DON’T MISS THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO - 713-228-OPERA (6737)
Saturday 23rd –SOLD OUT: Call for last-minute availability.
Wednesday 27th –98% SOLD: Loge, Grand Tier, Balcony seats available. Call for other sections.
Saturday, 30th –SOLD OUT: Call for last-minute availability.
Approximate Run Time: 3 hours, 15 minutes including 1 intermission
Brown Theater | Sung in Italian with English surtitles
A count, a countess, his valet and her maid: Mozart’s musical comedy of
manners is a cherished favorite around the world. Italian bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni plays the smooth Count Almaviva, who guards his wife (Ellie Dehn) jealously, while lusting after her maid Susanna (Adriana Kucerová). On the eve of her wedding to Figaro (Patrick Carfizzi),
Susanna and the Countess use their charm and wit to give the Count a
taste of his own medicine, with the help of the lovesick page Cherubino (Marie Lenormand). The acclaimed young American conductor James Gaffigan makes his Houston Grand Opera debut.
Colin Ure's Podcast Guide to The Marriage of Figaro (mp3)
Audio clips courtesy of Warner Classics. Music available on arkivmusic.com and iTunes.
Preview The Marriage of Figaro (YouTube)
Premier Guarantor
The General and Mrs. Maurice Hirsch Opera Fund
Guarantor
The Methodist Hospital
Grand Underwriter
The Brown Foundation, Inc.
Prelude
Three years have passed since The Barber of Seville, and Rosina
now lives at the palace as Countess Almaviva. Figaro has joined the
household as the Count's valet; Marcellina is the housekeeper; and Don
Basilio has been awarded the post of music teacher. New acquaintances
are Cherubino, the adolescent page; Antonio, the gardener; his daughter,
Barbarina; and Susanna, the Countess' maid, whom Figaro intends to
marry today. However, Figaro has borrowed money from Marcellina and has
promised to either repay the loan within a certain time or marry her. The Count, in the meantime,
has promised Susanna a handsome dowry, hoping she will give him the
feudal lord 's right to the first night. The Count had vowed to give up
this privilege after marrying Rosina.
Act I
Early morning in a room in the palace between the apartments of the Count and the Countess
Figaro is proud of the fine room and bed the Count has given him as a
wedding present. Susanna, however, refuses to move in, revealing the
Count's lecherous motives to her unsuspecting bridegroom. Figaro, seeing
his master in a new light, slyly begins to map out his revenge.
Meanwhile, Marcellina has summoned Doctor Bartolo to the palace to
enlist his aid in preventing the marriage. He promises his support,
realizing it is his chance to seek revenge upon Figaro, who thwarted
Doctor Bartolo's marriage to Rosina. Cherubino begs Susanna to plead his
cause with the Countess, so that he can remain in service. The jealous
Count wants to dismiss Cherubino and tries to bribe Susanna into
agreeing to a rendezvous in the park on her wedding night, but she
refuses him. Don Basilio intrigues on the Count's behalf and at the same
time slanders the page who, frightened out of his wits, has hidden.
Figaro collects the servants to proceed with the wedding. He leads them
in praising the Count for abolishing the droit de seigneur and asks the
Count to place the white veil, a symbol of virtue, on Susanna's head.
The Count refuses! The struggle has begun. The Count hopes that
Marcellina will help in postponing the wedding. Finally, he sends
Cherubino off to the regiment. However, Figaro has a bright idea. On the
sly, he asks the page to stay at the palace until evening.
Act II
Morning in the Countess' boudoir
Susanna has just told the Countess about the preceding events. The
Countess is very unhappy and longs to regain her husband's love. Figaro
devises a fresh plot against the Count: Susanna is to agree to the
rendezvous in the park, but Cherubino will put on her clothes and go in
her stead. To mislead the Count, Figaro has smuggled him a letter, which
hints that the Countess has a lover. As Cherubino is trying on the
Countess' clothes, the jealous Count returns unexpectedly. Cherubino
jumps from the balcony to escape, but Antonio notices him. Figaro
convinces the Count that it was he who jumped out the window.
Marcellina, Doctor Bartolo and Don Basilio enter and accuse Figaro of
lying. Figaro's wedding is seriously threatened.
Intermission
Act III
Afternoon in a palace hall
The Countess decides to take action. To make sure the wedding occurs,
she urges Susanna to invite the Count to a tryst in the park. The
Countess will keep the assignation, wearing Susanna's dress, and
surprise the unfaithful Count. The Count. realizing that he is being
mocked, plans to put an end to his servant's impudence and avenge
himself by backing Marcellina's claim, forcing Figaro to either marry
her or repay the loan. Once again, the Count's plans are frustrated: it
turns out that Marcellina and Doctor Bartolo, although not married, are
Figaro's parents. In addition, the Countess has given Susanna money to
pay Figaro's debt. The Countess resolves to show up her husband and
dictates a love letter to Susanna, sealing it with a pin, which is to be
returned as an answer. Cherubino, who has been hiding in the palace,
turns up again among a bevy of village girls led by Barbarina, who
presents flowers to the Countess. The Count is forced to hold a double
wedding: Figaro and Susanna, Doctor Bartolo and Marcellina. When Susanna
slips the Count the invitation, he regains his good humor and bids
everyone to join in the celebrations.
Act IV
Evening in the park of the palace
Barbarina has lost the pin that the Count asked her to give secretly to
Susanna. Figaro finds out about this and thinks that Susanna is being
unfaithful to him. In his jealousy, Figaro brings Doctor Bartolo, Don
Basilio and other guests to the rendezvous to expose the Count and
Susanna. Susanna punishes Figaro for his suspicions by turning up at the
park and pretending to be lovesick as she waits for the Count. The
Countess changes clothes with Susanna. Looking for Barbarina, Cherubino
enters and nearly ruins the Countess' plot. Figaro soon stumbles onto
what is happening. Everyone now participates in the game of putting the
Count in his place after he has tried to seduce his own wife disguised
as Susanna. Before the "day of madness" is over, Mozat1 lets everyone
experience a brief moment of harmony - alas, so brief!
- Synopsis by Göran Järvefelt
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