera in English perChandos, sponsorizzata dalla Peter MooresFoundation, The Thieving Magpie, Wozzeck,Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, Lucia ofLammermoor, Faust, Carmen, Aida,La Bohème, Madam Butterfly, Turandot, laTosca, vincitrice di un premio, e vari albumdi recital, con assoli di arie d’opera eseguiteda Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, DennisO’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny eJohn Tomlinson. La Philharmonia Orchestracontinua a consolidare la sua famainternazionale con frequenti tournèe eattraverso le recenti, prestigiose residenzepresso il Châtelet Théâtre Musical diParigi, il Megaron di Atene e il LincolnCenter for the Performing Arts di NewYork.David Parry ha studiato con SergiuCelibidache ed ha cominciato la sua carrieracome assistente di Sir John Pritchard. Hadebuttato all’English Music Theatre, quindi èdiventato direttore d’orchestra presso laStädtische Bühnen di Dortmund e la OperaNorth. È stato Direttore Musicale di Opera 80dal 1983 al 1987 e dal 1992 è stato DirettoreMusicale fondatore dell’Opera di Almeida.Lavora copiosamente in opere e concerti, alivello nazionale ed internazionale. Hadiretto diverse produzioni presso la EnglishNational Opera e la Opera North e appareregolarmente con la Philharmonia Orchestra ela London Philharmonic Orchestra. Nel 1996ha debuttato con Così fan tutte alGlyndebourne Festival, dove nel 1998 hadiretto la prima mondiale di Flight di JonathanDove.È un frequente visitatore della Spagna dovesi è esibito in concerto con la maggior partedelle maggiori orchestre spagnole. Ha direttola prima spagnola di Peter Grimes a Madrid enel 1996 la prima produzione spagnola diThe Rake’s Progress. È apparso in Germania,Svizzera, Paesi Bassi, al Festival di Pesaro inItalia, al Festival Internazionale di Hong Kong,in Giappone con una tournée della Carmen ein Messico con la UNAM Symphony102103

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 104Orchestra. Recenti nuove produzioni da luidirette comprendono il Fidelio al Festival dellaNuova Zelanda, Lucia di Lammermoor allaNew Israeli Opera e Don Giovanni allaStaatsoper di Hannover.Il suo lavoro in studio di registrazionecomprende la produzione della BBC diDer Vampyr di Marschner nonché ventottoregistrazioni operistiche complete con ilpatrocinio della Peter Moores Foundation. Traquesti vi sono numerosi dischi per l’etichettaOpera Rara che hanno vinti parecchi premi,tra cui il belga Prix Cecilia per la Rosmondad’Inghilterra di Donizetti. Per Chandos hadiretto una serie di registrazioni di arie d’opera(con Bruce Ford, Diana Montague, DennisO’Neill, Alastair Miles, Yvonne Kenny, JohnTomlinson, Della Jones e Andrew Shore),nonché Idomeneo, Carmen, The ThievingMagpie, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale, TheElixir of Love, Lucia of Lammermoor, Ernani,Il trovatore, Aida, Faust, Cavalleria rusticana,Pagliacci, La bohème, Turandot, Tosca(vincitrice di un premio) e brani scelti daDer Rosenkavalier, tutte in collaborazione conla Peter Moores Foundation.Mike HobanJohn Graham-Hall as Don Basilio withGlyndebourne Festival Opera104105

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CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 11812COMPACT DISC ONEOvertureAct IAn incompletely furnished room, with an armchairin the middle. Figaro has a ruler in his hand,Susanna is seated at a mirror, trying on a small,flowered hat.DuettinoFigaroFifteen, sixteen, twenty, thirty, thirty-seven byforty-three.SusannaOh, this hat is simply lovely,everything a hat should be.Take a look, my darling Figaro.I will wear it at the wedding.Take a look, my darling Figaro,at my lovely new creation.FigaroIt will make a great sensation:everything a hat should be.SusannaLook, my love.FigaroYes, I’ve seen it. And yes, it’s charming.SusannaWe will make a lovely couplewhen the nuptial knot is tied.3FigaroIt will make a great sensationwhen the nuptial knot is tied.Susanna and FigaroYes, it is our wedding morning,and to crown all the joy we are sharingyour/my Susanna will be wearingsuch a beautiful hat for a bride.FigaroSusanna, you’re so clever.What a beautiful hat for a bride.SusannaSusanna, I’m so clever.What a beautiful hat for a bride.RecitativeSusannaWhat on earth are you measuring, my darlingFigaretto?FigaroI’m seeing if the bed that the Count said he’llgive us would fit inside our beautiful new home.SusannaYou don’t mean this room?FigaroCertainly, and it’s a very generous gift from hislordship.SusannaYou can sleep on your own then!4FigaroWhy so unreasonable?SusannaI have reasons enough.FigaroThen why can’t you tell me what they are?Susanna’Cos I don’t want to! Stop bossing me around!FigaroI can’t believe it. How can you look this gifthorse in the mouth when it’s the best room inthe palace?SusannaBecause I’m Susanna and you’re a half-wit!FigaroFlattery will get you nowhere. But, Susanetta, seeif you can find a bedroom which is better.DuettinoFigaroSupposing one evening the Countess shouldneed you.Ding ding! Ding ding!Then she won’t have to ring more than twice.And then it might happen my master shouldwant me.Dong dong! Dong dong!I’d be there by his side in a trice.5SusannaSupposing one morning the Count were to call you,our sweet little Count were to call you.Ding ding! Ding ding!And to send you a long way away.Ding ding! Dong dong!If he wants me he knows where to find me; he’llbe there behind me.FigaroTake care what you say.SusannaThen listen!FigaroI’m listening.SusannaIf you want the story,then don’t be suspicious – it’s grossly unfair.FigaroI do want the story:my nagging suspicions are too much to bear.RecitativeSusannaAll right, shut up and listen.FigaroI’m listening. Tell me the worst.SusannaOur noble Count, weary of chasing all the prettygirls in the neighbourhood, has decided to try118119

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 120his luck just a bit nearer home. And it’s not withhis wife the Countess, more’s the pity. He’s losthis appetite for her.FigaroWell then, who is it?SusannaIt’s your very own Susanna!FigaroWhat, you?SusannaWell, who else? And when he needs me he won’thave far to wander.Proximity makes the heart grow fonder.FigaroBravo! I get the picture.SusannaSo much for all his charity and all his kindness,so attentive to our every need.FigaroOh yes, I see. That’s charity indeed!SusannaWait a bit, it gets better. Don Basilio, whoteaches me singing, acts as his agent,so instead of singing pretty phrases he only singshis master’s praises.FigaroWhat, Basilio? He’s disgusting!6SusannaAnd you imagine that it was thanks to yourgood looks that I got such a handsome dowry?FigaroI hoped I had a hand in it.SusannaWell, so did he, and soon he’ll want to get hishands on me, to claim his feudal rights.FigaroNever! I thought he’d abolished that shamefultradition.SusannaHe regrets the abolition and now he’s keen toreinstate it with me.FigaroSplendid! That’s perfect! So, Count Almaviva,you are looking for some fun? We can provideit… Who’s ringing? It’s your mistress.SusannaNo time for a farewell kiss, I must be running.FigaroBe brave, my dearest darling.SusannaAnd you be cunning!(Exit Susanna.)FigaroBravo, my lord and master!7Now I’m beginning to see how you’ve planned it.It’s all very simple when you start to understand it.We’re off to London, you as minister, me asmessenger,and my Susanna to succour and support you.Well, if that’s what you’re up to, Figaro hascaught you!CavatinaFigaroSo, little master, you’re dressed to go dancing,dressed in your best to go strutting and prancing.I’ll put an end to your fun pretty soon;you may go dancing but I’ll call the tune, yes,I’ll call the tune.If you want dancing, I’ll be your master;faster and faster,dance till you drop.You’ll see, you’ll see, be careful, Figaro, be careful!Stay under cover, then you’ll discover what he’sabout.I will be cunning, slyly deceiving,cutting and running, ducking and weaving.He may be clever but he’s met his match.I can undo any scheme he can hatch.So, little master, you’re dressed to go dancing;dressed in your best to go strutting and prancing.I’ll put an end to your fun pretty soon;you may go dancing but I’ll call the tune, yes,I’ll call the tune.(Exit Figaro, enter Bartolo and Marcellina.)89RecitativeBartoloBut why did you wait till the day of thewedding to appoint me your adviser?MarcellinaI’m very confident, dear doctor, you can breakup any couple, even at the altar: all you need is apretext. I have one here. According to thiscontract he must pay back my money or else…Listen… Only Susanna stands in our way. Wemust be certain that she continues to reject theCount’s advances. He’ll want to get his ownback, so he’ll act in my favour and Figaro willhave to be my husband.BartoloSplendid, delighted to help. You will instructme; don’t omit any detail.(aside)I’d be delighted to fob him off with my oldhousemaid Marcellina, as revenge for robbingme of my Rosina!AriaBartoloNow for vengeance, glorious vengeance!Vengeance has the sweetest flavour,one that connoisseurs can savour.He who lets a crime go unpunished is twice asguilty and doubly base.I will beat him, I’ll unseat him,120121

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 12210I will fight him, I’ll defeat him.Yes, I swear it, yes, I swear that I will beat him,It won’t be easy, but I’m sure to win the case.With ingenuity and with acuityI’ll study law and I’m happy to do it.If I can outwit him with some ambiguity,where there’s a will there must be a way.I’m well respected, I’m Doctor Bartolo!That bastard Figaro, I’ll make him pay.(Exit Bartolo, enter Susanna.)RecitativeMarcellinaSo all is not lost, I can still live in hope. If it isn’tSusanna! Let’s test the water… Pretend I haven’tseen her… So that’s the little jewel Figaro thinkshe’ll marry!SusannaWhat’s that she’s saying?MarcellinaYou’d think he could do better, but you knowthe old proverb: ‘l’argent fait tout’.SusannaHow dare you! Who would waste tuppenceha’penny on you!MarcellinaWell done! The fair Susanna – such an innocentmanner, so demure and so proper, so virginal…11SusannaI’d better go.MarcellinaI’d better stop her!DuettinoMarcellinaI bow to your grace – after you, I implore you.SusannaBut I know my place so I won’t go before you.MarcellinaOh no, I implore you.SusannaNo, no, after you.Susanna and MarcellinaI know what is proper to say and to do.MarcellinaThe spotless madonna.SusannaThe matron of honour.MarcellinaThe Count’s little treasure.SusannaThe lady of pleasure.MarcellinaYour quality…12SusannaQuantity…MarcellinaYour status.SusannaYour age!MarcellinaOh, this is unbearable! I’m bursting with rage!SusannaYou gaudy old parakeet, go back in your cage!(Exit Marcellina.)RecitativeSusannaGood riddance, you old spinster, frustrated oldschoolmarm! Just because you taught my lady,don’t start thinking you can lord it over me.(Enter Cherubino.)CherubinoOh, thank heavens it’s you.SusannaIt’s me. What do you want?CherubinoAh, my darling, it’s appalling!SusannaYour darling? What’s the matter?CherubinoThe Count! Yesterday he caught me alone withBarbarina; he dismissed me on the spot, and ifthe Countess (my beautiful Countess) doesn’tplead for my reinstatement then I am done for.Ah, never more to see my dear Susanna!SusannaNever more to see me? Typical! What about yourpassion for the Countess? You used to worshipher, used to revere her.CherubinoAh! If only I dared to come near her! You’re solucky, you see her whenever you want to: youdress her in the morning, undress her in theevening, always fiddling with her ribbons andher laces… Can’t we swap places? What’s that?Let me see it!SusannaAh, that’s a ribbon from her favourite bonnet,the one she goes to bed in.Cherubino (snatching the ribbon)Oh, give it me, I beg you; give it for pity’s sake!SusannaGive it back!Cherubino (covering the ribbon with kisses)O sweetest, o fairest, o most divine of ribbons! Iwill wear it till the day I die!SusannaThat’s disgraceful behaviour!122123

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 12413CherubinoNow don’t be angry, I’ve something here for you:a little song I’ve been writing.SusannaWell, what am I supposed to do with it?CherubinoRead it to the Countess, read it to yourself, readit to Barbarina, to Marcellina – if every womanread it I’d be glad.SusannaPoor little Cherubino, have you gone mad?AriaCherubinoI don’t know what it is that I’m feeling,why my brain and my senses are reeling;every woman I see makes me tremble,makes me tremble with pleasure and pain.Speak of love and my heart is a-flutter,say the word and I turn into butter.Goaded by passion I’m driven to utterwords of longing I cannot explain.All through the day I’m yearning,all through the night I’m burning;I serenade the mountains,the trees, the glade, the fountains,so all the world can share it,and then the breeze may bear itinto the wide unknown.14All through the day I’m yearning,all through the night I’m burning.I sing to shadows, to seas and mountains,to echoes, to fountains,so all the world can share it.And then the breeze may bear itinto the wide unknown.And when there’s no one near me,no, not a soul to hear me,I sing it all alone.RecitativeCherubino (seeing the Count)Now I’m done for!SusannaWhat’s the matter?CherubinoIt’s the Count! What shall I do?(Cherubino hides. Enter the Count.)CountSusanna, you are looking rather nervous andflustered.SusannaMy lord, I beg your pardon, but, if someoneshould see us – I beg you leave at once.CountI’ll leave when I’m ready. Listen.SusannaWhy should I listen?CountJust be patient. You know the King hasappointed me ambassador to London. I havedecided Figaro will go with me.SusannaMay I say something?CountSay it, my darling, for you must claim the rightswhich are yours today and always. Ask me,compel me, command me.SusannaWhat do you mean by rights? I don’t claimthem, I don’t want them, I don’t expect them.I’m so unhappy!CountAh yes, Susanna, but I can make you happy! Youknow how much I love you – at least I’m sureBasilio has told you. So listen: if you’d grant mea moment’s bliss in the garden later on thisevening… you would see that I know how to begrateful.Basilio (offstage)I think he’s just gone out.CountWho’s that?SusannaOh heavens!CountGo out there – send them away!15SusannaWhat, and leave you alone here?Basilio (entering)He will be with the Countess. I’ll go and find him.CountI’ll hide behind the chair.SusannaNo, don’t do that!CountQuiet! Get rid of him quickly!SusannaOh no, it’s useless!(The Count hides behind the chair as Cherubinoruns round to hide in it; Susanna coversCherubino.)BasilioSusanna, heaven bless you! I suppose youwouldn’t have seen the Count?SusannaAnd why should I have seen the Count? Sorry,can’t help you.BasilioJust a moment, it seems that Figaro wants to seehim.Susanna(Oh heavens!) To see the man who hates himmore than you do.124125

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 126Count(Let’s see if he betrays me.)BasilioWell, that’s a thing I’ve never heard before, thatif you love someone’s wife you have to hate thehusband. Which is to say his lordship loves you.SusannaHow vile to be the agent of another man’s lust! Ispit on your sermons, they mean nothing to me.I don’t want the Count, I don’t want his love.BasilioWell, suit yourself then. No accounting for taste.But I can’t believe that you’re any different fromthe others; when it comes to a lover you’d prefersomeone fine and aristocratic to some page boyin the attic!SusannaTo Cherubino?BasilioYes, Cherubino, our little household Cupid. Isaw him here this morning, he was sniffinground your doorway; very stupid.SusannaYou’re disgusting, spying on all the servants!BasilioI don’t think I’m disgusting, I’m just observant!And what about that love song? I wouldn’t wantto pry, but I’m your friend, I can keep a secret.Was it for you or for my lady?16Susanna(Whoever could have told him?)BasilioBy the way, you should teach him to behavemore discreetly; that rather frank way he stares ather at meal times, devouring her completely. Ihope the Count hasn’t noticed. You know whathe’s like: a tiger when he is roused…SusannaYou snake! Spreading gossip and inventinginiquitous rumours!BasilioNo, you misjudge me. I’m very strict withrumours: I repeat what people are saying, I neverembellish.Count (emerging)Really? And what are people saying?BasilioOh heavenly!SusannaOh hellish!TerzettoCountIt’s outrageous! Search the castle,find the rascal and bring him here.BasilioMy intrusion brought confusion,I’m not wanted, I’ll disappear.SusannaI am ruined, I am done for,I am faint with pain and fear!CountGo and find him, the rascal!Basilio and CountAh, she’s fainted, the little darling,this is more than her heart can bear;feel it beating, it’s hardly there.Basilio (approaching the armchair to sit her downin it)Have this chair, you’ll feel much better.SusannaAh, where am I?Ah, how dare you!Go away and let me be,oh go away and let me be!BasilioDo not worry, I will not hurt you,and your virtue is safe with me,yes, your virtue is safe with me.CountDo not worry, I won’t hurt you,do not worry, you’re safe with me,little darling, you’re safe with me.BasilioCherubino’s reputation,merely gossip and speculation.SusannaPure invention, pay no attention;not a word of it is true; it is not true.CountFind him, find the dirty rascal!Susanna and BasilioAh, forgive him!CountFind him, find the dirty rascal!Susanna and BasilioHe’s a baby!CountHe’s a baby?That’s as maybe; but I know much more than you.He’s a baby; not as much as you might think.SusannaTell us! What?BasilioWhat? Tell us?CountIt happened yesterday. Barbarina’s door waslocked so I knock, then she opens it, blushingrather sweetly; this arouses my suspicions, so Isearch the room completely. Then I gently raisethe cover from the table and then discover thatdamned pageboy…(discovering Cherubino)I don’t believe it!126127

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 12817SusannaHeavens, how frightful!BasilioAh, how delightful!CountOh, the virtuous Susanna!SusannaIt’s the worst that could have happened.CountNow I see that it was true.SusannaGod in heav’n, what shall I do?It’s the worst that could have happened.BasilioThat’s the way with pretty women,her behaviour’s nothing new.CountNow I see that it was true.Oh, the virtuous Susanna!RecitativeCountBasilio, run and tell Figaro to come here.(indicating Cherubino)I want him to see this.SusannaAnd I want him to hear this; go quickly!CountOne moment. Why so fearless? You’re plainlyguilty, so let’s hear your excuses.SusannaVirtue like mine needs no excuses.CountBut how long had he been here?SusannaHe was already here when you entered; he’dcome to beg me to intercede with my lady on hisbehalf. He was alarmed by your suddenintrusion so he hid by the chair in his confusion.CountBut I sat in the chair as soon as I came in!CherubinoI ran round the back and hid behind it.CountAnd when I went behind it?CherubinoThen I ran round the front and hid inside it.CountMy God! He’s heard every word of ourconversation!CherubinoI tried to hear as little as possible.CountI bet you did!1819BasilioBe careful, someone’s coming.Count (pulling Cherubino out of the armchair)And you, you little snake – I’ll deal with you later!(Enter Figaro and vassals.)ChorusVassalsPraise and adore him, bow down before him,mighty and merciful, our noble lord.He has protected, he has respectedthis fairest flower of all womankind.Honour and virtue sweetly combined.Praise and adore him, bow down before him.Most wise and merciful, our noble lord!Recitative and ChorusCount (to Figaro)So what is all this nonsense?Figaro (aside, to Susanna)Here’s where the fun starts. Think quickly, mySusanna.SusannaWe haven’t a hope.FigaroMy lord, in our own humble way we bring afitting tribute to your enlightened attitude; wewish to express our gratitude for not enforcingthe rights of long ago.CountThose rights have been abolished, as well youknow.FigaroAnd we are the first to reap the fruit of yourenlightened position. To celebrate the passing ofthis tradition, will you present this white andspotless garment? It was made to adorn the pureSusanna, as a symbol of her virtue and of herhonour.Count(He’s cunning as the devil! I can hardly refuse).I’m very grateful for this thoughtful gesture, butI’m hardly worthy to receive such an honour.When I abolished that shameful tradition I wasmerely restoring natural order.AllGod bless you, God bless you, God bless you!SusannaWhat restraint!FigaroAnd what virtue!CountAs I have promised I’ll perform the marriageceremony, but first let me crave your indulgence:give me time to gather my faithful subjects, soour jubilation and your joy will be all the greater.(I must find Marcellina.) My friends, till later.128129

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1302021VassalsPraise and adore him, bow down before him.Mighty and merciful, our noble lord.He has protected, he has respectedThis fairest flower of all womankind.Honour and virtue sweetly combined.Praise and adore him, bow down before him,Most wise and merciful, our noble lord.(Exeunt vassals.)RecitativeFigaroGod bless you!SusannaGod bless you!BasilioGod bless you!Figaro (to Cherubino)Why aren’t you joining in?SusannaHe doesn’t feel like singing because the Counthas dismissed him.FigaroWhat? Today of all days!SusannaOn the day of our wedding!FigaroWhen the world is rejoicing!CherubinoYour lordship, please forgive me.CountYou don’t deserve it.SusannaHe is only a baby.CountWell, he’s growing up fast.CherubinoI’ve behaved very badly; but I can keep asecret…CountAll right, I will pardon you – and I will go onebetter: there is a vacancy for an officer in myregiment. You’ve got the job, congratulations,leave at once!Susanna and FigaroPlease let him stay today!CountThose are my orders!CherubinoMy lord and master speaks, and I obey.CountFor the very last time you may kiss yourSusanna. (Well, that was rather brilliant!)FigaroHey, gallant soldier, one final embrace.22(softly, to Cherubino)(I need a word with you before you go.)Farewell, dear little Cherubino. Say goodbye tothe past, look to the future!AriaFigaroHere’s an end to your life as a rover,here’s an end to the young Casanova.It was fun for a while, but it’s over;we will soon wipe the smile off your face.Here’s an end to our proud little peacock,scrubbed and powdered and primped toperfection.Here’s an end to your girlish complexion,to your ribbons and satins and lace.We will soon wipe the smile off your face.Here’s an end to airs and graces, pretty laces,your perfection, your girlish complexion.Off you go to join the fighting!You may find it quite exciting.Wearing armour may not suit you,but it’s handy when they shoot you.All around you the battle rages;think of fame, not of the wages.Not your usual exertionsbut alarums and excursions.After twenty days of marchingyou will wish that you were dead,and all the trumpeting and drummingmeans the enemy is coming,12and the bullets will be hummingall around your pretty head.Here’s an end to airs and graces,pretty hats, pretty laces.Here’s an end to perfection,to your face, your girlish complexion.You may live to tell the storyand I rather hope you do,for it’s off to death and glory,it’s a soldier’s life for you.COMPACT DISC TWOAct IIA luxurious room with san alcove and three doorsCavatinaCountessHear my prayer, humbly I beg you,soothe my sorrow, my lonely sigh.Oh, may his love be reawakened,or, forsaken, let me die.Hear my prayer, I humbly beg you,soothe my sorrow, heed my cry.RecitativeCountessCome here, dear Susanna, and finish your story.SusannaNo more to tell you.130131

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 132CountessBut he tried to seduce you.SusannaNo, not exactly; he wouldn’t waste complimentson a girl of my position. It was more a financialproposition.CountessYou see, he no longer loves me.SusannaThen why on earth is he jealous?CountessThat is the way with all modern husbands –they’re unfaithful on principle, by naturecapricious. It’s only pride that makes them alljealous. But if Figaro loves you, then he’s the oneto…(Enter Figaro.)FigaroLa la la la la…SusannaHere he is. Come and help us. My lady is anxious.FigaroNo need to worry, it’s all going smoothly andthis is the position: it seems that his lordship hasintentions towards my Susanna; with cunningand with duplicity he hopes to reinstate histraditional rights. The whole thing’s very possibleand very natural.CountessPossible?SusannaNatural?FigaroPerfectly natural! And if Susanna wants it,perfectly possible.SusannaWill you get to the point.FigaroThis is the point. When he goes off to London,he’ll take me as his courier and my Susanna ashis personal assistant for his personal enjoyment.And when Susanna refuses this offer ofemployment, then he’ll threaten to supportMarcellina. That is all there is to say.SusannaHow can you take the whole thing so lightly? It’sa serious matter.FigaroI may be joking, but I’m taking it seriously.Here’s how I’ve planned it: I’m going to send theCount an anonymous letter (via Don Basilio),informing him of a secret assignation, thattonight while we’re feasting you’ll be meeting alover.CountessOh no, you mustn’t! You know he’s so jealous!FigaroSo much the better.SusannaBut we still have to deal with Marcellina.FigaroI want you to tell his lordship that this eveninghe’s to meet you in the garden; and littleCherubino, if he’s taken my advice he won’t haveleft yet. We’ll dress him as a woman, then he cantake your place in the garden; the Monsieur willrelent – he’ll have to, of course, for whenMadama finds him in the grounds she’ll havegrounds for divorce.CountessWhat d’you think?SusannaIt might work.CountessIt’s very risky…SusannaIf we can convince him… but we must hurry.FigaroHis lordship’s out hunting, and won’t be back foran hour or two. I’m off now; I’ll send Cherubinostraight to you. When he comes you can dresshim at your leisure.CountessAnd then?3FigaroAnd then…I’ll put an end to your fun pretty soon;you may go dancingbut I’ll call the tune, yes, I’ll call the tune.(Exit Figaro.)CountessHow it grieves me, Susanna, to think thatCherubino heard all that nonsense my husbandhas told you. Ah, you can’t know… Why didn’tCherubino come to me for protection? Where’sthe song he gave you?SusannaHere it is. As soon as he comes in let’s make himsing it. Quiet, someone’s coming. It’s him!(Cherubino enters.)Look who it is, it’s our handsome young officer!CherubinoAh, do not call me by that hateful title. It justreminds me that I am forced to leave her, myCountess Almaviva.SusannaIsn’t she lovely?CherubinoAh yes, she is!Susanna (mocking him)Ah yes, she is! You great hypocrite! Rememberthe song you gave me this morning? Sing it tothe Countess.132133

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1344CountessTell me who wrote it.SusannaHe did. And he’s so modest – look, he’s blushinglike a schoolgirl.CountessTake my guitar, Susanna, and play it with him.CherubinoBut will my lady accept this humble gift I’mbringing?SusannaOf course she will, of course; stop talking andstart singing.AriettaCherubinoTell me what love is; what can it be?What is this yearning burning in me?Can I survive it, will I endure?This is my sickness; is there a cure?First this obsession seizing my brain,starting in passion, ending in pain;I start to shiver, then I’m on fire,then I’m a-quiver with seething desire.Who knows the secret, who holds the key?I long for something – what can it be?My brain is reeling; I wonder why.And then the feeling I’m going to die.By day it haunts me, haunts me by night,this tender torment tinged with delight.5RecitativeCountessBravo, your voice is lovely! I never knew thatyou could sing so sweetly.SusannaOh, he’s so good at anything he chooses to do.Come along, handsome soldier – has Figaroexplained?CherubinoYes, he’s explained.SusannaThen let me have a look; oh yes, that’s perfect,you’re the same height as me. Take your coat off.CountessWhat are you doing?SusannaDon’t be nervous.CountessBut someone might come in.SusannaLet them. It’s not illegal. I’ll just lock the door.What on earth shall we do with his hair?CountessFetch me a bonnet from my dressing room,quickly!(Susanna goes to fetch a bonnet.)What is that paper?6CherubinoMy commission.CountessWell, they don’t waste much time!CherubinoIt was sent via Basilio.CountessIn their hurry they’ve forgotten to seal it.Susanna (returning)Forgotten to seal what?CountessHis commission.SusannaThey don’t waste much time! Here is your bonnet.CountessQuickly now, at the double! If the Count wereto see us then there’d be trouble!AriaSusannaKneel down and let me look at you –(Susanna takes Cherubino and makes him kneel aslight distance from the Countess, who has seatedherself.)for Heaven’s sake keep still.Stop wriggling, stop giggling;be quiet and keep still.(She combs his hair.)Now let me take a look at you.7Splendid! That fits the bill!(While Susanna is dressing his hair, Cherubinoregards the Countess tenderly.)Why can’t you keep you eyes on me?Stop looking over there.You know it’s rude to stare.(Continuing to dress his hair, Susanna places thebonnet on him.)Stop fidgeting; why can’t you try to concentrate?Stop looking over there.Try not to fidget, let’s have a look at you.Please concentrate – thank you.We’ll do this up more neatly…Now drop your eyes discreetly…Now try and smile more sweetly.You’ll spoil it all completelywith that ungracious frown.Let’s have you on your feet, please;try walking up and down.He’s really rather charminghe’s thoroughly disarming.A little bit unsteady,but loving it already.If all the women fall for him,I see the reason why.He’s got a certain something you can’t deny;all women seem to love him and I see why,I see the reason why.RecitativeCountessEnough of this nonsense!134135

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 136SusannaIt may be nonsense, but it’s making me jealous!You little monkey, how dare you be so pretty?It’s outrageous!CountessThat’s quite enough of that…Now, will you help me roll up his sleeves pastthe elbow. That way the dress will sit morecomfortably on his shoulders.Susanna (doing so)This way.CountessNo, higher, like this.(discovering a ribbon tied around Cherubino’s arm)Now what’s this ribbon?SusannaThe one he stole from me.CountessBut it’s blood-stained.CherubinoIt’s blood-stained? But how can that be? Oh, Iremember… Yes, of course; I slipped and felland cut myself, so I bandaged the wound withthis ribbon.SusannaJust show me. You’ll survive! Amazing, his arm’seven whiter than mine. It’s just like a girl’s!CountessCan’t you ever be serious? Go into my dressingroom. On the little desk you’ll find a bandage.As for this ribbon, who knows… I like thecolour, I’d be sorry to part with it.SusannaThe bandage. But how shall we tie it up?CountessAnother ribbon; bring it here. Oh yes, and bringmy dress.CherubinoNo! With that one it’ll heal all the quicker.CountessBut why? This one is better.CherubinoYes, but a ribbon which has touched the hair, oreven touched the flesh of someone…Countess (interrupting him)Someone else, then it heals you straight away?Does it really? Well, you learn something newevery day!CherubinoHow can you tease me? You know I have to leaveyou.CountessWho’s a poor wounded soldier!CherubinoI’m so unhappy!Countess (much moved)You’re crying…CherubinoOh God! I wish that I was dying! As Iapproached my final moment, you’d bend downand you’d kiss me.Countess (drying his eyes with a handkerchief)Don’t be silly – you know this is madness. Who’sknocking at the door?Count (outside)Why is this locked?CountessIt’s my husband – God help us! He’ll kill me,and you, without your breeches – just look atyou! He will have read the letter, and he can beso jealous…CountWhy are you waiting?CountessI’m alone… Yes, alone.CountTo whom were you speaking?CountessTo you, only to you.CherubinoAfter all that has happened he’ll be furious, andcertain to suspect me.8(Cherubino hides.)CountessFather in Heaven, please protect me!She unlocks the door to admit the Count, who enters.CountWhat does this mean? It was never your customto lock yourself in your bedroom.CountessThat’s true… but I was… yes, I was in heretrying…CountTrying what?CountessTrying clothes on; trying clothes on withSusanna. She’s gone back to her room.CountNevertheless, you seem to be distracted. I’ve justreceived this letter.CountessHeavens! The letter that Figaro wrote him.(Cherubino knocks something over.)CountWhat’s making that noise? I could have swornsomething fell over.CountessI didn’t hear anything.136137

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 138CountBecause you’ve got something else on your mind.CountessLike what?CountSomebody’s in there!CountessAnd who might that be?CountI’m asking you; I’ve only just arrived.CountessOh yes, Susanna… Susanna…CountWho’s gone back, or so you said, to her own room.CountessTo her room, or mine, I can’t remember.CountSusanna? So why this over-anxious manner?CountessThat’s your imagination.CountI may be wrong, but you looked all hot andbothered.CountessNormally it’s you who gets all hot and botheredover Susanna!9CountWell, that’s as may be, and as she’s in there let’ssee her.(Susanna enters and hides.)TerzettoCountCome out of there, Susanna!Come out of there, I say!CountessShe can’t come out, believe me,she can’t do what you say.SusannaBut where is Cherubino?How did he get away?CountYou dare to contradict me? Why?CountessHer mannersshame your own:She’s trying on her wedding dress,she needs to be alone.CountHer lover’s in there hiding,oh yes, I should have known.CountessAn uglier situation I’ve never ever known.SusannaA trickier situation I’ve never ever known.CountSusanna!CountessBe sensible!CountCome out this minute!CountessI beg you!CountThis minute!CountessBe sensible!CountCome out, I say!CountessWhy should the girl obey?CountGive me at least an answer,yes, speak to me Susanna.CountessNo, no, I say you’re not to;I order you, be silent!CountMy lady, do be careful.SusannaThere’s bound to be a scandal;a terrible catastrophe is sure to happen now!10CountessMy lord, we must be careful;a scandal is unthinkable, it must not be allowed.CountMy lady, do be careful;a scandal is unthinkable, it must not be allowed.SusannaThere’s bound to be a scandal –it’s sure to happen now.There’s bound to be a scandal:a terrible catastrophe is sure to happen now.RecitativeCountSo you’re proposing not to open it?CountessHow dare you even ask me to open the door?CountWell, suit yourself. Why waste time with keys?Come quickly?CountessWhat’s this? How dare you impugn the honourof a lady?CountYou’re right. Excuse me; any noise of disturbancewill provoke all sorts of gossip among theservants. But don’t you worry, I’ll do it singlehanded. You will wait for me here, but before Igo I’ll make absolutely sure. I think I’ll lockevery single door.138139

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 14011(The Count does so.)Countess (aside)What behaviour!CountWould you condescend to come with me, mylady? Will you do me the honour? Here’s myarm.CountessHere’s mine.Count (indicating the dressing room)Don’t you worry about Susanna; she’ll be fine.(Exit the Count and Countess.)DuettinoSusannaDon’t worry, Cherubino,it’s only me, Susanna.Don’t worry, but hurry, yes hurry.We’ll get you out of here.CherubinoI’m absolutely petrified,I’m paralysed with fear.SusannaOh dear, the doors are locked and bolted,oh dear, we’ll never ever get you out of here.CherubinoThe doors are locked and bolted,oh dear, you’ll never ever get me out of here.CherubinoI mustn’t meet the master.SusannaYes, that would be disaster.CherubinoThere’s only one solution: I’ll jump into thegarden.SusannaYou’ll only break your ankle – don’t do it!Come back for pity’s sake.CherubinoI mustn’t meet the master.SusannaDon’t do it, Cherubino!CherubinoThat would be a disaster.SusannaIt’s far too high to risk it –come back, for pity’s sake!CherubinoLet me go! Let me go!For my lady I would jump from even higher –I’d even jump through fire.I’m ready, this is goodbye.SusannaYou’ll only break your ankle – ah! what a way todie!1213(Cherubino jumps.)Oh God, Cherubino!RecitativeSusannaLook at the little devil! How he’s running,disappearing in the distance. Right, no time forme to waste. He’ll be back here any minute,and when he comes into the room guess who’llbe in it!(Enter the Count and Countess. The Count bringsa hammer and a crow-bar. He examines all thedoors.)CountEverything as I left it. For the last time, will youopen it or shall I?(He prepares to force open the door.)CountessWait a minute and allow me to speak. Do youthink I’ve betrayed you? Do you think I’ve beenlying?CountJust as you wish, when I can look inside and seethe truth for myself.CountessYes, you can see, but you must be prepared.CountSo it isn’t Susanna?14CountessNo, someone else altogether, someone whocould never give you cause for concern. You see,for this evening we were trying out a game – acharade – and I swear nothing immodest,nothing bad, nothing wrong…CountWho is it? Tell me, I will kill him!CountessPlease listen! (What can I say?)CountYou’ll tell me.CountessHe’s just a boy.CountJust a boy?CountessYes. Cherubino.Count(Why is it my misfortune to bump into that boyat every turning?) Really? He hasn’t gone yet?He’s disobeyed me? Now the light starts todawn, I can see things much better. Now Iunderstand the meaning of that letter.FinaleCountOut you come, you vile seducer,wretched boy, come out of there!140141

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 142CountessDo not hurt him, I beseech you;he is innocent, I swear.This is more than I can bear.CountYet again you dare refuse me!CountessWill you hear me?CountWell, I’m waiting!CountessWell, it might arouse suspicion, groundlesssuspicion,when you see him in this condition,all dishevelled, with his hair down…CountAll dishevelled, with his hair down?Do continue!CountessHe was wearing women’s clothing…CountI have always thought you shameless,but how could you stoop so low?CountessI protest that I am blameless,you are wrong to doubt me so!CountBring the key here!CountessHe has done nothing!CountBring the key here!CountessHe has done nothing.CountI know nothing! Wanton woman, get you hence –don’t compound your foul offence.Must you denigrate my name?Must you cover me with shame?CountessHusband… yes… but…CountNo, it’s useless.CountessBut…CountNo excuses.CountessI am blameless!CountYour face betrays you! I will kill him!CountessJealous rage has fired his passion,full of anger and of shame.15CountHe has dared to stain my honour,he has dared to debase my noble name.Now I know you…CountessNo, you wrong me.CountAnd you are shameless!CountessI am blameless!CountI will kill him!He has dared to stain my honour,he has dared to debase my noble name.CountessJealous rage has fired his passion,full of anger and of shame.(Susanna emerges.)CountSusanna!CountessSusanna!SusannaYou called, sir?You seem quite appalled, sir.(ironically)The guilty offender has come to surrender;It’s not Cherubino, it’s just little me.16CountIt can’t be! I hardly believe what I see.Countess (aside)Susanna was in there, but how could that be?Susanna (aside)They simply refuse to believe what they see.CountWho’s with you?SusannaThere’s no one, but do go and see.CountThere’s someone, he’s in there; where else couldhe be?(The Count goes to look for himself.)CountessI cannot believe it – Susanna, where is he?SusannaHe jumped from the window and managed toflee.Count (comes out of the dressing room in confusion)I don’t understand it –I hardly believe it –if I have offended, forgive me, I beg you.Your joke was a cruel one,though you’ve had your fun.Susanna and CountessHow can we forgive you the wrong you have done?142143

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 144CountI love you!CountessDon’t say that!CountI swear it!CountessHow can you? You called me unfaithful, youdoubted my honour.CountCome help me, Susanna, to steady her nerve.SusannaMistrust and suspicion is all we deserve.CountessWas ever a woman more wrongly accused?Was ever a heart more disdainfully used?CountCome help me, Susanna, she’s rather confused.SusannaA husband who’s jealous cannot be excused.My lady…CountRosina!CountessRosina? No, not any longer.For now you neglect me, despise and reject me,delight in my misery and laugh at my pain.CountI’m sorry I hurt you,made light of your virtue.Ah, forgive me, my lady,and love me again.Forgive me and love me again.SusannaHe’s sorry he hurt you,made light of your virtue,forgive him, my lady,and love him again.Forgive him and love him again.CountessSo cruel! So cruel to laugh at my sorrow, tolaugh at my pain.Ah, now you laugh at my pain.CountYou swore he was in there.CountessBut only to test you.CountSo why were you panicking?CountessTo trick you, to tease you.CountWell, whose was that letter then?Countess and SusannaInvented by Figaro and sent by Basilio.CountThe traitors, I’ll teach them.Countess and SusannaThe way you’ve behaved you can hardly complain.CountI’m sure you’ll forgive me, my darling Rosina.Let’s hope no resentment, no anger remains.CountessYou see, my Susanna, I’m so tender-hearted,Is this the reward we deserve for our pains?SusannaThey always get round us, so much for ourfreedom;there’s always a man who is holding the reins.So much for our freedom, so much for ourfreedom;we think we are free but we’re always in chains.CountPlease look at me.CountessUngrateful!CountPlease look at me, I wronged you; and I’m sorry.SusannaThis bitter experience may teach them to loveone another again.They will love one another again,they will learn to love each other again.17Count and CountessThis bitter experience may teach us to love oneanother again.We will learn to love each other again.(Enter Figaro.)FigaroThe wedding procession is ready and waiting.You hear the musiciansso with your permissionwe’ll follow our friends who await us to fête usand dance at our wedding, our glorious day.So with your permission we’ll hurry away.CountThere’s no need to hurry.FigaroThey’re getting impatient.CountThere’s no need to worry;before you rush off I have something to say.Susanna, Countess and FigaroWho knows what will happen, or what he willsay?CountThere’re one or two cards that I still have to play.CountLet me try to jog your memory.(shows him the letter)Have you seen this note before?144145

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 146Figaro (pretending to examine it)Never seen it.SusannaNever seen it?FigaroNo!Susanna, Countess and CountNever seen it?FigaroNo!SusannaBut you gave it to Basilio…CountessTo deliver…CountYou remember?FigaroAfraid I don’t.SusannaThe disguise for Cherubino…CountessAnd the meeting in the garden…CountYou can tell me.FigaroAfraid I can’t.CountThere’s no point in your denying –you may think you’re good at lying,but your face gives you away.FigaroThen appearances deceive you.Countess and SusannaIf you lie he won’t believe you;he knows all about the letter,there is nothing you can say.CountYou deny it?FigaroI’ll stay quiet.CountWhat’s the answer?FigaroWhat’s the question?Susanna and CountessCan’t you see the fun has endedand the curtain has descended?When there’s nothing more to say,it’s the end of any play.FigaroBut a play should end in jollity,in theatrical tradition;so you’ll grant us your permissionto enjoy our wedding day.18Heed my pleading, I implore you, becompassionate I pray.SusannaHeed our pleading, I implore you, becompassionate I pray.CountessHeed their pleading, I implore you, becompassionate I pray.CountWhere the hell is Marcellina? What is keepingher away?(Enter Antonio with a pot of trampled geraniums.)AntonioOh, my lord! My lord!CountWhat do you want?AntonioBloody man, bloody nerve, bloody cheek!Count, Countess, Susanna and FigaroWhat is this, what has happened?AntonioWon’t you listen?Count, Countess, Susanna and FigaroYou mind how you speak!AntonioYou chuck all kinds of stuff out the window,some of which I would rather not mention.But it didn’t escape my attentionWhen a man came a-tumbling down.CountFrom the window?AntonioOn top of my hydrangea.CountInto the garden?AntonioYes!Countess and Susanna (to Figaro)Now we’re in danger!CountWhat is happening?Countess, Susanna and Figaro (aside)Who knows what will happen?(aloud )Why on earth is this drunkard in here?CountWhere’s the man who fell into the garden?AntonioBuggered off, that’s begging your pardon, like ashot and he got clean away.Susanna (to Figaro)Cherubino…146147

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 148Figaro (to Susanna)I know, ’cos I saw him.(laughing aloud )Ha, ha, ha, ha!CountThat will do!AntonioWhat’s so funny?CountThat will do!AntonioWhat’s so funny?FigaroWe can hardly believe what you saywhen you’re drunk as a skunk every day.CountTell me slowly, tell me everything: he jumpedfrom the window?AntonioFrom the window.CountTo the garden?AntonioTo the garden.Countess, Susanna and FigaroCan’t you tell, can’t you smell, he’s been drinking?CountPray continue. You saw what he looked like?AntonioNo, I didn’t.Susanna and CountessLook out, Figaro, listen!Figaro (to Antonio)You’re boring us rigid for hours,for the sake of a few tatty flowers.And I don’t see why I should deny it,that the man in the window was me.CountWhat? You’re joking!Countess and Susanna (aside)Now that was ingenious.FigaroNo I’m not.AntonioIt was you, then?FigaroYes, why not?CountIt’s hard to believe it.AntonioThen explain why you seem to be taller.When you jumped you were nowhere as tall.FigaroWell, you always look small when you fall.AntonioWell, I never!Countess and Susanna (aside)Will he never stop talking?Count (to Antonio)What do you think?AntonioWell, it looked like the page boy.CountCherubino?Countess and Susanna (aside)Cherubino, now we’re done for!Figaro (ironically)Cherubino? Yes, that’s brilliant.He rode back from Seville like the clappers;he rode back from Seville, but of course!AntonioNo, the bloke who fell down wasn’t riding,’cos I’m sure I’d have noticed the horse.CountGive me patience!Countess and Susanna (aside)Give us strength!CountEnough of this nonsense!Countess and Susanna (aside)What on earth can we do?Count (to Figaro)It was you?FigaroYes, it’s true.CountTell me why.FigaroI was scared…CountScared of what?FigaroI was in there – I was waiting for my Susanetta,and I heard these peculiar noises…You were shouting – I thought of that letter…so I jumped full of fear and confusion;when I landed I twisted my knee.(He pretends that he is hurt.)AntonioWell then, these are your papers. You droppedthem in the garden.CountAha! Give them to me!FigaroNow he’s cornered me.Countess and Susanna (softly, to Figaro)You must be careful, crafty and careful!148149

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 150CountThen you’ll know what these papers might be?Countess (to Susanna)Oh God, Cherubino’s commission!FigaroWhen it’s signed it is usual to seal it.let me listen to your plea.I will act as referee.FigaroJust a moment – these papers, let me see…AntonioIt is probably a list of his creditors.FigaroNo, your bills from the boozer.Count (to Figaro)I’m waiting.(to Antonio)That’s enough from you.Countess, Susanna and FigaroOff with you and leave us!AntonioI will go, but if ever I catch you…Count, Countess and SusannaOff with you!FigaroRun along, I’m not frightened of you.Count, Countess and SusannaOff with you, and don’t come back!(Exit Antonio)CountWell then?Susanna (to Figaro)Cherubino’s commission!CountI’m waiting…FigaroI’m so stupid, I’d forgotten.It’s just the commission;Cherubino had left it with me.CountWhy was that, then?Figaro (confused)It needed…CountIt needed?Countess (to Susanna)Needed sealing.Susanna (to Figaro)Needed sealing.CountDo tell me.FigaroWell, it’s usual…CountNow don’t be embarrassed!19Count (aside)Once again he has slipped through my clutches.Susanna and Countess (aside)If my nerve can survive such a nightmare,I will never be frightened again.FigaroI will always know how to outwit him,he is storming and stamping in vain.CountHe will drive me insane.(Enter Marcellina, Basilio and Bartolo)Marcellina, Basilio and BartoloNoble lord, we come for justice,will you listen to our plea?Count (aside)They have come here to work my vengeance.Ah, what a comfort they are to me.Countess, Figaro and SusannaThey have come for retribution;what solution can there be?FigaroHave you noticed rogues and half-witsalways come in groups of three?CountHold your tongue and let me hear them;MarcellinaThis man signed a binding contractjoining both of us in marriage.I have come to claim the forfeitor the promise made to me.Countess, Susanna and FigaroForfeit? Promise?CountEnough, be silent! The decision rests with me.BartoloI have come as her adviser,as her counsel and supporter.All the papers are in order,as I’m sure you will agree.Countess, Susanna and FigaroIt’s outrageous!CountEnough! Be silent! The decision rests with me.BasilioAs a man of reputationI come to join the deputationfor the proper compensationin the payment of a fee.Countess, Susanna and FigaroThis is madness, it’s complete and uttermadness!150151

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1521CountEnough! Be silent!Let me take a look at the contract…Yes, it all seems in order to me.Countess, Susanna and FigaroRage and sorrow and vexation,driving me to desperation.They have plotted with the devil,bringing sadness to my heart.Marcellina, Basilio, Count and BartoloWhat an ending to the story,now we smell the scent of glory.God in Heaven has smiled upon us,bringing gladness to my heart.COMPACT DISC THREEAct IIIA richly decorated hall prepared for a weddingfestivity, with two thronesRecitativeCount (walking up and down)This is very perplexing! That anonymous letter,then Susanna locked inside the dressing room,my wife getting flustered, a man who jumpsfrom the window to the garden, and thenanother, who claims he was the first one. I don’tknow what to think. Or could it be that anotherof my lackeys has got ideas above his station?Worst of all, the Countess; I doubted her, I2insulted her, her self-respect would never allowit. And then my honour, my reputation, whereis it now? Gone to damnation!Countess (entering with Susanna, and keeping outof sight)Don’t be afraid! Tell him to wait for you in thegarden.CountI must know if Cherubino really went to Seville.I’ll send Basilio to find out the truth.SusannaMy lady, if Figaro…CountessDon’t breathe a word to Figaro; leave it to me, Iwill go in your place.CountBy this evening Basilio should be back.SusannaMy lady, I dare not!CountessRemember, my peace of mind depends on you.CountWhat of Susanna? Who knows, maybe she’salready let the cat out of the bag. If she’sbetrayed me, I’ll make him marry that old hag.SusannaMarcellina! My lord!CountWhat do you want?SusannaYour lordship’s looking angry.CountJust tell me what you want.SusannaIt’s just… it’s just my lady, she’s got a slightheadache and she sent me to ask you for hersmelling salts.CountHere, take them.SusannaI will return them.CountEr, no, for maybe you will need them for yourself.SusannaWhat, me? Women of my class don’t suffer fromheadaches!CountNot even if they lose their fiancé on the day oftheir wedding?SusannaWe’ll pay off Marcellina with the dowry whichyou so kindly promised.CountWhich I promised? Really?3SusannaI thought that it was settled.CountYes, if you’d agreed to my little proposition.SusannaTo please your lordship is my duty and mydesire. I have no higher ambition.DuetCountHow could you be so cruel, making me suffer so?You were so cruel, making me suffer so.SusannaA girl needs time to ponder, should it be yes orno?CountThen you’ll be there this evening?SusannaYou speak and I obey.CountSwear you’ll be there to meet me.SusannaHow could I stay away?CountYou’ll meet me?SusannaYes!152153

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1544CountYou will not cheat me?SusannaNo!CountYou will not cheat me?SusannaI will be there; you speak and I obey.CountWith passion I am dying;feel how my heart is aflame.SusannaI see no harm in lying, you have to play the game.A tiny little lie is no cause for shame.RecitativeCountBut I don’t understand: this morning you wereso distant.SusannaThe page boy could have heard us.CountWhat of Basilio? You can always talk to him.SusannaDo you think that we need a Basilio?CountYou’re right: and you have given your word. Butif you disappoint me… What of the Countess?She’s waiting for her smelling salts.56SusannaYou should have known it was a trick, so that wecould be alone.CountYou’re wonderful!SusannaSomeone’s coming!CountShe will be mine!SusannaYou shouldn’t count your chickens before they’rehatched!Figaro (entering)Hey, Susanna, how’s it going?SusannaQuiet! We don’t need a lawyer, you’ve won thecase already!FigaroWhat has happened?Exeunt Figaro and Susanna.Recitative and AriaCount‘You’ve won the case already.’ What does thatmean? They are out to deceive me. Treachery!I’ll teach them to presume to attack me. Theyshall be punished; I’ll enjoy passing sentence.What if he’s managed to pay off Marcellina?78How could he? He’s got no money. And thenAntonio won’t allow his beloved niece Susannato marry such a nobody as Figaro. I will workon Antonio and swell his bloated pride. It willwork in my favour. I have decided.Must I be made to sufferwhile servants take their pleasure?He dares to steal my treasure,she should be mine by right.Must passion still torment me,must I stand by and bless her?Must Figaro possess her,caress her in my sight?Must this be so?Ah, no, I will not spare you,I’ll teach you to betray me!Impudent slave, how dare you!Is this how you repay me?You have the gallto laugh at me in my unhappy plight.Only the thought of vengeancefor all the grief you cause meconsoles me and restores me,and fills me with delight.(Exit Count, enter Barbarina and Cherubino.)RecitativeBarbarinaCome on, come on, Cherubino; I’ve got asecret: all of the prettiest girls in the palace aregathering in my house. But, frankly, very few areprettier than you are.910CherubinoAh, but the Count thinks I’m in Seville, in thearmy. If he finds that I’m still here, he’ll go barmy.BarbarinaOh, don’t be such a spoilsport! If he finds youwith a girl, it won’t be the first time. Listen…We’re all getting dressed up for the wedding; youcould come in disguise and join us giving flowersto the Countess. I’ll show you how it’s done;come on, it’ll be fun.(Exit Barbarina and Cherubino.Enter the Countess.)Recitative and AriaCountessAnd Susanna’s not here; I’m so anxious todiscover if the Count accepted her proposal.Perhaps our project is a little too rash when I’vea husband so impetuous and jealous. Butwhere’s the harm? That I should change myclothes and wear instead Susanna’s while shewears mine, under cover of darkness… Oh,heaven! So these are the mis’rable depths I amreduced to by a husband’s neglect. What anunpredictable mixture of passions rages in hisheart: he is disdainful, he’s jealous – first hewoos me, then rejects me, and then betrays me.Ah, he has forced me to conspire with servants.I remember his love so tender,all those sweet lies I longed to hear.Yes, he loved me, but, ah, how quickly154155

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 15611so much love can disappear.But my faith was my undoing,and my joy has turned to woe;still I can’t forget his wooingand the love of long ago.Oh, I hope my love will save mefrom this wilderness of pain,and the tender love he gave mewill be made to live again.I remember how he would love me,may his passion live again.(Exit the Countess.)CurzioThe case is decided; he must pay her or marryher. That is the verdict.MarcellinaWhat a relief!FigaroWhat a nightmare.MarcellinaAt last the man I love will be my husband.FigaroI appeal to your lordship…CountThe motion is carried, you pay up or getmarried. Thank you, Don Curzio.CurzioAnd thank you to your lordship.BartoloWhat a wonderful sentence!FigaroWonderful for whom?BartoloPunishment and repentance!FigaroShe’ll never be my wife.BartoloOh, yes, she will.CurzioYou must pay her or marry her. Those are theterms on which she lent you all the money.FigaroI’m a patrician; I may not be married withoutmy parents’ permission.CountBut where are they? Do we know them?FigaroTo be honest, I’m still searching. Give me tenyears or so, then I will have found them.BartoloYou mean you were a foundling?FigaroNot quite, more like a lostling. I was kidnapped.CountKidnapped?MarcellinaKidnapped?BartoloCan you prove it?CurzioAnd prove it legally?FigaroThe gold and jewels, and rich embroideredgarments which were found in my cradle andwere taken by the gypsies. All this is proofenough of my noble birth. But most important,I have a hieroglyph upon my arm…MarcellinaNot a mark stamped on your right arm?FigaroWho told you that?MarcellinaOh heavens! It’s him then!FigaroWell yes, it’s me…CurzioWho?CountWho?BartoloWho?MarcellinaRafaello!12BartoloKidnapped by gypsies?FigaroYes, near a castle.BartoloThis is your mother.FigaroMy wet nurse?BartoloNo, your mother.Count and CurzioHis mother?FigaroI can’t believe it!MarcellinaThis is your father.SextetMarcellina (embracing Figaro)Darling boy, let me embrace you.Oh, what joy that we’re together.Figaro (to Bartolo)Come to me, my dearest father.Can’t you see I’m moved to tears?Bartolo (embracing Figaro)Son and father reunitedafter all these lonely years.156157

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 158CurzioThat’s his father? And that’s his mother?Then the banns cannot proceed.CountNo, it can’t be… don’t believe it.That’s the last thing that I need.I will leave them here together,this is very odd indeed.MarcellinaI’m your mother!Kiss your mother!BartoloI am your father!FigaroBeloved father! Beloved mother!Susanna (entering)Noble sir, where are you going?Here’s the money that is owing.I have come to pay for Figaro,I have come to set him free.Count and CurzioGod alone knows what is happening,we had better wait and see.Susanna (turning and seeing Figaro embracingMarcellina)He’s embracing Marcellina!Lying toad! You filthy cheat!You’re a scoundrel!FigaroNo, Susanna!SusannaDon’t you touch me!FigaroListen, my darling…SusannaI’ll give you darling!Marcellina and BartoloSuch devotion, such emotion.Don’t you think it’s rather sweet?FigaroSuch devotion, such emotion.My Susanna is so sweet.CountAll the cards are stacked against me;but I won’t admit defeat.CurzioHe is so angry, all the cards are stacked againsthim,but he won’t admit defeat.SusannaI’m so angry I am bursting,but I won’t admit defeat.Marcellina (runs to embrace Susanna)Try not to be angry, my own dearest daughter;if I am his mother, I’m your mother too,a mother to him and a mother to you.Susanna (to Bartolo)His mother?BartoloHis mother.Susanna (to the Count)His mother?CountHis mother.Susanna (to Don Curzio)His mother?CurzioHis mother.Susanna (to Marcellina)His mother?Marcellina, Curzio, Count and BartoloHis mother!Susanna (to Figaro)Your mother?FigaroAnd this is my fatherwho swears it is true.Susanna (to Bartolo)His father?BartoloHis father.Susanna (to the Count)His father?CountHis father.Susanna (to Don Curzio)His father?CurzioHis father.Susanna (to Marcellina)His father?Marcellina, Curzio, Count and BartoloHis father!Susanna (to Figaro)Your father?FigaroAnd this is my motherwho swears it is so;my father, who swears it is so.Susanna, Marcellina, Bartolo and FigaroThis wonderful moment, this joyous reunion,it’s almost too much for my poor heart to bear.Curzio and CountSuch anger and torment are burning within me,unbearable, this fury of rage and despair.(The Count and Curzio retire.)158159

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 16013RecitativeMarcellinaThis is our little baby, the sweet memento of alove that has vanished.BartoloThat’s in the past, and it’s over and done with:but since I am his father, and since you are hismother, I suppose we should get married to eachother.MarcellinaToday? We’ll have a double wedding.(to Figaro)Take this; it is the contract for the money youowed me; it is your dowry.Susanna (throws a purse to the ground)Take this from my lady.Bartolo (does the same)And one from me.FigaroThank you. All contributions gratefully received.SusannaWe’d better tell my lady and my uncle of thisunexpected delight. Who could be happier thanI am?FigaroI am!BartoloI am!14MarcellinaI am!Susanna, Marcellina, Figaro and BartoloAnd if the Count is furious, well that will servehim right!(Exeunt Susanna, Marcellina, Figaro and Bartolo.Enter the Count and Antonio, with a hat in hishand.)RecitativeAntonioI must warn you, my lord, that Cherubino isstill lurking round the castle. If you’re lookingfor proof, I’ve got his hat.CountHow could that be, tell me, how? He should bein Seville by now.AntonioWell, in that case Seville is in my house. Therehe’s dressed as a woman, and there he left all hisother clothes.CountTreachery!AntonioCome with me, and you will see what you willsee.(Exeunt Count and Antonio. Enter the Countessand Susanna.)1516CountessThat’s amazing! But how did the Count react?SusannaHis face was a picture and the varnish was cracked!CountessCareful! If we enrage him, we may not defeathim. Now what have you arranged? Where areyou going to meet him?SusannaIn the garden.CountessLet’s fix a place. Write to him.SusannaMy lady, I wouldn’t dare.CountessI’ll take the blame. Yes, we’ll disguise it as apoem. Let’s say, a song to the breezes.(Susanna sits down and writes.)DuettinoSusanna…the breezes…Countess (dictating)Would you feel the gentle breezes…Susannafeel the gentle breezes…Countess…blowing through the trees tonight.17Susanna…blowing through the trees tonight.CountessYou can feel them in the pinewood.SusannaYou can feel them in the pinewood.CountessThat is all we need to write.SusannaThat is all we need to write.Susanna and CountessThat is all we need to write.RecitativeSusanna (folds the letter)That should do the trick! What’s the best way toseal it?CountessI know, let’s use this pin. It will do for a seal. Ihave it. We can write on the back: ‘return seal tosender’.SusannaYes, that’s ideal, that makes it sound mysterious.CountessSomeone’s coming: things are getting serious!(Susanna puts the note in her bosom.)(Enter a group of girls including Barbarina, withCherubino in disguise.)160161

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1621819ChorusGirlsGentle lady, may these presentsbring us favour in your sight.Pray accept these simple posies,roses red and roses white.For a simple village maidenmay not come with flowers laden;may the little that we give youbring you pleasure and delight.RecitativeBarbarinaMadam, with your permission, some girls fromthe village, we’ve come to see you, and hope thatyou’ll allow us to present to you this humble giftof flowers.CountessOh thank you, they’re enchanting!SusannaYes they are, they’re lovely.CountessBut tell me, who’s this? This little girl who’sblushing so shyly?BarbarinaShe is one of my cousins; she came to visit andto be here for the wedding.CountessLet us make our charming stranger welcome.20Won’t you come here?(She takes Cherubino’s flowers and kisses him onthe forehead.)Give me your bouquet. Don’t be afraid; she’sblushing. But Susanna, doesn’t she remind youof someone?SusannaThe spitting image!Antonio (entering with the Count and pullingoff Cherubino’s hat, replacing it with his officer’scap)Hey, what did I tell you! Here’s your missingsoldier!CountessOh heavens!SusannaJust our luck!CountWell, my lady!CountessMy lord, I can assure you that I’m as surprisedand as angry as you are.CountBut this morning?CountessThis morning we decided we would dress himup as a girl, just for a game: they’ve simply donethe same.21CountAnd why are you still here?CherubinoMy lord…CountYou will be punished, how dare you disobey me!BarbarinaDearest master, you remember what you saywhen you come into my bedroom to hug meand to kiss me: ‘If you love me, Barbarina, I willgrant your every wish.’CountThat’s what I say?BarbarinaOh yes. Well now, I have a wish, to marryCherubino. But don’t forget, I’ll always be yourlittle pussy cat.Countess (to the Count)Well fancy, what do you say to that?AntonioBravo, my daughter! She has rememberedeverything I’ve taught her.CountI’m in a trap, the devils, they’ve caught me! Thewhole world’s been plotting to thwart me.Figaro (entering)My lord, if you detain these lovely girls anylonger, there’ll be no party, no dancing.CountYou’re dancing? As much as your knee will allow!Figaro (pretends to straighten his leg, then tries todance)It’s feeling better now. Let’s join the celebration.Countess (to Susanna)This is a tricky situation!Susanna (to the Countess)Leave everything to him.CountYou’re very lucky, those vases were only clay.FigaroYou’ll excuse me, but we must be on our way.AntonioBut what about the page boy? Was he gallopingback from Seville?FigaroHe was galloping, maybe trotting, why shouldyou worry? Come on girls, we must hurry.CountAnd in your pocket was Cherubino’s commission?FigaroWhat’s all this? The Spanish Inquisition?AntonioNo point in waving, Susanna, he’s not looking.Here’s someone who will prove that Figaro’s a liar.162163

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 16422FigaroCherubino!AntonioGot it in one!FigaroWhat has he told you?CountHe’s told the truth; he says that he was the onewho jumped into the garden.FigaroWhat a copycat! Really! Since I jumped from thewindow, I presume that’s what he did!CountWhat, both of you?FigaroMaybe so. I’m not one to accuse when I don’tknow.FinaleFigaroNow I can hear them, the musicians.You pretty maidens must take up your positions.You take my arm, Susanna.SusannaHere I am.(All exit, except the Count and Countess.)CountI will kill them!CountessHow can I bear it?CountMy lady!CountessNo time for talking,we must bless the couples;our duty must be done.Remember, one bride has your special protection.Be seated.CountBy all means.I’ll sit and plan my vengeance.(The Count and Countess seat themselves onthrones. Enter Figaro, Susanna, Marcellina,Barbarina, Bartolo, Antomio, hunters with guns,court attendants and country people. Country girlsbring the bridal hat with white plumes, two othersa white veil, and two others gloves and a nosegay.They are followed by Figaro with Marcellina. Twoother girls carry a similar hat for Susanna,followedby Bartolo with Susanna. Bartolo leads Susanna tothe Count, and she kneels to receive from him thehat etc. Figaro leads Marcellina to the Countess forthe same purpose.)Two serving girlsAs true-hearted loverswe praise and applaudthe pillar of justice,our virtuous lord.Since his abolitionof shameful tradition,our pride and our honourare safely restored.VassalsWe all sing the praiseof our virtuous lord,our pride and our honourare safely restored.(Susanna, kneeling during the duet, plucks theCount’s sleeve, shows him the note, then reaches toher head in a manner visible to the audience, andwhile the Count pretends to adjust her bonnet, shegives him the note. The Count quickly hides it, andSusanna rises and curtseys. Figaro comes to receiveher, and they dance the Fandango. Marcellina risesa little later. Bartolo receives her from the Countess.)Count (takes the note and pricks his finger withthe pin as he opens it. He throws the pin to theground.)Ah! That’s typical of women:they never know the right place to stick a pin in.Ah! I understand now.Figaro (sees it all and says to Susanna)He is reading a letter whichsome floozy has handed him discreetly.The silly girl has sealed it with a needle.Look, I think he’s pricked his finger.(The Count reads the note, kisses it, looks for the2324pin, finds it and sticks it in his lapel.)Silly fool, now he’s dropped it,ah, now he’s found it.CountThis joyous evening, this double celebrationmust finish, as befits any wedding, full of joyand jubilation. My dearest friends, I invite youto a banquet with music, with fireworks; there’llbe dancing, there’ll be laughter. And may allthose dear to my heart live happy ever after.VassalsAs true-hearted loverswe praise and applaudthe pillar of justice,our virtuous lord.Since his abolitionof shameful tradition,our pride and our honourare safely restored.We all sing the praiseof our virtuous lord,and our pride and our honourare safely restored.Act IVA gardenCavatinaBarbarina (looking for something on the floor)I have lost it, I’m so stupid,ah, wherever can it be?164165

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 16625I can’t find it;cousin Susanna, and the Count,what will he say?(Enter Figaro and Marcellina.)RecitativeFigaroBarbarina, what’s happened?BarbarinaOh my cousin, I’ve lost it.FigaroLost what?MarcellinaYes, what?BarbarinaThe needle that his lordship gave me to giveback to Susanna.FigaroTo Susanna, a needle. Little girls are all the same,playing clever little games; bet you know everytrick in the book.BarbarinaWhat’s wrong? How angry you look!FigaroCan’t you see that I’m joking? Here we are! Hereis the needle, the one which the Count gave toyou to give back to Susanna; I presume it was26used to seal a letter. See, I know all about it.BarbarinaWhy do you ask, if you already know?FigaroI just wanted to see what he told you, when hesent you on his errand.BarbarinaNothing unusual: ‘Here, Barbarina, take thisneedle to the lovely Susanna, and tell her that itpoints to the pinewood.’FigaroAh, yes, the pinewood!BarbarinaThat’s right, but that’s not all: ‘Careful that noone sees you’, but you won’t say a word.FigaroNo, you can trust me.BarbarinaIt’s hardly your business.FigaroOh no, hardly.Barbarina (leaving)Bye-bye; nice to have seen you. I’m off toSusanna, and then to Cherubino.FigaroMother!MarcellinaMy son!FigaroI’m dying!MarcellinaYou must learn to be patient.FigaroNo use, it’s over.MarcellinaPatience, patience, and still more patience. Thisis serious, so let’s take one thing at a time. Forinstance, are you sure that you know who’splaying tricks on whom?FigaroBut what about the needle? Oh mother, it’s thesame one I saw the Count fingering earlier.MarcellinaThat’s true, that gives you the right to becautious, to be suspicious; but not in your rageand confusion to jump to a conclusion.FigaroOh, I’ll be watching: I know where they aremeeting, so I’ll know where to hide!MarcellinaWhere are you going, my son?FigaroMy revenge for all husbands has begun.2728RecitativeBarbarinaThe pavilion on the right, Cherubino told me.Is it this one or that one? Suppose he doesn’tcome? They’ve all been very generous; they’vegiven me an orange, an apple, a tangerine, ‘alittle gift for someone’: yes, they know who it’smeant for, it’s an open secret! My master hateshim, but I think he’s gorgeous. This cost me akiss: it doesn’t matter, I’ll get it back, and withinterest!(She enters the pavilion on the left.)(Enter Figaro in a cloak, and carrying a lantern.Then Basilio, Bartolo, a group of workmen etc.)FigaroThat’s Barbarina! Who goes there?BasilioFor heaven’s sake, you asked us to join you.BartoloWhy are you growling? You sound like apantomime villain! What is the meaning of thisludicrous meeting?FigaroAll will soon be revealed. For in this very spotwe’re to celebrate the union of my honest wifeand our noble lord.BasilioOh, that is excellent, now I begin to see, (and166167

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1682930they’ve managed the whole thing without me).FigaroJust be patient and stay in our positions, andwhen I whistle, come rushing out together.Recitative and AriaEverything’s ready; the hour of reckoning is athand. There’s someone coming… Susanna? Noone there. Darkness surrounds me… and I havebegun to understand how painful it is to be ahusband. How shameless to betray me on theday of our wedding. He was reading that letterand I was watching, little knowing I waslaughing at myself. Oh, Susanna, Susanna, whata blow you have dealt me! With all your girlishglances and your innocent laughter… whowould not have believed you? Why, it’s mad totrust women, they’ll all deceive you.You foolish slaves of Cupid,how can you be so stupid?Just look at what these women are,you won’t believe your eyes.Slavishly we adore them,prostrate ourselves before them.We’re worshipping the devil in disguise.They wheedle and chivvy us until we give in,perverse and lascivious, they drive us to sin;these tigresses, pawing us and clawing us sosweetly;these comets that shine on us and blind uscompletely;these sirens that sing to us,31these leeches that cling to us,these roses that prick us,these vixens that trick us,these daughters of Circewho show us no mercy,the monkeys that cheat us,the spiders that eat us,these witches, the bitches,pretending to love us,you know it is true.I see that you know what I’m saying,I see that it’s happened to you.You foolish slaves of Cupid,how can you be so stupid?Just see them as they really are:the devil in disguise.(Exit Figaro. Enter the Countess and Susanna,disguised, and Marcellina.)RecitativeSusannaMy lady, Marcellina says Figaro will be here.MarcellinaHe’s here already: you’d better keep your voicedown.SusannaOne lover’s listening, the other’s on his way toseduce me. The scene is set.Marcellina (leaving)I’ll hide myself in here.Susanna32My lady, you are trembling. Are you too cold here?CountessThe night is rather chilly. I’ll go inside.34Come quickly my beloved, I implore you.All of my being is waiting, aching for you.Do you not hear the voice of nature calling?Share my secret delight as night is falling.Figaro (aside)Caressing breezes make the treetops shiver.Now comes the climax of the drama.Night is whispering softly to the river.SusannaI’d prefer to stay here, if your ladyship will allowit; I want to take the air a while, to cool down.A breathless hush descends on all creation;nature trembles in rapt anticipation.Come, my beloved, while all the world reposes.Come, beloved, and I will crown your head withFigaroroses.Cool down! Yes, you need to!Countess (hides herself)Stay, and take your time then.(Exit the Countess.)SusannaHe doesn’t know I know, which is doubly delicious.Now I’ll teach him to be so damn suspicious!Recitative and AriaSusanna35RecitativeFigaroTreachery! Now I can see how she has deceivedme! Am I awake, or dreaming?(The Countess enters, followed by Cherubino, whois singing.)Countess (disguised as Susanna)It’s Cherubino.33At last, the moment I’ve longed for, when I loseCherubinomyself completely in the arms of my beloved.There’s someone there; I’ll go in and joinYes, I have scruples, but I will keep them hidden.Barbarina. Oh God, it’s a woman!Are not pleasures much sweeter when forbidden?This enchanted place, the silken touch of evening,mirror my secret desire, this fire that burnsCountessThis is impossible!inside me.See how the moon has shrouded its light to hideme.CherubinoThat’s funny! I know it’s dark, but that cloak –I could swear it was Susanna’s.168169

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 1703637CountessIf my husband appears, shame and dishonour!FinaleCherubinoI’ll approach her, oh so softly,seize the moment while I may.CountessAh, my husband, if he saw us,there’d be hell, yes, hell to pay.Cherubino (to the Countess)Susannetta! doesn’t answer,she pretends she hasn’t seen me.Very well, then!That’s a game that two can play.(He takes her hand and caresses it.)Countess (tries to free herself, disguising her voice)Don’t you touch me!Little rascal, will you get away from here?CherubinoSo flighty, high and mighty,but I know why you are here.Count (entering)Here she is, my dear Susanna.Susanna and FigaroHere’s the hawk to catch the sparrow.CherubinoWhy this cold and haughty manner?CountessI will scream if you don’t leave me!CherubinoFirst you’ll kiss me, and then I’ll leave you.CountessWhat an utter scandal this is!Susanna, Count and FigaroAh, this chills me to the marrow,for another man is here,and it sounds like Cherubino.CherubinoAre you saving up your kissesso the Count can have his share?Don’t be so prudish, it doesn’t suit you.Don’t you remember I was there behind the chair?CountessYou are shameless!Susanna, Count and FigaroHe is shameless!Susanna, Countess, Count and FigaroHeavens, how can we get rid of him,he will spoil the whole affair.CherubinoLet me kiss you.CountessOh heavens, his lordship!38CherubinoOh heavens, his lordship!(Exit Cherubino.)FigaroI must see what’s happening here.CountI will teach you better mannerswith a clip around the ear.FigaroThis will teach me to be curious,I was rash to interfere.CountServes him right for interfering,he’s no business being here.Susanna and CountessHe deserved that,and this will teach him to be curious,he was rash to interfere.Count (to the Countess)Now we’re alone together,come closer, my beloved.CountessI swear to do whatever you desire, my lord.FigaroI have always loved and trusted herand this is my reward!CountHere is my hand, my darling.CountessAnd here is mine.CountMy angel!Figaro‘My angel!’CountYour skin so white and tender,your hand so slight and slender,they thrill my heart with ecstasy,fill me with wild desire!Susanna, Countess and FigaroThis mad infatuationhas robbed him of his reason,his senses are on fireand he is blinded by desire.CountDarling, do not be cruel,accept this little jewel.(He gives the Countess a ring.)See how it burns and glowslike my heart within my breast.CountessIt is Susanna’s dutyto yield to your request.Susanna, Count and Figaro170171

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 172Although the plan is working,we’ve yet to see the best.Countess (to the Count)My lord, I see a light,I fear that people may be near.CountCome on my Aphrodite,let us hide ourselves in here.Susanna and FigaroObserve, you foolish husbands,and shed a silent tear.CountessIt’s very dark inside here.CountThat’s why we want to hide here;you’ll find the light is bright enoughfor what I have in hand.Susanna and CountessThe plot is working perfectly,exactly what we planned.FigaroShe’s following him quite willingly,I begin to understand.CountWho’s there?FigaroWhy should you care?Countess39That’s Figaro! I’ll hide.(goes into the right pavilion)CountI’ll follow shortly,you go inside.(disappears among the bushes)FigaroNight shrouds the world in mysteryas Venus in her majestydraws Mars to share her lechery;Vulcan will foil their treacheryand punish their deceit.Susanna (disguised as the Countess)Hey, Figaro, be quiet!FigaroThe Countess makes her entranceand times it to perfection.A crime requires detection,your husband and my Susanna,the thief and his accomplice,the villain and the cheat.Susanna (forgetting to change her voice)Be quiet, or they’ll hear you.I’ll stay till I have caught them,and vengeance will be sweet.Figaro(Susanna!) You want vengeance?SusannaYes!FigaroCountess, let’s find revenge together.SusannaHe thinks that I’m deceiving him,and I will play along.FigaroShe wants to set a trap for me,and I will play along.FigaroAh, if Madama wants to…SusannaCome on, what are you saying?Come on, no more delaying.FigaroHumbly I kneel before you,to worship and adore you.remember he betrayed youin this accursed place.SusannaOh, how I’d love to punish him!…FigaroThis is turning out delightfully!Susanna. . . to strike his stupid face!FigaroHer anger grows apace!SusannaI have the strong desire to strike him,to strike his stupid face!FigaroHer anger grows apace.Susanna (disguising her voice slightly)What passion makes you woo me?FigaroThe anger coursing through me!Let’s waste no time, my darling,give me your hand, my lady,and let me feel…SusannaI’ll let you feel this!FigaroDon’t hit me!SusannaYou want it, then take it,and here’s another!I’ll teach youif this is what you wanted,I’ll gladly give you this!FigaroBe gentle I beseech you.These blows are bliss and ecstasy.as sweet as any kiss!172173

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 17440SusannaYour shameless infidelity!I’ll punish you for this!Figaro (kneels)I surrender, my love,for your voice was so loving and tenderthat I knew all along it was you.Susanna (surprised )Did you really?FigaroHow could I mistake it?Susanna and FigaroI surrender, my love,to a love that is tender and true!Count (entering)I have lost her,I must have gone past her.Susanna and FigaroHeaven help us,that sounds like the master.Count (turns towards the pavilion in which theCountess has hidden, and opens it)Hey, Susanna!Where are you?Do you hear me?SusannaGood, she’s managed to fool him completely.41FigaroWho?SusannaThe Countess!FigaroThe Countess?SusannaPrecisely!Susanna and FigaroNow the play will be rounded off nicelyif we play on his innermost fears.Figaro (falls at Susanna’s feet)Ah, my lady, be mine I implore you.CountIt’s my wife! I have come without my weapon!FigaroI am bursting with longing before you!SusannaI am yours, for you know I adore you.CountAh, the traitors!Susanna and FigaroWe’ll be happy hereafter,love and laughter will dry all our tears.CountQuickly, bring your weapons!(Exit Susanna.)Figaro (pretending great fear)Ah, my master!CountQuickly, someone help me!Basilio, Curzio, Antonio and Bartolo (entering)What has happened?CountNow I will show youhow he’s cheated and betrayed me,just you wait and you will see!Basilio, Curzio, Antonio and BartoloI’m astounded,quite dumbfounded.Who in heaven can it be?FigaroI’m astounded,quite dumbfounded.They will have to wait and see.(Enter Susanna (disguised as the Countess),followed by Cherubino, Barbarina and Marcellina.)CountNo point in resisting,you treacherous woman,so much for insistingyou’re faithful to me!(The Count reaches into the left pavilion and pullsout a resisting Cherubino, then Barbarina,Marcellina and Susanna.)The page boy!AntonioMy daughter!FigaroMy mother!Basilio, Curzio, Antonio and BartoloThe mistress!CountShe’s everyone’s mistress;she stands on displayfor all the world to see.Susanna (kneels before the Count, holding herhandkerchief before her face)Forgive me, forgive me!CountNo, don’t even ask it!FigaroForgive her, forgive her!CountNo, no forgiveness!Susanna, Cherubino, Barbarina, Basilio,Curzio, Figaro, Bartolo and AntonioForgive her!CountNo!174175

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 176Countess (comes out of the pavilion and is aboutthe kneel when the Count prevents her)I beg your forgiveness for them, not for me.Basilio, Curzio, Count, Antonio and BartoloOh this is delusionand utter confusion;I do not believe what I see.Count (supplicatingly)My lady, forgive me!CountessI’m far more forgivingand so I say yes.AllThe voice of forgivenessshall end all distress.What a day of grief and sadness;what a day of mirth and madness;love has turned it into gladness,love alone has won the day.Lovers who revel in dancing and laughterwill be happy ever after.Do you hear the happy musicplaying for their/our wedding day?Yes, it is their/our wedding day.We must hurry,for it is their/our wedding day.© Jeremy SamsJonathan Veira as Bartolo with Glyndebourne Festival OperaMike Hoban176177

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 178Opera in English on ChandosOpera in English on ChandosCHAN 3099CHAN 3103(2)CHAN 3057(3)CHAN 3035178179

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 180CHAN 3010Opera in English on ChandosCHAN 3093The Opera in English series:CHAN 3011(2) Donizetti: Don PasqualeCHAN 3027(2) Donizetti: The Elixir of LoveCHAN 3083(2) Donizetti: Lucia of LammermoorCHAN 3017(2) Donizetti: Mary StuartCHAN 3073 Janet Baker sings scenes from Mary StuartCHAN 3003 Leoncavallo: Pagliacci (The TouringCompany)CHAN 3004 Mascagni: Cavalleria rusricana (RusticChivalry)CHAN 3005(2) Pagliacci & Cavalleria rusticanaCHAN 3008(2) Puccini: La bohèmeCHAN 3070(2) Puccini: Madam ButterflyCHAN 3000(2) Puccini: ToscaCHAN 3066 Jane Eaglen sings ToscaCHAN 3086(2) Puccini: TurandotCHAN 3025(2) Rossini: The Barber of SevilleCHAN 3097(2) Rossini: The Thieving MagpieCHAN 3074(2) Verdi: AidaCHAN 3052(2) Verdi: ErnaniCHAN 3079(2) Verdi: FalstaffCHAN 3068(2) Verdi: OtelloCHAN 3030(2) Verdi: RigolettoCHAN 3023(2) Verdi: La traviataCHAN 3036(2) Verdi: Il trovatore (The Troubadour)CHAN 3067 A Verdi CelebrationCHAN 3091(2) Bizet: CarmenCHAN 3014(3) Gounod: FaustCHAN 3089(2) Gounod: Faust (abridged)CHAN 3033(2) Massenet: WertherCHAN 3094(2) Berg: WozzeckCHAN 3019(2) Handel: Julius CaesarCHAN 3072 Janet Baker sings scenes from Julius CaesarCHAN 3081(2) Mozart: The Abduction from the SeraglioCHAN 3057(3) Mozart: Don GiovanniCHAN 3103(2) Mozart: IdomeneoCHAN 3022 Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The Knightof the Rose, highlights)CHAN 3054(3) Wagner: The RhinegoldCHAN 3038(4) Wagner: The ValkyrieCHAN 3045(4) Wagner: SiegfriedCHAN 3060(5) Wagner: Twilight of the GodsCHAN 3065(16) Wagner: Complete Ring CycleCHAN 3101(2) Janáček: The Cunning Little VixenCHAN 3029(2) Janáček: Osud (Fate)CHAN 3106(2) Janáček: JenůfaCHAN 3007 Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov (highlights)CHAN 3042(2) Tchaikovsky: Eugene OneginGreat Operatic AriasCHAN 3096 Elizabeth FutralCHAN 3035 Yvonne KennyCHAN 3099 Yvonne Kenny 2CHAN 3049 Della JonesCHAN 3010 Diana MontagueCHAN 3093 Diana Montague 2CHAN 3112 Barry BanksCHAN 3006 Bruce FordCHAN 3100 Bruce Ford 2CHAN 3088 Bruce Ford sings Viennese OperettaCHAN 3013 Dennis O’NeillCHAN 3105 Dennis O’Neill 2CHAN 3085 Alan OpieCHAN 3077 Andrew ShoreCHAN 3032 Alastair MilesCHAN 3044 John TomlinsonCHAN 3076 John Tomlinson 2CHAN 3078 Baroque Celebration180181

CHAN 3113 BOOK.qxd 20/9/06 11:24 am Page 182Bill CooperSir Peter Moores and Yvonne Kennyat the recording sessionsPiano provided by Steinway & SonsArtistic consultant to the Peter Moores Foundation: Patric SchmidtVocal and language consultant: Ludmilla AndrewStaging director: Charles KilpatrickTranslation research: Henrietta BredinMusic librarian: Jacqui ComptonRepetiteur: William ReltonRecording producer Brian CouzensSound engineer Ralph CouzensAssistant engineer Michael CommonEditor Jonathan CooperOperas administrator Sue ShortridgeRecording venue Blackheath Halls, London; 1–7 September 2003Front cover Photograph of Christopher Purves by Clive BardaBack cover Photograph of David Parry by Bill CooperDesign Sean ColemanBooklet typeset by Dave PartridgeBooklet editor Kara ReedPublisher Faber Music Limited (on behalf of Alkor-Edition-Kassel GmbH)p 2004 Chandos Records Ltdc 2004 Chandos Records LtdChandos Records Ltd, Colchester, Essex CO2 8HQ, UKPrinted in the EU182183

CHAN 3113 INLAY BACK.qxd 20/9/06 11:17 am Page 1MOZART: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGAROCHANDOSp 2004 Chandos Records Ltd c 2004 Chandos Records LtdChandos Records Ltd • Colchester • Essex • EnglandCHANDOS DIGITAL 3-disc set CHAN 3113(3)Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)Opera buffa in four actsLibretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, English translation by Jeremy SamsCount Almaviva...............................................William Dazeley baritoneCountess Almaviva...............................................Yvonne Kenny sopranoSusanna, her maid, betrothed to Figaro ...............Rebecca Evans sopranoFigaro, valet to Count Almaviva .................Christopher Purves baritoneCherubino, the Count’s page..................Diana Montague mezzo-sopranoBartolo, a doctor from Seville.......................Jonathan Veira bass-baritoneMarcellina, Bartolo’s housekeeper.......Frances McCafferty mezzo-sopranoDon Basilio, music master.................................John Graham-Hall tenorDon Curzio, notary.......................................................Stuart Kale tenorAntonio, gardener, Susanna’s uncle............................Graeme Danby bassBarbarina, Antonio’s daughter ................................Sarah Tynan sopranoGeoffrey Mitchell ChoirPhilharmonia OrchestraDavid ParryPrinted in the EULC 7038 DDD TT 163:57Recorded in 24-bit/96kHzCOMPACT DISC ONEACT I TT 45:14COMPACT DISC TWOACT II TT 46:21COMPACT DISC THREEACTS III & IV TT 72:22SOLOISTS/PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA/PARRYCHAN 3113(3)