Classical Composers- Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro

Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro

The research discusses Sir Thomas Allen’s rendition of the Marriage of Figaro. The concert is an opera buffa that has four acts. Sir Allen is the performer of the overture backed up by the orchestra of the Royal College of Music. The second and third pieces are performed by Susana Figaro, Basilio, and Count. The venue of the concert is the RCM Opera Studio. Sir Thomas is an alumnus of the college and shows the great work of Mozart through music and theatrical acts.

Composition/Performance

I watched the Overture from Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro performed by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano. The masterpiece is amazing as it invokes different instruments in rising and falling notes. Moreover, the conductor of the Orchestra was active in the piece, since he had to direct and demonstrate the different parts of the piece (Royal College of Music, 2020). His gestures and facials were spectacular and engaging throughout the piece.

Similarly, I liked the piece Cinque… dieci… venti… as sung on stage by Susanna Figaro. Her voice is pure and her energy presents a fresh start into a long narrative of love and power. She shows that she is a primary character and the audience needs to understand her side of the story as she starts with the song. The synchrony of the players is amazing, which means that they understand not only the whole piece and the interfaces in-between pieces. The piece is a masterly of music as an art.

I disliked the Cosa sento! tosto andate as performed byBasilio, Susanna, and Count.I feel that the drama overwhelmed the musical as the audience focused on the suspense of the next event. The actors failed to notice the anxiety in the audience and continue with the play, which brings out the piece as rushed during the performance.

Connection to Course

The art is presented in a Sonata-Allegro form, which means that the tempo of the overture is high to set the mood for the act. Nonetheless, the temple adjusts to the story of the composition to align with the nature of emotions such as sadness or guilt.

The texture of the overture is homophonic. It includes different instruments that play similar sounds. Examples are the flutes that enhance the softness of the sound. It replicates the sounds used in cartoons like Tom and Jerry. Nonetheless, it includes sharp sounds from the strings that change the texture of the piece. The changes in the texture of the compositions show the diversity of the personalities of the characters and the impact of the same.

The Rhythm emanates from the symphonies of the instruments that include the horns, bassoons, oboes, and clarinets. They create a wind octet that replicates the work of Don Giovanni. Additionally, Mozart contributes to the harmony through the block chords primarily from the sounds of the Pianoforte. Finally, the style of the piece is Opera buffa, which translates to comic works. The case explains the similarity of the piece to the ones present in cartoon movies.  

Personal Reaction

I believe that I liked or disliked the pieces, because of the way they were presented on stage. Furthermore, I watched the act online, which means that I could have missed important details such as facials and gestures. Still, I appreciate the accuracy of the lyrics, the sound, and the input of Sir Allen. The actors have great chemistry and almost all of the compositions as interesting to watch. Furthermore, it is a reminder of the progress that the theatrical arts have undergone over time to become the films put in cinemas or the arts on social media. Thus, Sir Allen and the actors have an incredible performance of the Marriage of Figaro By Mozart.

References

Royal College of Music (2020, August). Sir Thomas Allen directs Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55ik-PzAXsQ