Scene Three: The Marriage of Figaro

In which forgiveness, and human recognition work their magic. But how well, and for how long? Maybe, nothing short of revolution will do?

Again, we skip on several centuries – from Augustine writing in what is present day Algeria, to Lorenzo Da Ponte and Mozart in Vienna in 1786, and The Marriage of Figaro. And on to the last act – and the complex masquerade that gradually sheds its masks as the imbroglio turns from conflict to harmony, mirrored in the music.

The Count approaches the Countess, believing her to be Susanna

The Countess is disguised as the servant Susanna who is engaged to marry Figaro, the Count’s valet. She is on her way to the assignation, which her husband, the Count, has been scheming to set up with Susanna all along. Susanna, now disguised as the Countess, looks on, as the two meet in the dark in the garden. Figaro is also watching and thinks, at first, it really is Susanna yielding to the Count’s seduction. Soon he realises his mistake. Then, knowing the Count can see them, Figaro makes love to the false Countess. This enrages the Count, who steps out and cries foul, calling for the guards – this is the opening of the last scene.

The Count rages at Figaro and at the supposed Countess, until everyone, all still in disguise (and, of course, all in the know except for the Count), begs perdono.

With defiant masculine pride, he refuses. This is a feudal aristocrat who has been angling for his droit de seigneur with Susanna and lives by a double standard as if by divine right.

The musical exchanges repeat his grandiloquent rejections of their pleas, his ‘no’ tolling to their entreaties.

Finally the real Countess sheds her disguise; she asks for perdono on behalf of all. The Count, and his supporters, seeing his mistake asks her, in a lovely, slow phrase that is marked, in the libretto ‘in a supplicatory tone’ to forgive him.

PLAY THE MUSIC!
OR- read from the LIBRETTO

Then there is a pause, the action all suspended, and a silence in the music – will she accept his request for pardon, his apology?

Or will she, follow his patrician lead, refuse?

With ineffable grace, she accepts his plea for forgiveness. (And this is, as I said before, the equivalent of an apology in Italian.)

She sings, Piu docile sono, E dico di si.

I am more amenable – (docile) – and I say I will.

And the moment of horror and quarrelling, betrayal and dishonour is lifted, up and away by the music of unity, serenity and pleasure, ending on the word, festeggiar – feasting.

Here the peacemaking power of the apology granted appears in all its beauty and promise of reconciliation.

It is striking that the Countess, of all the dramatis personae in the opera, reflects most intensely and inwardly on her state, her feelings and – her sufferings; she’s the most poignant, and by far the least comical person in the plot. Her blessing, healing forgiveness, arising from her love for her philandering and tyrannical husband and her wronged state, unites and delivers them all from strife. Da Ponte’s sharing out of the emotions definitely consigns this ‘docility’ to the female social role – in a comedic outcome that presents an absolute test case for ideas of feminine virtue.

A happy ending to a performance of Le Nozze di Figaro in Mexico City, 1960

The original play by Beaumarchais notoriously stirred up a furore and was banned by the King, on account of Figaro’s insubordination, and the plot’s critique of aristocratic privilege. The denouement of the drama is therefore ironical: the Countess has in the end allowed her husband, her master, to carry on as before. Mozart’s music puts a soothing patch over this bad cluster, but it may be that the rousing call to feasting with which the whole opera ends sings against that defeat. Few expect the Count to change his spots; he is clearly unregenerate. But the feudal values he stands for are eloquently and, even more important, persuasively condemned – as our hearts go out to the Countess. Her acceptance of his apology confirms forever the Count’s future behaviour (and any inclination to reproduce it among the opera’s huge audience) as misdeeds.

Now to my fourth scene.

• Sorry - The present state of apology
• Scene One: Io
• Scene Two: St Augustine’s Confessions
• Scene Three: The Marriage of Figaro
• Scene Four: Red Dust by Gillian Slovo
• Conclusion

SCENA ULTIMA
All is finally resolved:
The Marriage of Figaro – An Opera Buffa in Four Acts
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791)
Libretto of Lorenzo da Ponte (1749 - 1838)

Last Scene

Count: Help, help, weapons,weapons!
Figaro: feigning great fright The master!
Count: My men! Help, help!
Figaro: I’m lost!
Basilio, Bartolo, Antonio,Curzio: What happened?
Count: The villain has betrayed me, has defamed me, and you shall see with whom! Basilio, Curzio, Antonio, Bartolo, Figaro: They’re/I’m amazed, confounded
(Figaro: Oh what a scene, what fun!)
Basilio, Curzio, Antonio, Bartolo: I can’t believe it’s true!
The Count going to the arbour, hands out in turn Cherubino, Barbarina, Marcellina and Susanna.
Count: In vain you resist, come out, Madame; now you shall be rewarded for your honesty. The page!
Antonio: My daughter!
Figaro: My mother!
Basilio, Antonio and Figaro: Madame!
Count: The plot is revealed, and there is the deceiver!
Susanna: Pardon,Pardon
(all kneel) Count: No, no: do not expect it!
Figaro: Pardon, pardon!
Count: No,no, I will not!
Susanna, Cherubino, Barbarina, Marcellina, Basilio, Curzio, Antonio, Bartolo, Figaro: Pardon! etc.
Count: No! etc.

(the Countess emerges from the right-hand arbour)

Countess: At least I may obtain their pardon.
Basilio, Curzio, Count, Antonio, Bartolo: Heavens! What do I see! Delirium! Raving! I don’t know what to believe!
Count: kneeling Countess, your pardon! Pardon!
Countess: I am more merciful, and answer, yes.
TUTTI: Ah! All shall be made happy thereby.
Only love can resolve this day of torments, caprice and folly, into joy and happiness.
Spouses and sweethearts, to dancing and fun, and let’s have some fireworks!
And to the sound of a joyous march, hurry off to celebrate, etc.

At last, all contented,
We share our delight.
From a day at odds, tormented,
Full of follies and caprices,
Love at last unites the pieces
Putting former woes to flight.


Sing out, Hosannah!
Be happy, be merry!
And a toast, a joyful toast to those that marry.
Figaro and his Susanna
Let us celebrate tonight.
All in chorus,
Let us celebrate tonight!
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