My "Marriage" Favorite

I'm talking about Mozart's delightful "Marriage of Figaro". Yes, I'm talking opera again. This particular song is simply and charmingly "Mozart".

Quick opera summary: The Marriage of Figaro, recounts a single "mad" day in the palace of the Count Almaviva. Rosina is now the Countess; her husband, the Count is seeking the favors of Susanna who is to be wed to her love, Figaro, the Count's valet. When the Count detects the interest of the young page, Cherubino, in the Countess, he tries to get rid of Cherubino by giving him an officer's commission in his own regiment. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess conspire to embarrass the count and expose his infidelity. Meanwhile Figaro is caught up in a dispute with Bartolo and Marcellina, which ends when he is revealed to be their son. At night, all find themselves on the palace grounds, where a comic series of cases of mistaken identity results in the Count's humiliation and then forgiveness by the Countess. (Wikipedia)

Quick scene note: This is a Count's young page, in love with every woman in the castle, especially the Countess. His name is Cherubino.




Yes, this IS a woman dressed as a man. Mozart wanted a woman to play the part of a boy who was trying to indirectly profess his puppy love for a woman. (A married woman.) He preferred the woman's voice over an actual boy's voice. (Although, in this particular opera performance, they did a good job in making Cherubino, Francesca Provvinsionato, look very masculine!)

And you thought opera was boring!

This was Mozart's most popular opera. Written in 1786 and in Italian! He was delighted when he would walk down the street and people would be whistling his opera songs.