Editing The Marriage of Figaro (section)

==Performance history==
''Figaro'' premiered at the [[Burgtheater]] in Vienna on 1 May [[1786 in music#Opera|1786]], with a cast listed in the "[[#Roles|Roles]]" section below. Mozart himself conducted the first two performances, conducting seated at the keyboard, the custom of the day. Later performances were conducted by [[Joseph Weigl]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=272}} Deutsch says Mozart played a harpsichord; for conflicting testimony, see below.</ref> The first production was given eight further performances, all in 1786.<ref>These were: 3, 8, 24 May; 4 July, 28 August, 22 (perhaps 23) of September, 15 November, 18 December {{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=272}}</ref>

Although the total of nine performances was nothing like the frequency of performance of Mozart's later success, ''[[The Magic Flute]]'', which for months was performed roughly every other day,<ref name="Solomon1995"/> the premiere is generally judged to have been a success. The applause of the audience on the first night resulted in five numbers being [[encore]]d, seven on 8 May.<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=272}}</ref> Emperor Joseph, in charge of the Burgtheater,{{sfn|Rice|1999|p=331}} was concerned by the length of the performance and directed his aide {{ill|Franz Xaver Wolfgang von Orsini-Rosenberg|de|lt=Count Orsini–Rosenberg}} as follows:
<blockquote>
To prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces, I deem the enclosed notice to the public (that no piece for more than a single voice is to be repeated) to be the most reasonable expedient. You will therefore cause some posters to this effect to be printed.<ref>9 May 1786, quoted from {{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=272}}</ref></blockquote>

The requested posters were printed up and posted in the Burgtheater in time for the third performance on 24 May.<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=275}}</ref>

The newspaper ''Wiener Realzeitung'' carried a review of the opera in its issue of 11 July 1786. It alludes to interference probably produced by paid hecklers, but praises the work warmly:
<blockquote>Mozart's music was generally admired by connoisseurs already at the first performance, if I except only those whose self-love and conceit will not allow them to find merit in anything not written by themselves.

The ''public'', however ... did not really know on the first day where it stood. It heard many a ''bravo'' from unbiased connoisseurs, but obstreperous louts in the uppermost storey exerted their hired lungs with all their might to deafen singers and audience alike with their ''St!'' and ''Pst''; and consequently opinions were divided at the end of the piece.

Apart from that, it is true that the first performance was none of the best, owing to the difficulties of the composition.

But now, after several performances, one would be subscribing either to the ''cabal'' or to ''tastelessness'' if one were to maintain that Herr ''Mozart's'' music is anything but a [[masterpiece]] of art.

It contains so many beauties, and such a wealth of ideas, as can be drawn only from the source of innate genius.<ref>Quoted in {{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=278}}</ref></blockquote>

The Hungarian poet [[Ferenc Kazinczy]] was in the audience for a May performance, and later remembered the powerful impression the work made on him:
<blockquote>[Nancy] [[Nancy Storace|Storace]] [see below], the beautiful singer, enchanted eye, ear, and soul. – Mozart conducted the orchestra, playing his [[fortepiano]]; but the joy which this music causes is so far removed from all sensuality that one cannot speak of it. Where could words be found that are worthy to describe such joy?<ref>From Kazinczy's 1828 autobiography; quoted in {{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=276}}</ref></blockquote>

[[Joseph Haydn]] appreciated the opera greatly, writing to a friend that he heard it in his dreams.<ref>The letter, to [[Maria Anna von Genzinger|Marianne von Genzinger]], is printed in {{Harvnb|Geiringer|Geiringer|1982|pp=90–92}}</ref> In summer 1790 Haydn attempted to produce the work with his own company at [[Eszterháza]], but was prevented from doing so by the death of his patron, [[Nikolaus Esterházy]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Landon|Jones|1988|p=174}}</ref>

===Other early performances===
[[File:Mozart libretto figaro 1786.jpg|thumb|Printed libretto for the Prague production of 1786]]
The Emperor requested a special performance at his palace theatre in [[Laxenburg]], which took place in June 1786.<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=276}}</ref>

The opera was produced in Prague starting in December 1786 by the Pasquale Bondini company. This production was a tremendous success; the newspaper ''Prager Oberpostamtszeitung'' called the work "a masterpiece",<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=281}}</ref> and said "no piece (for everyone here asserts) has ever caused such a sensation."<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=280}}</ref> Local music lovers paid for Mozart to visit Prague and hear the production; he listened on 17 January 1787, and conducted it himself on the 22nd.<ref>{{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=285}}</ref> The success of the Prague production led to the commissioning of the next Mozart/Da Ponte opera, ''[[Don Giovanni]]'', premiered in Prague in 1787 (see [[Mozart and Prague]]).

The work was not performed in Vienna during 1787 or 1788, but starting in 1789 there was a revival production.<ref>Performance dates: 29 and 31 August; 2, 11, 19 September; 3, 9, 24 October; 5, 13, 27 November; 8 January 1790; 1 February; 1, 7, 9, 19, 30 May; 22 June; 24, 26 July; 22 August; 3, 25 September; 11 October; 4, 20 January 1791; 9 February; from {{Harvnb|Deutsch|1965|p=272}}</ref> For this occasion Mozart replaced both arias of Susanna with new compositions, better suited to the voice of [[Adriana Ferrarese del Bene]] who took the role. To replace "{{Lang|it|Deh vieni|italic=no}}" he wrote "{{Lang|it|Al desio di chi t'adora|italic=no}}" – "[come and fly] To the desire of [the one] who adores you" (K.&nbsp;577) in July 1789, and to replace "{{Lang|it|Venite, inginocchiatevi|italic=no}}" he wrote "{{Lang|it|Un moto di gioia|italic=no}}" – "A joyous emotion", (K.&nbsp;579), probably in mid-1790.<ref>[[Dexter Edge]], "Mozart's Viennese Copyists" (PhD diss., University of Southern California, 2001), 1718–34.</ref>