Got this out again after doing Classical music and "Voi che Sapete" from that year... WOW
I love this opera. The music is so beautiful... and there's an interesting story behind it that's related to the French Revolution... 200 COOL POINTS to whoever finds it first!
Full Version: Marriage of Figaro
Guh. I saw the Dallas Opera Production of it last fall. Absolutely incredible. Also, it helps if you know the language. There are lots of bits that the subtitles just don't do justice.
True, true... but the biggest star is the music. Mozart really knew his notes, eh?
Anyway, still looking for the French Revolution connection...
Anyway, still looking for the French Revolution connection...
We've got a host of pieces from old curriculum. I agree with on "voi che..." I still love that piece. I have the whole opera, and it's fantastic. The music curriculum looks superfantastic this year. Of course, the USAD music writer will manage to kill it, dead. :\
I was in the pit orchestra for Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte at school last year. It was an amazing experience, and greatly increased my appreciation for opera, despite the fact that they sung an English translation.
A couple years ago I saw the Seattle Opera do Don Giovanni. It was kind of strange how the title character rode a motorcycle.
A couple years ago I saw the Seattle Opera do Don Giovanni. It was kind of strange how the title character rode a motorcycle.
QUOTE (zzzptm @ May 5 2009, 01:53 AM) 
Got this out again after doing Classical music and "Voi che Sapete" from that year... WOW
I love this opera. The music is so beautiful... and there's an interesting story behind it that's related to the French Revolution... 200 COOL POINTS to whoever finds it first!
I love this opera. The music is so beautiful... and there's an interesting story behind it that's related to the French Revolution... 200 COOL POINTS to whoever finds it first!
How about this: that Beaumarchais' profits went into funding the American Revolution???? I know it's tangential, but this was truly a raaaaadical play and opera (nice treatment of it in Amadeus as well).
No, that's the American Revolution, not the French one. Try again.
i love this piece, we played this during last years marching show
OK, the French Revolution angle...
TMoF was banned in France because it criticized the nobility. Ironically, it was the nobility of France that paid for underground performances of the opera and who lobbied - successfully - to have it unbanned, then packed the opera houses to watch it.
Then the Revolution happened. The opera didn't cause it, but instead was a sort of eerie foreshadowing.
TMoF was banned in France because it criticized the nobility. Ironically, it was the nobility of France that paid for underground performances of the opera and who lobbied - successfully - to have it unbanned, then packed the opera houses to watch it.
Then the Revolution happened. The opera didn't cause it, but instead was a sort of eerie foreshadowing.
And poor Beaumarchais got shabby treatment, to boot!
Still... amazing music...
QUOTE (zzzptm @ May 31 2009, 03:27 AM)
Still... amazing music...
Which then provokes an interesting question: DO you like MOF because of what Mozart (and da Ponte) did with it or in its original form (Beaumarchais' drama)? In other words, would MOF be known today if it were not for Mozart? A modern comparison: did Silence of the Lambs (movie) resurrect Thomas Harris' insipid career as a writer? Did the new Star Trek movie add another incredible dimension to a franchise that was fast losing its esprit de la vie??(I vote yes for all three)
I think the Mozart association did it for the drama, although "Barber of Seville" was already a hit... but MOF overshadows BOS because of the Mozart thing.
Buggs Bunny ROCKS in "The Rabbit of Seville"
Btw, I emailed USAD about the inaccurate lead-in information concerning the "Cosa sento" number. Here is my letter:
I gave a talk today at our annual coaches' clinic on the Music for this year, and while preparing for the talk, I noticed a mistake in the Music Resource Guide concerning the action leading up to the "Cosa sento" scene from Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro." The guide states "Cherubino runs to Susanna to tell her his problems, but they are interrupted by Basilio, the meddlesome music teacher, who has come to gossip with Susanna. Not wanting to be discovered alone with Cherubino, Susanna hides him underneath a dress draped over a large chair." The guide adds that "the Count . . . has just entered the room" and that's when the "Cosa sento" scene begins (page 21, USAD MUSIC RESOURCE GUIDE).
In every version of the Opera that I have found, this is not how it happens. In every version it is the Count who interrupts Cherubino and Susanna, and Basilio is the fourth to arrive on the scene. This is not trivial; this is important, because some hilarity ensues that would not happen without the Count coming in before Basilio. Let me explain.
Cherubino is telling his problems to Susanna, and they hear the Count coming, and Cherubino hides behind a big chair in the room. The Count puts the moves on Susanna, but before anything can happen, Basilio shows up. The Count then tries to hide behind the same chair as Cherubino! The actors must go through some quick movements here, as while the Count goes behind the chair to hide, Cherubino goes around the other side and sits in the chair, prompting Susanna to drape a sheet over Cherubino. So, when Basilio shows up to gossip to Susanno, Cherubino is in the chair covered by fabric while the Count hides behind that same chair. The Count overhears Basilio gossiping to Susanna, and eventually chimes in with, "Cosa sento"--what do I hear?
The rest of the scene then plays out as described in the Music Resource Guide.
The description, as written in the Resource Guide, not only leaves out some important details, it misses the mark entirely concerning a scene described by your author as "one of the most famous in all of opera." Ironically, on page 24 is an image of a Watercolor of the scene depicting "Cherubino hides behind Susanna's chair as the Count arrives" -- before Basilio!
This scene is indeed famous; much rehearsal time is spent with the comic timing of having one character go behind the chair while the other is climbing into the chair while the other is providing some slight-of-hand theatrics with the sheet that will cover Cherubino--it's a great scene, so let's get it right!
Btw, I emailed USAD about the inaccurate lead-in information concerning the "Cosa sento" number. Here is my letter:
I gave a talk today at our annual coaches' clinic on the Music for this year, and while preparing for the talk, I noticed a mistake in the Music Resource Guide concerning the action leading up to the "Cosa sento" scene from Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro." The guide states "Cherubino runs to Susanna to tell her his problems, but they are interrupted by Basilio, the meddlesome music teacher, who has come to gossip with Susanna. Not wanting to be discovered alone with Cherubino, Susanna hides him underneath a dress draped over a large chair." The guide adds that "the Count . . . has just entered the room" and that's when the "Cosa sento" scene begins (page 21, USAD MUSIC RESOURCE GUIDE).
In every version of the Opera that I have found, this is not how it happens. In every version it is the Count who interrupts Cherubino and Susanna, and Basilio is the fourth to arrive on the scene. This is not trivial; this is important, because some hilarity ensues that would not happen without the Count coming in before Basilio. Let me explain.
Cherubino is telling his problems to Susanna, and they hear the Count coming, and Cherubino hides behind a big chair in the room. The Count puts the moves on Susanna, but before anything can happen, Basilio shows up. The Count then tries to hide behind the same chair as Cherubino! The actors must go through some quick movements here, as while the Count goes behind the chair to hide, Cherubino goes around the other side and sits in the chair, prompting Susanna to drape a sheet over Cherubino. So, when Basilio shows up to gossip to Susanno, Cherubino is in the chair covered by fabric while the Count hides behind that same chair. The Count overhears Basilio gossiping to Susanna, and eventually chimes in with, "Cosa sento"--what do I hear?
The rest of the scene then plays out as described in the Music Resource Guide.
The description, as written in the Resource Guide, not only leaves out some important details, it misses the mark entirely concerning a scene described by your author as "one of the most famous in all of opera." Ironically, on page 24 is an image of a Watercolor of the scene depicting "Cherubino hides behind Susanna's chair as the Count arrives" -- before Basilio!
This scene is indeed famous; much rehearsal time is spent with the comic timing of having one character go behind the chair while the other is climbing into the chair while the other is providing some slight-of-hand theatrics with the sheet that will cover Cherubino--it's a great scene, so let's get it right!
QUOTE (acadecker @ Sep 3 2009, 11:47 PM)
Buggs Bunny ROCKS in "The Rabbit of Seville"
Also if you multiply the awesomeness of "The Rabbit of Seville" by a billion you get this:
sufferin' sucatash!
"Gotta kill da wabbit, gotta kill da wabbit, gotta kill da WABBIT . . . "
"Gotta kill da wabbit, gotta kill da wabbit, gotta kill da WABBIT . . . "
Wow. We haven't delved into Music yet, but I clearly remember that Basileo entry later in the piece, as you describe it. The hilarity is in Cherubino's dodging the count, not the teacher...
... sheesh.
... sheesh.
Hey, nobody's perfect; but USAD is trying to get stuff right--here is their reply to my letter:
I heard back from the author of the Music Resource Guide with regard to your concerns about the description of the “Cosa sento” scene. Here is his response:
In my attempt to telescope an extremely complex plot--all of which happens on stage before the scene in question--I think I did in fact over-simplify. The person who has written is correct: the Count does not enter the room but rather emerges from hiding.
I sincerely apologize for the error. I will ask our webmaster to post a correction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns.
So it's all good, and the correction will be posted; you can't ask for more than that!
I heard back from the author of the Music Resource Guide with regard to your concerns about the description of the “Cosa sento” scene. Here is his response:
In my attempt to telescope an extremely complex plot--all of which happens on stage before the scene in question--I think I did in fact over-simplify. The person who has written is correct: the Count does not enter the room but rather emerges from hiding.
I sincerely apologize for the error. I will ask our webmaster to post a correction. Please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions or concerns.
So it's all good, and the correction will be posted; you can't ask for more than that!
Yes we can, but guillotines would then be involved.
QUOTE (acadecker @ Sep 3 2009, 10:47 PM)
Buggs Bunny ROCKS in "The Rabbit of Seville"
Btw, I emailed USAD about the inaccurate lead-in information concerning the "Cosa sento" number. Here is my letter:
I gave a talk today at our annual coaches' clinic on the Music for this year, and while preparing for the talk, I noticed a mistake in the Music Resource Guide concerning the action leading up to the "Cosa sento" scene from Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro." The guide states "Cherubino runs to Susanna to tell her his problems, but they are interrupted by Basilio, the meddlesome music teacher, who has come to gossip with Susanna. Not wanting to be discovered alone with Cherubino, Susanna hides him underneath a dress draped over a large chair." The guide adds that "the Count . . . has just entered the room" and that's when the "Cosa sento" scene begins (page 21, USAD MUSIC RESOURCE GUIDE).
In every version of the Opera that I have found, this is not how it happens. In every version it is the Count who interrupts Cherubino and Susanna, and Basilio is the fourth to arrive on the scene. This is not trivial; this is important, because some hilarity ensues that would not happen without the Count coming in before Basilio. Let me explain.
Cherubino is telling his problems to Susanna, and they hear the Count coming, and Cherubino hides behind a big chair in the room. The Count puts the moves on Susanna, but before anything can happen, Basilio shows up. The Count then tries to hide behind the same chair as Cherubino! The actors must go through some quick movements here, as while the Count goes behind the chair to hide, Cherubino goes around the other side and sits in the chair, prompting Susanna to drape a sheet over Cherubino. So, when Basilio shows up to gossip to Susanno, Cherubino is in the chair covered by fabric while the Count hides behind that same chair. The Count overhears Basilio gossiping to Susanna, and eventually chimes in with, "Cosa sento"--what do I hear?
The rest of the scene then plays out as described in the Music Resource Guide.
The description, as written in the Resource Guide, not only leaves out some important details, it misses the mark entirely concerning a scene described by your author as "one of the most famous in all of opera." Ironically, on page 24 is an image of a Watercolor of the scene depicting "Cherubino hides behind Susanna's chair as the Count arrives" -- before Basilio!
This scene is indeed famous; much rehearsal time is spent with the comic timing of having one character go behind the chair while the other is climbing into the chair while the other is providing some slight-of-hand theatrics with the sheet that will cover Cherubino--it's a great scene, so let's get it right!
Btw, I emailed USAD about the inaccurate lead-in information concerning the "Cosa sento" number. Here is my letter:
I gave a talk today at our annual coaches' clinic on the Music for this year, and while preparing for the talk, I noticed a mistake in the Music Resource Guide concerning the action leading up to the "Cosa sento" scene from Mozart's "Marriage of Figaro." The guide states "Cherubino runs to Susanna to tell her his problems, but they are interrupted by Basilio, the meddlesome music teacher, who has come to gossip with Susanna. Not wanting to be discovered alone with Cherubino, Susanna hides him underneath a dress draped over a large chair." The guide adds that "the Count . . . has just entered the room" and that's when the "Cosa sento" scene begins (page 21, USAD MUSIC RESOURCE GUIDE).
In every version of the Opera that I have found, this is not how it happens. In every version it is the Count who interrupts Cherubino and Susanna, and Basilio is the fourth to arrive on the scene. This is not trivial; this is important, because some hilarity ensues that would not happen without the Count coming in before Basilio. Let me explain.
Cherubino is telling his problems to Susanna, and they hear the Count coming, and Cherubino hides behind a big chair in the room. The Count puts the moves on Susanna, but before anything can happen, Basilio shows up. The Count then tries to hide behind the same chair as Cherubino! The actors must go through some quick movements here, as while the Count goes behind the chair to hide, Cherubino goes around the other side and sits in the chair, prompting Susanna to drape a sheet over Cherubino. So, when Basilio shows up to gossip to Susanno, Cherubino is in the chair covered by fabric while the Count hides behind that same chair. The Count overhears Basilio gossiping to Susanna, and eventually chimes in with, "Cosa sento"--what do I hear?
The rest of the scene then plays out as described in the Music Resource Guide.
The description, as written in the Resource Guide, not only leaves out some important details, it misses the mark entirely concerning a scene described by your author as "one of the most famous in all of opera." Ironically, on page 24 is an image of a Watercolor of the scene depicting "Cherubino hides behind Susanna's chair as the Count arrives" -- before Basilio!
This scene is indeed famous; much rehearsal time is spent with the comic timing of having one character go behind the chair while the other is climbing into the chair while the other is providing some slight-of-hand theatrics with the sheet that will cover Cherubino--it's a great scene, so let's get it right!
http://usad.org/students/updates/currupdates_mus.asp
They updated the music resource guide with the correct information
!!
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