Trials and Tribulations of Writing Le Nozze Di Figaro

A man known for composing brilliant instrumental music for intimately of his career, made a commodious step in the world of opera on 7 May 1783. It was on this date which Mozart wrote a letter to his novice with the intentions of his next composition. In the advent years this spectacle would become Mozarts 18th Operatic Work and 11th in Italian, Le Nozze di Figaro. Already having 10 Italian Operas accredited to his name Le Nozze di Figaro seemed to be Mozarts greatest operatic challenge to date. The Burgtheater in Vienna was currently home to an Italian Company whom Mozart aspect would not last long however, now was doing beautiful business.There were many members of the Opera Company who could not wait to hold up involved in the project Mozart had in mind. Particularly the buffo bass, Benucci who was described by Mozart as Particularly good. 1 Despite having much interest by members of the company to aid his intentions, finding a libretto which appealed to Mozart seemed impo ssible. Hundreds of librettos were looked through, examined, acted out however, none seemed to be the perfect fit.Eventually Mozarts routine hand man at the time, the buffo bass, Benucci came across Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais outrageously cheeky play La folle journee, ou Le mariage de Figaro. 2 Just as Mozarts Figaro Beaumarchais play was not well judge in the beginning. Yet the way to acceptance was paved by the Viennese success of the first Figaro play by Beaumarchais, Le barbier de Seville. 3 Now having found a libretto to work with Mozart felt so many changes would have to be made. Writing a new text seemed easier to Mozart so having to work through and omitting parts of dis-interest possibilities which he had little time for. A new text Mozart felt would be better anyways.Mozart goes on in his letter saying Our poet here is now a certain Abbate da Ponte. He has a huge amount to do, revising pieces for the theatre, and he has to write per obbligo an entirely new libretto for Salieri, which leave take him two months. He has promised after that to write a new on for me. But who knows whether he will be able to keep his word or whether he will want to. As you are aware, these Italian gentlemen are very charming to your face Enough, we know them If he is in league with Salieri I shall never get anything out of him.But I should dearly give care to show what I can do in an Italian opera. 4 Supported by the letter to Mozarts father challenges were imminent from the start. One of the biggest was that of Da Ponte being available and willing to make changes to Beaumarchais existing work. Clearly unable at first being employed by Salieri Mozart had to ponder with the idea that his composition would not get started for at least two months, if at all. Mozart was worried about Da Ponte teaming up with Salieri, fearing he would then get nothing out of him.All Mozart wanted to do was show what he could do with Italian Opera. After a chequered career a s priest, preceptor, radical thinker and frequenter of married women, Da Ponte had recently settled in Vienna in the winter of 1780-81. He is described as having extensive talent and passion for poetry and the theatre which were all genuine. Aside from his incredible talents Da Pontes charm and good manners did the rest. His charm and ability to talk to wad and persuade landed him a job working for Caterino Mazzola, poet to the Italian opera at the Saxon court in Dresden.This eventually lead to the relationship which Da Ponte and Salieri endured as a letter of recommendation came in high regard from Maestro Mazzola. Upon arriving in Vienna he quickly put his charm and masterly intelligence to work by courting the aged Metastasio, renewed acquaintance with Mozarts admirer and patron Count Cobenzl and endeared himself to Count Rosenberg. Once the Italian company was set-up in Vienna at the Burgtheater he was immediately appointed resident librettist. Mozart rarely mentions Da Ponte s name in any correspondence he had with people like his father and Count Mazzola.Reasoning could be thought of in one way firstly and most obvious is the fact they lived only a some doors down from one another in Vienna so the need of corresponding through letters was not. For what some record as one of the most influential, dynamic and destined partnerships known in the musical world there is little known about the on-goings between Mozart and Da Ponte.In the months while Figaro was fetching shape and being composed Mozart resided in Grosse Schulerstrasse (the modern Domgasse), a short walk to Da Pontes office at the Burgtheatre. 5 Their partnership is easily explained through this restate where no source comes attached a composer who understands the theatre and a true poet, that pheonix, working together. Despite all these reasonings as to why Mozart and Da Ponte were such a dynamic, intelligent, forceful duo one question which lingers in ones mind might be why did their co llaboration not happen sooner? Afterall, Da Ponte had been in Vienna 4 years prior to them beginning their collaboration. Several different reasons exist.The first standing between Da Ponte and Mozart was Mozarts meticulousness and his increasingly acute striking sense. Mozart was not going to settle for less than first rate, or at any rate with the mediocre. Another reason was concern of his reputation and identity. Thirdly, was the readiness and availability of Da Ponte. Upon meeting with Da Ponte, Mozart learned that his soon to be partner was currently engaged by Salieri for another two months. Not knowing when or if Da Ponte would be ready to go by then did not cause Mozart to wait around fully willing and prepared he kept moving forward.Lastly, the presence and consistent seeking of Mozarts father for approval with everything he did. Being so brilliant minded one does not think on the same levels as that of regular society. Thoughts, processes, formulas, details are manu factured at a different level then the rest. Mozart was definitely in this category of people. The quick category if you will. One walks a fine line with this comparison however, the way Mozart took on projects and ways of capturing musical results could not be far off from the thought process of an engineer getting to the end result of a project drawing or building structure.Both professions meticulous in preparation, meticulous during winding and both having such an acute focus on what the finished product must be. Bridget Brophy succinctly summarizes the immense thought and time Mozart put into his composition and effect of his opera, Le Nozze di Figaro, in her book Mozart The Dramatist. Brophy does so by paying tribute to the devotion and fastidiousness in which he had with all his compositions and contrasts the evident musical outcome in his operatic writing. 6