OPERA CLASSICS 8.660102-04 Apprenticeship in the Opera Studio of the Vienna State Opera, He Became a Member of the Ensemble in 1987

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Peter Köves DDD Peter Köves was born in Hungary and studied vocal pedagogy at the Academy of Music in Budapest. He continued his studies in Vienna, where he graduated with honours in Lied and Oratorio from the Musikhochschule. After an OPERA CLASSICS 8.660102-04 apprenticeship in the opera studio of the Vienna State Opera, he became a member of the ensemble in 1987. Since then he has appeared in a variety of bass rôles and sung under the conductors Claudio Abbado, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa and Sir Charles Mackerras. He has enjoyed repeated success as Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Colline in La bohème, Ferrando in Trovatore and Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro, having performed the last rôle on the occasion of MOZART the State Opera’s first visit to China. Peter Köves has also sung with the State Opera on tour in Israel and Japan, with the Vienna Volksoper and at the Salzburg Festival. Invitations to sing on radio and television have taken him to all parts of Europe. His broad concert repertory includes the Passions and Christmas Oratorio of Bach, the oratorios of Le Nozze di Figaro Haydn, Handel’s Messiah, the Requiems of Mozart and Verdi, the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven, the Fourteenth Symphony of Shostakovich, Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and the Cantata Profana of Bartók. Skovhus ¥ Mescheriakova • Halász • Girolami ¥ Breedt Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia Sima ¥ Monarcha • Roider • Klinger • Sáfár • Köves The Hungarian-based Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia was formed in 1992 by Ibolya Tóth, recording producer of the Hungarian Phoenix Studio, initially as a recording orchestra for Naxos. Under its permanent conductor, Béla Drahos, the Sinfonia also undertakes public concerts. The orchestra consists of the leading players in Budapest, including Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia • Michael Halász string and wind principals of the major Hungarian orchestras, many of whom have already recorded concertos for Naxos. The Sinfonia ranges in size from a Baroque string orchestra to an ensemble suitable for Haydn or Mozart, or, augmented, for performance of Beethoven. The orchestra’s recordings of Haydn and Beethoven symphonies and Beethoven’s Fidelio have met with particularly warm critical acclaim and its recording of Vanhal symphonies (Naxos 8.554341) received a Cannes Classical Award at Midem 2000. Michael Halász Michael Halász’s first engagement as a conductor was at the Munich Gartnerplatztheater where, between 1972 and 1975, he directed all operetta productions. In 1975, he moved to Frankfurt to work as principal Kapellmeister under Christoph von Dohnanyi and here he conducted the most important works of the Operatic repertoire. Many engagements as a guest conductor followed and in 1977 Dohnanyi took him to the Staatsoper in Hamburg as principal Kapellmeister. From 1978 to 1991 he was General Musical Director of the Hagen Opera House and in 1991 he took up the post of Resident Conductor at the Vienna State Opera. For Naxos Michael Halász has recorded works by Tchaikovsky (ballets), Wagner (operatic excerpts), symphonies by Beethoven, Schubert and Mahler, Rossini’s overtures and two volumes of Liszt’s symphonic poems, the latter described by the Penguin Guide as “one of the most successful collections of Liszt’s symphonic poems to have emerged in recent years”. Beyond the standard and purely orchestral repertoire he has recorded Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Orfeo, Fauré’s Requiem, Mozart’s Mass in C minor and his Kyrie in D minor, Richard Strauss’s Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Beethoven’s Creatures of Prometheus, cello concertos by Dvoﬁák, Elgar, Dohnányi and Lalo, and Rubinstein’s Violin Concerto (8.555244). For Marco Polo Michael Halász has recorded Rubinstein’s ballet music and Don Quixote, Goldmark’s Symphony No. 2, Miaskovsky’s Symphonies 7 & 10, Schmidt’s Symphony No. 1 and a pioneering recording of Schreker’s opera Die ferne Klang. Building on his growing prowess in the opera house, Halász has directed recordings of two greatly acclaimed complete operas, Fidelio (8.660070-71) and Die Zauberflöte. For the latter he won high praise from Gramophone and other reviewers. His most recent opera recording was of Don Giovanni (8.660080-82). 3 CDs 8.660102-04 12 660102-04bk Mozart US 20/3/04 1:04 pm Page 2

Janusz Monarcha Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791) Janusz Monarcha has been a bass soloist with the Vienna State Opera since 1991. He received his Master of Arts Degree from the Music Academy in Wroclaw (Breslau) and made his début at the opera there, before moving to Vienna. International recognition began through awards at competitions including the Belvedere in Vienna and first Le Nozze di Figaro prize in the 1984 Callas competition in Athens. He has received the Order of Cultural Merit from the Polish Ministry of Culture. Among rôles he has performed in Vienna are those of Boris Godunov, Gremin in Eugene Onegin, Sarastro (The Marriage of Figaro) in Die Zauberflöte, Zacharias in Nabucco, and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola. Concert performances and recordings include Verdi’s Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Verdi’s Rigoletto. Opera buffa in Four Acts Michael Roider Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte The tenor Michael Roider was born in Salzburg where he graduated from the classical secondary school before entering the famous Mozarteum, pursuing both vocal and violin studies. While there he served as a violinist in the The Count of Almaviva ...... Bo Skovhus Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra, the Camerata Academica and the Salzburg Pro Arte String Quartet. As a singer he was awarded prizes in the Salzburg International Mozart Competition as well as in the Schubert-Wolf-Lied- The Countess of Almaviva ...... Marina Mescheriakova Competition of the Vienna Musikverein. He made his operatic début as Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte at the Susanna, betrothed to Figaro ...... Judith Halász Basel Theater. After engagements and guest-appearances at numerous opera-houses, including those of Leipzig, Geneva, Karlsruhe, Bern and Graz, he was engaged by the Vienna Volksoper, where he made his début in 1994, and Figaro ...... Renato Girolami in the following year by the Vienna State Opera, where he continues as a member of the company. At both Viennese Cherubino, the Count’s page ...... Michelle Breedt opera-houses Michael Roider sings a wide range of various rôles, ranging from Lehár and Johann Strauss to major rôles of the lyric and character tenor repertory, including those of Herod in Salome, Laca in JenÛfa, Loge in Rheingold, Marcellina ...... Gabriele Sima the Painter in Lulu and Captain Vere in Britten’s Billy Budd. At the same time he enjoys a career in the concert and Bartolo, a doctor in Seville ...... Janusz Monarcha recital hall. Basilio, music-master ...... Michael Roider Alexander Klinger Don Curzio, counsellor at law ...... Alexander Klinger Alexander Klinger was born in 1972 in Vienna. He began his voice studies in 1997 at the Vienna Conservatory, and there attended the operetta class and participated in master-classes with Hilde Zadek and Walter Berry. He sang Ajax Antonio, the Count’s gardener and Susanna’s uncle ...... Peter Köves in Die schöne Helena in Blindenmarkt, Barinkay in Der Zigeunerbaron in Schlo§ Wolfpassing, Anthony Candolino Barbarina, ...... Orsolya Sáfár in Meisterklasse with the Vienna Volkstheater and at the Bavarian State Theatre in Munich, Jan in Der Bettelstudent daughter of Antonio and Rittmeister Koltay in Viktoria und ihr Husar at the Bad Hall Stadttheaterl, Rosillon in Die lustige Witwe at Two Ladies ...... Orsolya Sáfár & Gabriele Sima Ingolstadt, Mozart in Mozart und Salieri in the Radio Kulturhaus/ORF, Orlowsky in Die Fledermaus in Japan and Arzt and Bürger in Das Traumfresserchen at the Vienna State Opera. He has toured throughout Europe as Lieutenant Niki in Ein Walzertraum, Josef in Das Wienerblut and Georg in Opernball. In winter 2003 he took the part of Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus in St Pölten. Chorus of peasants, girls and others Orsolya Sáfár Born in 1979 in Zalaegerszeg the Hungarian soprano Orsolya Sáfár studied singing at the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest, completing her training there in 2004. She has participated in master-classes under Júlia Hamari, Agnes Hungarian National Chorus (Matyás Antal, Chorus master) Giebel, Ralf Döring, Bernd Weikl, Éva Marton, Anna Reynolds and Evgenij Nesterenko, and regularly gives recitals and concerts. She has collected a number of prizes at international singing competitions, including third prize and an Continuo: David Aronson • Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia extra prize at the International Joseph Haydn Competition in Hungary in 2003. For her outstanding work in Hungarian Michael Halász contemporary music she received the Artisjus prize in the same year.

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Wieland’s Das Märchen der 672. Nacht with the Vienna Chamber Opera. In 2001, she recorded the opera Serenata CD 1 71:54 ) No. 10 Aria: Non più andrai, interrotta by Louis Scarmolin. In the same year she sang Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail in Vienna. farfallone amoroso (Figaro) 4:01 From 2001 to 2003 Judith Halász was a member of the Vienna State Opera, where she performed the rôles of Najade 1 Sinfonia 4:07 in Ariadne auf Naxos, Woglinde in Rheingold and Götterdämmerung, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte, Tigerlilly in Peter ACT II Pan, Ida in Die Fledermaus, and a Blumenmädchen in Parsifal. ACT I ¡ No. 11 Cavatina: Porgi amor 2 No. 1 Duettino: Cinque … dieci … qualche ristoro (Countess) 3:51 Renato Girolami venti …trenta (Figaro, Susanna) 2:45 ™ Recitativo: Vieni, cara Susanna 3:53 The baritone Renato Girolami was born in Italy and studied singing in Rome with Sesto Bruscantini. After receiving 3 Recitativo: Cosa stai misurando 0:42 (Countess, Susanna, Figaro) his degree from the Munich Musikhochschule, where he studied with Ernst Haefliger, he participated in master-classes (Susanna, Figaro) £ Recitativo: Quanto duolmi, Susanna 1:31 in Berlin with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. He had his first engagements at Passau and Salzburg, and his success in the 4 No. 2 Duettino: (Countess, Susanna, Cherubino) latter as Leporello in 1989 led to his engagement by the Vienna Volksoper. From 1991 to 1996 Renato Girolami was Se a caso madama la notte ti chiama 2:32 ¢ No. 12 Arietta: Voi, che sapete 2:46 a member of the Vienna State Opera, and since 1996-97 he has worked freelance. His repertoire has included leading (Figaro, Susanna) (Cherubino) rôles in operas by Mozart, Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi and Puccini, with appearances in major opera-houses throughout 5 Recitativo: Or bene, ascolta, e taci! 2:31 ∞ Recitativo: Bravo! Che bella voce! Europe, in South America and in Israel. (Susanna, Figaro) (Countess, Susanna, Cherubino) 1:09 6 No. 3 Cavatina: § No. 13 Aria: Venite, inginocchiatevi 3:11 Michelle Breedt Se vuol ballare, signor Contino (Figaro) 2:42 (Susanna) Michelle Breedt obtained her Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. In 1990 7 Recitativo: Ed aspettaste il giorno ¶ Recitativo: Quante buffonerie! 2:29 she moved to Germany where she entered the Cologne Opera Studio, thereafter joining the ensemble of the State fissato a le sue nozze 1:06 (Countess, Susanna, Cherubino, Count) Theatre in Brunswick subsequent to launching a freelance career. It was there that she started to work with Brigitte (Bartolo, Marcellina) • Recitativo: Che novità 1:08 Fassbaender as stage director and teacher. Their collaboration includes the operas Carmen, Werther, Pelléas et 8 No. 4 Aria: La vendetta, oh, la vendetta 3:13 (Count, Countess) Mélisande and Der Rosenkavalier. Brigitte Fassbaender continues to advise her on repertoire and vocal technique. (Bartolo) ª No. 14 Terzetto: Susanna, or via, sortite Michelle Breedt has sung in major opera-houses such as the Vienna State Opera where she is a regular guest, the 9 Recitativo: Tutto ancor non ho perso 0:43 (Count, Countess, Susanna) 3:22 Bastille Opera in Paris, Semperoper in Dresden, Staatsoper Hamburg, San Carlo Naples, São Carlos Lisbon and many (Marcellina, Susanna) º Recitativo: Dunque voi non aprite? 0:56 others. She has an extensive operatic repertoire which encompasses the Mozart mezzo-soprano rôles, bel canto rôles 0 No. 5 Duettino: Via resti servita, (Count, Countess) such as Adalgisa in Norma, Romeo in I Capuleti e I Montecchi as well as Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther, Carmen, madama brillante (Susanna, Marcellina) 2:20 ⁄ No. 15 Duettino: Aprite, presto, aprite 1:09 Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier, the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos and Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde. In the ! Recitativo: Va’ là, vecchia pedante 2:02 (Susanna, Cherubino) summer of 2000 she made her highly acclaimed Bayreuth début as Magdalena in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. In (Susanna, Cherubino) ¤ Recitativo: Oh, guarda il demonietto! 2002 the Vienna State Opera awarded Michelle Breedt the Eberhard Waechter Medal for her outstanding @ No. 6 Aria: Non so più cosa son, cosa faccio 2:28 (Susanna) 0:17 achievements at the State Opera, especially for her interpretation of the rôle of Anja in Der Riese vom Steinfeld. She (Cherubino) ‹ Recitativo: Tutto è come il lasciai 1:22 has an active concert and recital career, and since 1997 has been a regular performer at the famous Schubertiade in # Recitativo: Ah son perduto! 3:39 (Count, Countess) Austria. She is also to be heard at the Wigmore Hall in London, in the Berlin Philharmonie, and Musikverein in (Cherubino, Susanna, Count, Basilio) Vienna. Her recordings include Korngold’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Dvoﬁák’s Wanda under Gerd Albrecht, $ No. 7 Terzetto: Cosa sento! Tosto andate 4:17 both of which won the German Critics Award. (Susanna, Basilio, Count) CD 2 61:58 % Recitativo: Basilio, in traccia tosto Gabriele Sima di Figaro volate 0:59 ACT II (cont.) Gabriele Sima was born in Salzburg, beginning her vocal training at the Mozarteum there from the age of fourteen, (Count, Susanna, Cherubino, Basilio) 1 No. 16 Finale: Esci omai, garzon malnato 2:31 her musical development strongly influenced by the study of performance practice with Nikolaus Harnoncourt. She ^ No. 8 Chorus: Giovani liete fiori spargete 1:11 (Count, Countess) was victorious in the Maria Callas Competition in Athens and continued her studies at the Opera School of the Vienna & Recitativo: Cos’è questa commedia? 1:25 2 Susanna! . . . Signore 1:28 Music Academy and then at the Opera Studio of the Vienna State Opera. She was a member, thereafter, of the Vienna (Count, Figaro, Susanna) (Count, Countess, Susanna) State Opera, appearing together with singers of the highest international distinction and undertaking rôles that included * No. 9 Chorus: Giovani liete fiori spargete 0:56 3 Susanna, son morta 3:11 Octavian, Idamante, Rosina, Cherubino, Zerlina, Annio, Fyodor, Orlofsky, Siebel and Hänsel. Her career has brought ( Recitativo: Evviva! 1:12 (Countess, Susanna, Count) appearances in major opera-houses in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, France, China and Japan, and collaboration with (Figaro, Susanna, Basilio, Cherubino, Count) 4 Signori, di fuori 3:32 some of the world’s leading conductors, as well as in a series of recordings for major record companies. (Figaro, Count, Countess, Susanna) 8.660102-04 10 3 8.660102-04 660102-04bk Mozart US 20/3/04 1:04 pm Page 4

5 Ah, signor . . . signor . . . 6:07 CD 3 52:48 makes off quickly. $ Now the Count is left with his pretends to woo the supposed Countess, Susanna in her (Antonio, Count, Countess, Susanna, Figaro) supposed Susanna, giving her a ring and money, and disguise, moving together to the left-hand pavilion. ^ 6 Voi, signor, che giusto siete 3:51 ACT IV trying to lead her into the pavilion on the left. % Figaro The Count intervenes, calling loudly for witnesses as he (Marcellina, Bartolo, Basilio, Susanna, 1 No. 24 Cavatina: L’ho perduta … emerges, to challenge the couple. The Countess pretends unmasks Figaro as his wife’s lover and rushes into the Countess, Count, Figaro) me meschina ... (Barbarina) 1:51 to be afraid and takes refuge in the pavilion on the right, pavilion on the left, where he finds Cherubino, Barbarina, 2 Recitativo: Barbarina, cos’hai? 1:26 while the Count moves away. Susanna, imitating the Marcellina and the woman he supposes to be his wife. ACT III (Figaro, Barbarina, Marcellina) voice of the Countess, urges Figaro to keep quiet, The true Countess emerges from the other pavilion, her 7 Recitativo: Che imbarazzo è mai questo! 2:32 3 Recitativo: Madre! …… Figlio! 0:57 agreeing to watch her supposed husband’s infidelity. identity now clear. All ends in forgiveness and the Count (Count, Countess, Susanna) (Figaro, Marcellina) Figaro, however, recognises Susanna’s voice and urges seeks his wife’s pardon for his behaviour. 8 No. 17 Duettino: Crudel! Perché finora 2:39 4 Recitativo: Presto avvertiam Susanna 0:38 her to be calm, in spite of her anger at his behaviour. The (Count, Susanna) (Marcellina) Count returns, approaching the pavilion, and Figaro now Keith Anderson 9 Recitativo: E perché fosti meco 0:45 5 No. 25 Aria: Il capro e la capretta 3:48 (Count, Susanna, Figaro) (Marcellina) 0 No. 18 Recitativo & Aria: 6 Recitativo: Nel padiglione a manca 2:09 Hai già vinta la causa! … (Barbarina, Figaro, Basilio, Bartolo) Bo Skovhus Vedrò, mentr’io sospiro (Count) 4:50 7 No. 26 Aria: In quegl’anni, in cui val poco 4:08 Born in Ikast, the Danish baritone Bo Skovhus studied at the Music College of Aarhus, at the Royal Academy for ! Recitativo: é decisa la lite 2:10 (Basilio) Opera of Copenhagen and in New York. A star of the Vienna State Opera, he regularly appears also at the Vienna (Don Curzio, Marcellina, Figaro, Bartolo) 8 No. 27 Recitativo & Aria: Tutto è disposto … Musikverein and at the Vienna Konzerthaus. In April 1997 he received the important Austrian title of Kammersänger. @ No. 19 Sestetto: Riconosci in questo amplesso 5:14 Aprite un po’ quegl’occhi (Figaro) 4:06 Besides his performances with the leading opera houses and orchestras in Europe, America and Japan, Bo Skovhus (Marcellina, Figaro, Bartolo, 9 Recitativo: Signora, ella mi disse 0:57 devotes a large part of his time to Lieder recitals, and is considered one of the top Lieder interpreters of his generation, Don Curzio, Count, Susanna) (Susanna, Marcellina, Countess, Figaro) with invitations to important festivals and music centres all over the world. His operatic repertoire includes leading # Recitativo: Eccovi, o caro amico 1:07 0 No. 28 Recitativo & Aria: baritone rôles in Mozart and extends to operas by Richard Strauss, Alban Berg, Benjamin Britten and Tchaikovsky, (Marcellina, Bartolo, Susanna, Figaro) Giunse al fin il momento … as well as to works such as Lehár’s Lustige Witwe and Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus. In concert Bo Skovhus has $ Recitativo: Andiam, andiam, bel paggio 0:42 Deh, vieni, non tardar (Susanna) 4:26 performed with the most distinguished orchestras throughout Europe, the United States, and the Far East. Within his (Barbarina, Cherubino) ! Recitativo: Perfida! E in quella forma 0:44 considerable repertoire he has specialised in works by Gustav Mahler, Scandinavian composers, and in pieces such as % No. 20 Recitativo & Aria: E Susanna non vien! … (Figaro, Cherubino, Countess) Frank Martin’s Jedermann Monologue and Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony. He has collaborated with some of the most Dove sono i bei momenti (Countess) 5:57 @ No. 29 Finale: Pian pianin le andrò più presso 1:29 distinguished conductors and his recordings include examples of his performances in opera, concert and recital. ^ Recitativo: Io vi dico, signor 0:29 (Cherubino, Countess) (Antonio, Count) # Ecco qui la mia Susanna! 4:58 & Recitativo: Cosa mi narri! 0:29 (Count, Susanna, Figaro, Cherubino, Countess) Marina Mescheriakova (Countess, Susanna) $ Tutto è tranquillo e placido 3:53 The Russian soprano Marina Mescheriakova has established herself as one of the most exciting voices in the opera * No. 21 Duettino: Canzonetta sull aria … (Figaro, Susanna) and concert world. She performs leading rôles at the Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Vienna State Opera, Salzburg Che soave zeffiretto (Susanna, Countess) 3:00 % Pace, pace, mio dolce tesoro 2:00 Festival, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, Berlin State Opera, and the Teatro San Carlo in ( Recitativo: Piegato è il foglio 0:24 (Figaro, Susanna, Count) Naples. She has also appeared as soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, (Susanna, Countess) ^ Gente, gente, all’armi, all’armi! 5:13 and Bavarian Radio Symphony. Her operatic repertoire includes the major Verdi and bel canto heroines (Leonora, ) No. 22 Chorus: Ricevete, o padroncina 1:13 (Count, Figaro, Basilio, Antonio, Susanna, Luisa Miller, Elisabetta, Norma, Maria Stuarda, Alice in Robert le Diable), in addition to Madama Butterfly, ¡ Recitativo: Queste sono, Madama 3:17 Barbarina, Cherubino, Marcellina, Countess) Rachmaninov’s Francesca da Rimini, and Rubinstein’s The Demon. She studied at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in (Barbarina, Countess, Susanna, Moscow. Antonio, Count, Cherubino, Figaro) APPENDIX ™ No. 23 Finale: Ecco la marcia, andiamo 6:30 & Act II: No. 13a Arietta: Un moto di gioia 3:41 Judith Halász (Figaro, Susanna, Count, Countess, Chorus) (Susanna) Judith Halász was born in 1977 in Hamburg and began her voice studies at the Vienna Conservatory with Hilda De * Act IV: No. 28a Rondo, K.577: Groote and Julia Conwell. She participated in master-classes with Hilde Zadek, Walter Berry, and Patricia Wise, and Al desio di chi t’adora (Susanna) 6:23 completed her studies with a diploma in acting in 2002. In 2000 she took part in the world première of Jan Müller- 8.660102-04 4 9 8.660102-04 660102-04bk Mozart US 20/3/04 1:04 pm Page 8

Rafaello, of whom Dr Bartolo was the father. @ She understands its importance and picks it up again. Figaro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) seeks to embrace her son. Susanna enters, ready with observes this and thinks that it must be a love letter that money to pay Figaro’s debt. Seeing him with Marcellina, the Count is holding. All ends in apparent satisfaction. Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) she imagines them already married, but soon all is The Count orders wedding celebrations for the evening. In Mozart’s native Salzburg, where he had been The opera won considerable success in Vienna, at explained. # Marcellina forgives Figaro his debt. She Figaro will be married and the Count, he thinks, will have intermittently employed at the court of his father’s least among the conoscenti, and subsequently in Prague, and Dr Bartolo will marry, while Figaro is free to marry his way. patron, the Archbishop, there had been little opportunity where enthusiasm was more general. It was revived in Susanna. $ They leave, and Barbarina rushes in with for the composition of opera, a form towards which his Vienna in 1789, when a new arietta in the second act and Cherubino, whom she promises to disguise as a girl. CD 3 ambitions had always tended. As a boy he had responded a rondo in the last act were provided for Susanna, and in % As they go, the Countess returns, eager to know how Act IV: 1 The fourth act is set in the castle gardens, with to opportunities offered in Milan and in 1781 saw his the following years. The part of Susanna had been taken Susanna has fared with the Count. She goes on to lament two pavilions, one to the right and one to the left. It is opera Idomeneo staged in Munich. In the same year, by Nancy Storace in 1786. In 1789 the rôle was taken by her husband’s inconstancy and the days of love that are night. Barbarina is searching for a pin she had dropped, during a visit to Vienna in the entourage of the Adriana Ferraresi del Bene, Da Ponte’s mistress, and now gone. ^ She goes out, and the Count comes in, with 2 the pin, as she explains to Figaro, who has entered with Archbishop, he broke with his employer, establishing Mozart followed his usual custom of tailoring the music Antonio, who explains to his master that Cherubino is Marcellina, that the Count had told her to give to himself in the imperial capital in initially successful but to suit the singers involved. The choice of subject had still at the castle and is in Antonio’s house, disguising Susanna. This had been used to seal the letter that precarious independence. An early opportunity came in a seemed, in the climate of the time, open to criticism and himself as a girl. & They leave and the Countess and Susanna had secretly given the Count. 3 She goes, and German opera, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, for the the play by Beaumarchais had, in fact, been banned as Susanna return, the former telling her maid to take down Figaro now suspects the worst, resolving to confront the new German company encouraged by the Emperor. It possibly subversive in its overt ridicule of the aristocracy a note that she will dictate, arranging a meeting with the pair of them. 4 Marcellina, left alone, decides to warn was only in 1786 that a further chance offered itself with and satire directed at particular individuals in French Count. * The note is duly written, to be read back again Susanna. 5 She wonders why men and women cannot a commission for an Italian opera for the court theatre. society, while a proposed performance by a German to her mistress by Susanna. ( The missive is sealed by a live comfortably together like animals. This was a setting of a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte theatrical troupe in Vienna met a similar official reaction. pin that the Count is asked to return, and hidden by 6 As they go, Barbarina runs in and enters the based on the second of the plays by Beaumarchais on the In the event the play was first staged in Paris in public in Susanna, as others are heard approaching. ) The girls of pavilion on the left, where she will meet Cherubino. subject of Figaro, barber of Seville and now steward to 1784, winning, at the very least, a considerable succès de the estate now come to honour the Countess, led by Figaro appears with Don Basilio and Dr Bartolo, Count Almaviva, whose marriage he had successfully scandale. In Vienna Da Ponte’s libretto met with the Barbarina and including, in their midst, the disguised witnesses to Susanna’s infidelity, and tells them to hide, aided. Emperor’s approval, an idiomatic translation of the Cherubino. ¡ Barbarina introduces Cherubino as her until he gives the signal. 7 Basilio tells Dr Bartolo what original French play into Italian operatic form. cousin, and he offers flowers to the Countess, to be is going on and recounts his own behaviour as a young rewarded by a kiss that makes him blush. They are joined man, before he learned that it was better to act the fool. Synopsis by the Count and Antonio, the former forewarned by 8 Alone, Figaro, now fired with jealousy of Susanna, has Antonio, who has given him the hat Cherubino had everything ready: 9 men should open their eyes and see CD 1 her, employing the music-master Don Basilio as a go- dropped. He recognises his page at once. His anger is what women are really like. He conceals himself. The Act I: After the sparkling Overture 1, the curtain rises between, since he seems to regret his abnegation of the only deflected by Barbarina, who asks for the boy as her Countess and Susanna, each disguised as the other, and on a half-furnished room in the castle of Count custom of droit de seigneur. 6 Figaro, alone, now husband. Figaro comes in, ready for the festivities, but Marcellina enter the garden. Marcellina withdraws to the Almaviva. 2 Figaro, the Count’s personal servant, is realises the Count’s intentions and resolves to teach him awakening the Count’s suspicion, since any lameness he pavilion on the left, while Susanna will take the air by the measuring the room for their bed, while the girl he is to a lesson and turn the tables on him. had once claimed after his alleged leap from the window laurel bushes and the Countess hide nearby. They are marry, Susanna, the Countess’s maid, is looking in the 7 Dr Bartolo, former guardian of the Countess, and seems to have vanished. The Count questions Figaro, overheard by Figaro. 0 Susanna now teases Figaro with mirror, adjusting her bonnet. Both are busy with their Marcellina, once his housekeeper and mistress and now who claims that if Cherubino has admitted jumping from her resolve to meet the one she loves. * In her alternative own activities. Susanna asks Figaro to look at her new in the service of the Count, enter. Marcellina is seeking the window, he could have jumped as well. ™ A march rondo she adds reproaches of her beloved for his neglect. bonnet, which he now admires. 3 Susanna has some advice on money that she is owed by Figaro, who, in is heard, and Figaro takes charge, ordering everyone to ! Figaro is horrified at what he supposes to be Susanna’s doubt about the Count’s apparent generosity in allowing default, must marry her, although she is considerably their places. The Count and Countess sit, ready to receive infidelity. Cherubino appears, in uniform, ready to meet them the room. 4 It is conveniently placed, next to the older than he is. 8 Bartolo, outwitted by Figaro, who the couples to be married. Two girls praise the Count for Barbarina, but sees the Countess in her disguise as Count’s and the Countess’s apartments, so that Susanna had cheated him out of his ward and her money, seeks his wisdom and generosity in giving up the droit de Susanna. @ He approaches her, but she tells him to be can answer the bell when the Countess rings, and Figaro revenge. If Susanna rejects the Count as a lover, then seigneur. During the wedding dance that follows the gone. # He tries to kiss her, but succeeds in kissing the the Count. It is also dangerously convenient for the surely he will not give her the dowry he has promised on Count pricks his finger on the pin that sealed the note that Count, who has intervened, while Figaro has observed Count and Susanna, should the Count so desire. 5 her coming marriage and Figaro will then have to marry Susanna had managed to pass to him. He drops the pin, everything, to the real Susanna’s amusement. Cherubino Susanna tells Figaro of the Count’s attempts to seduce Marcellina. 9 Bartolo leaves, to fulfil his ambition of 8.660102-04 8 5 8.660102-04 660102-04bk Mozart US 20/3/04 1:04 pm Page 6

revenge, while Marcellina is joined by her rival, Susanna. rejection of the droit de seigneur, incited by Figaro, who infidelity and suspicious to find her door locked. in fact Cherubino’s commission, is able to point out that Marcellina pretends not to see her, and comments aloud thus aims to defeat the Count’s designs on Susanna. & Cherubino, now half-dressed, takes refuge in the closet, the document needed to be completed with the Count’s on her prospects of marriage, and the power of money, He acts as their spokesman, and the Count pretends to be which she locks. • The Count enters, seeking an seal. 6 At this juncture Marcellina bursts in, paid presumably by the Count to Figaro for the services unaware of Figaro’s motives, but seeks a delay in explanation from his wife. His suspicion is further accompanied by Dr Bartolo and Don Basilio and of Susanna. 0 They both attempt to leave, but meet at the Figaro’s wedding, to allow proper preparation, planning aroused when Cherubino bumps into something in the demanding justice from the Count since she has a written door, each pretending politeness to the other in a duet in privately to seek out Marcellina. The villagers resume closet. The Countess, who has already told her husband promise of marriage from Figaro. The Count agrees to which each eventually offers the other more pointed their praise of the Count. ( Cherubino seeks the Count’s that she has sent Susanna for another dress, now tells him give the matter his consideration. insults, before Marcellina storms out. pardon, when the villagers have gone, and the Count that the noise from the locked closet must be Susanna, Act III: 7 The third act opens in a state room ! Susanna is now joined by the young nobleman agrees, sending him away at once to join his own who now slips back into the room, hiding herself in the prepared for the wedding. The Count, alone, puzzles over nick-named Cherubino, little cherub, a page in the regiment as an officer, hardly the outcome that alcove. ª The Count orders Susanna to come out, the the anonymous note he has received and the events of the Count’s entourage. He is in love with the Countess, his Cherubino had expected. ) Figaro, of course, has his Countess tells her not to; he voices his suspicions of a previous scene. Unheard by the Count, the Countess and godmother, and with any woman he can find, already own plans, but he makes fun of Cherubino, describing the lover, she her predicament and Susanna her resolution to Susanna have entered and the Countess persuades having incurred the Count’s displeasure when he was delights of army life in the most popular of all arias from help. º The Count now determines to have the door Susanna to arrange an assignation with the Count, for found alone with Barbarina. @ He explains his amorous the opera. opened by force. He locks the door, taking the Countess which the two of them can exchange dresses, so that he feelings to Susanna. # The Count is seen approaching Act II: ¡ The second act opens in the Countess’s with him in his search for help. ⁄ Their absence allows will in fact meet his own wife. Still thinking himself and Cherubino quickly hides behind the chair in the chamber, a fine room with a window overlooking the Susanna to emerge from the alcove and tell Cherubino to alone, he plans to make Figaro marry Marcellina, if centre of the room, anxious to avoid the Count’s further garden, an alcove and three doors, one of which leads to make his escape, which he does by bravely leaping out of Susanna has betrayed him to the Countess. Susanna suspicions of his womanising. The Count now sits in the a closet and another to the servants’ room. The Countess the window into the garden below. ¤ Susanna watches approaches the Count and asks him for smelling-salts for chair and takes Susanna’s hand, assuring her of his love complains sadly of her husband’s apparent neglect. ™ him run off, and herself goes into the closet, shutting the his wife. The Count tells her she will need them herself, for her, as already made known to her by the music- She is joined by Susanna, who has already told her of the door behind her. ‹ The Count and Countess return, the when Figaro marries Marcellina, but she tells him that master Don Basilio. He suggests an assignation in the Count’s proposition. Figaro enters, assuring the Countess former carrying a hammer and pliers. The Countess tells that can be settled when she uses the dowry the count has garden that evening, but is interrupted by the arrival of that all will be well. His plan has been to let the Count him that it is Cherubino who is locked in the closet, promised her to pay Marcellina off. He points out that Don Basilio. He is distracted for a moment, as he tries to know, through an anonymous letter that he has given although only an innocent charade had been planned. The any dowry was dependent on something else, and hide behind the chair, allowing Cherubino time to move Basilio, that his wife has an assignation that evening in Count is furious. Susanna pretends to agree to his demands. 8 He quickly into the chair, to be covered by a dress that the garden, and to arrange an assignation for the Count remonstrates with her for her earlier cruelty, but is Susanna had by her. Basilio is looking for the Count to with Susanna, replaced for the occasion by Cherubino in CD 2 delighted when she agrees to meet him in the garden. 9 warn him that Figaro is looking for him. He mentions the disguise. Figaro leaves, singing of the lesson he will 1 The Count orders the boy to come out, and the Susanna excuses her previous harshness by claiming that behaviour of Cherubino, who is paying far too much teach his master. \£ Cherubino appears, with a song he Countess, continuing to plead her innocence, gives him Cherubino was there. In any case they have no need of attention to the Countess, as everyone knows. $ At this has written for the Countess, and is persuaded, with much the key to the door. 2 To their surprise it is Susanna who Basilio as a go-between. As she leaves she meets Figaro the Count emerges from hiding, unable to restrain embarrassment, to sing it, ¢ an account of his feelings. emerges, when the door is unlocked. He goes into the and tells him the case is already won, without a lawyer. himself any longer. He orders Cherubino to be sought ∞ The Countess congratulates him and Susanna now sets closet to check that there is no-one else there. 0 The Count overhears and now again suspects a plot out. Susanna, anxious to avoid further trouble, pretends to, dressing him in female disguise. § She rehearses him 3 Susanna quickly tells the Countess how Cherubino had against him. He can easily marry Figaro off, if not to to faint, reviving to order the two men out of her room. in his new rôle, telling him to kneel, to turn round and made his escape. The Count returns, puzzled, and is now Marcellina, then to Antonio’s daughter, Barbarina. He is The Count, now determined to be rid of Cherubino, take some steps. [CD3 &] In her charming alternative forced to seek his wife’s forgiveness for his accusations unwilling to see a servant happy, while he is in torment. describes how he had found him with Barbarina, hiding arietta Susanna is more apprehensive about the success of and anger. 4 Figaro appears, prepared for his wedding, ! Don Curzio appears, with Marcellina, Dr Bartolo and under the table, to be uncovered. Suiting the action to the their ruse. ¶ The two women are delighted at the result, but the Count now suspects his part in the note he had Figaro, announcing the case settled: Figaro must either word, he seizes the dress from the chair, and Cherubino but the Countess tells him to roll up his sleeve, revealing received telling him of the Countess’s planned infidelity. pay up or marry Marcellina. Now Figaro appeals to the is revealed. % The Count wants Figaro to know what he a ribbon he has kept of the Countess’s and a cut which he Figaro denies any complicity, although the Countess and Count, but the others are delighted at the decision. imagines may have been going on, but is deterred by the pretends to have bandaged with the ribbon, in fact Susanna suggest other excuses. 5 At this moment Nevertheless he declares the impossibility of marriage realisation that Cherubino has heard his own amorous ingredients of a love-charm. The Countess takes the Antonio, the gardener, appears, complaining that a man without the consent of his noble parents: he had been protestations to Susanna and her rejection of him. ^ ribbon. She sends Susanna for a new dress, but is moved has jumped from the balcony onto his flowers. Thinking stolen as a baby and perhaps in due course may find his Explanations are interrupted by the arrival of Figaro with by Cherubino’s plight. At this moment the Count is heard quickly, Figaro claims that it was he and, when Antonio parents again. He can surely be identified by the mark on a band of villagers, come to thank the Count for his approaching, jealous to learn of his wife’s supposed produces a paper that the apparent fugitive had dropped, his arm. Marcellina recognises in Figaro her son 8.660102-04 6 7 8.660102-04 660102-04bk Mozart US 20/3/04 1:04 pm Page 6

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Bursting with misunderstanding, comedy and intrigue, the tale of Figaro and his fiancée AXOS Susanna as they try to evade the philandering seductions of Figaro’s master the Count of Almaviva, is one of Mozart’s greatest achievements. The score includes many of Mozart’s best known arias and duets, including the Countess’s sublime and wistful Dove sono and Cherubino’s youthful and effervescent Voi che sapete. Whether you are hearing this opera for the first or the hundredth time it is easy to appreciate why, with its blend of comic vitality and DDD 8.660102-04 genuine poignancy, it is still one of the most frequently performed operas in the repertoire. 8.660102-04

Wolfgang Amadeus Playing Time MOZART 3:06:40 (1756-1791) MOZART: Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) The Count of Almaviva ...... Bo Skovhus The Countess of Almaviva ...... Marina Mescheriakova Susanna, betrothed to Figaro ...... Judith Halász Figaro ...... Renato Girolami Le Nozze di Figaro Cherubino, the Count’s page ...... Michelle Breedt Marcellina ...... Gabriele Sima Bartolo, a doctor in Seville ...... Janusz Monarcha www.naxos.com www.naxos.com/libretti/Figaro.htm The libretto may be accessed at: Made in Canada Booklet notes and synopsis in English h Le Nozze di Figaro Basilio, music-master ...... Michael Roider

Don Curzio, counsellor at law ...... Alexander Klinger &

Antonio, the Count’s gardener and Susanna’s uncle ...... Peter Köves g

Barbarina, daughter of Antonio ...... Orsolya Sáfár 2004 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Two Ladies ...... Orsolya Sáfár & Gabriele Sima Nicolaus Esterházy Sinfonia • Michael Halász MOZART: MOZART: CD 1 71:54 CD 2 61:58 CD 3 52:48 1 Sinfonia 4:07 1-6 Act II cont. 20:40 1-^ Act IV 42:43 2-) Act I 40:43 7-™ Act III 41:18 &-* Appendix 10:05 8.660102-04 ¡-‹ Act II 27:05 Recorded from 26th October to 4th November, 2002 at the Phoenix Studio, Budapest, Hungary Producer: Ibolya Tóth • Engineer: János Bohus • Editors: Mária Falvay & Veronika Vincze Edition: Bärenreiter : Kassel-Basel-Paris-London-New York ¥ Booklet Notes: Keith Anderson Cover Picture: Set design for Act II of the Marriage of Figaro by George Jilovsky (1930 for New German Theatre) AXOS (The Art Archive / National Theatre Prague / Dagli Orti) N