Was the marriage of Figaro motzarts favourite opera

Lorenzo Da Ponte’s adaptation of Pierre Beaumarchais's *Le Mariage de Figaro* represents a pivotal shift in the evolution of *opera buffa* (comic opera). While the source material was a politically charged stage play banned by Emperor Joseph II, Da Ponte transformed it into a nuanced libretto that bypassed censorship by shifting the focus from overt political subversion to psychological complexity. ## Sublimation of Political Conflict In the original French play, the protagonist’s monologue in Act V is a frontal assault on hereditary privilege and aristocratic entitlement. To ensure the opera could be performed in Vienna, Da Ponte replaced this with the aria "Aprite un po' quegli occhi," which redirects Figaro’s anger toward the perceived infidelity of women. This was not merely a concession to censors; it was a technical recalibration. By internalizing the conflict, Da Ponte transformed a class-based polemic into a universal exploration of jealousy and human frailty. The social hierarchy remains the engine of the plot, but the tension is expressed through the friction of interpersonal relationships rather than didactic political rhetoric. ## The Architecture of the Ensemble Finale One of Da Ponte's most significant technical achievements is the construction of the "chain" finale, particularly in Act II. Unlike the traditional Metastasian structure, which relied on the *aria di baule* (trunk aria) and a rigid sequence of recitative and exit arias, Da Ponte pioneered a fluid narrative structure. 1. **Additive Complexity**: The Act II finale begins as a duet and systematically adds characters until it becomes a septet. 2. **Dramatic Continuity**: Da Ponte wrote the text to support a continuous musical arc that lasts nearly twenty minutes without a break in the action. 3. **Versification**: He utilized varied poetic meters (such as *settenari* and *ottonari*) to signal shifts in the emotional temperature and the entry of new characters, providing Mozart with a rhythmic map for the orchestration. ## Linguistic Registers and Social Identity Da Ponte employed distinct linguistic registers to differentiate the social strata of the characters. While the Count and Countess speak in elevated, often archaic Italian characteristic of *opera seria*, Figaro and Susanna utilize a rapid-fire, witty vernacular. - **The Count**: His language is formal and imperative, reflecting his assumed authority. - **Susanna**: Her text is characterized by verbal agility and double meanings, allowing her to manipulate her social superiors while maintaining a facade of subservience. - **The Page (Cherubino)**: Da Ponte gives him a breathless, panting poetic style that reflects adolescent hormonal volatility, a departure from the more structured verse of the adult characters. ## The Transformation of Buffo Archetypes Da Ponte moved beyond the stock characters of the *commedia dell'arte*. Figaro is not merely the "clever servant" (*zanni*); he is a character with a complex past and a sense of dignity. By stripping away the more farcical elements of the *buffo* tradition, Da Ponte created a libretto that allowed for genuine pathos, most notably in the Countess’s laments, "Porgi, amor" and "Dove sono," which elevated the emotional stakes of the comedy to the level of high drama.