The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Argument.
• Le Nozze Di Figaro. (the Marriage of Figaro.)
• Atto I.
• Act I.
• Scena I.—
• Scene I.—
• Scena II.—
• Scene II.—
• Atto Ii
• Act II.
• Scena I.—
• Scene I.—
• Scena II.—
• Scene II.—
• Scena III.—
• Scene III.—
• Scena IV.—
• Scene IV.—

SCENE II.—

A splendid Saloon, with a throne in it, prepared for a wedding festival.

TheCount,seated on the throne.

Enter a party of Country Girls, bearing a little virginal hat, adorned with white feathers, the veil, the gloves, and the nosegays, for Susanna and Marcellina. ThenBartoloandFigarotogether. Next,Antonio,who leadsSusannabefore the Count, and she kneels. While the Count puts the hat on her head, and presents the veil, the gloves, and the nosegay, the Chorus is sung. Susanna slily gives the Count a note, and he puts it dexterously into his waistcoat. Figaro comes to receive Susanna from the hands of the Count, and withdraws on the other side, near Marcellina. Then follows a merry dance.

• A un dritto cedendo,
• Che oltraggia, che offende
• Ei caste vi rende
• Ai vostri amator!
• Cantiamo, lodiamo
• Si saggio Signor!

[Cantandosi l’ultimo verso, Susanna s’inginocchia al Conte, chi mette sulla fronte di lei la ghirlanda nuziale. Ella tira segretamente la manica di lui per attrare le sua attenzione, e dunque fingendo aggiustare la ghirlanda gli da nel mano il biglietto. A quale avanza il Conte ed affrettandosi aprire il biglietto si pugne il dito coll’ ago che lo lega.

Il C.

Eh già solita l’usanza! le donne ficcan gli aghi in ogni loco. [Leggendo il direzione di rimandare il sigillo.] Ah, ah! capisco il gioco.

[Cerca lo spillo sulla terra.

Fig.

[A Susanna.] Un biglietto amoroso che gli die nel passar qualche galante—ed era sigillato d’uno spillo: ond’ ei si punse il dito—il Narciso or la cerca—oh, che stordito!

[Il Conte trova lo spillo, e lo prende, finisce il ballo.

Il C.

Andate, amici, e sia per questa sera

• Disposto l’apparato nuziale
• Colla più ricca pompa;
• Io vò che sia magnifica la festa!
• E canti, e fuochi e gran cena,
• E gran ballo, e ognuno impari com’
• Io tratto color, che a me son cari!

• His fame live for ever,
• His happiness never
• By shadow be darken’d,
• That comes o’er his rest.
• Long life to the master
• Who makes us so bless’d;
• May sorrow and trouble
• Ne’er break on his rest!

[While the last verse is being sung, Susanna kneels to the Count, who places upon her head the bridal wreath. She secretly pulls him by the sleeve, to call his attention, and then, pretending to adjust the wreath, slips a note into his hand. The Count comes to the front, and, in his hurry to open the note, pricks his finger with the needle with which it is fastened.

Count.

Zounds! ’tis ever sure to be so; one can’t come near these women for their needles. [Reading the direction to return the needle.] But hold! I read the riddle.

[He searches on the ground for the needle.

Fig.

[To Susanna.] Ah! no doubt a love epistle, that some one on the sly has given to him—and, wonderful, ’twas fasten’d with a needle, too. Ah! it has pricked his lordship’s finger—and now he’s looking for it—ah, how stupid!

[The Count finds the pin, and picks it up, as the dance ends.

Count.

• Away, my friends, now, and make your preparations;
• I wish the marriage feast to be splendid,
• And a thing to be talked of,
• In times to come, by the children of your children,
• With singing, with dancing, and with feasting,
• And with drinking, be all as happy
• As your hearts can desire, or love can wish you!

Coro—[ancora.]

Cantiamo, lodiamo, &c.

Chorus—[resumed.]

Long life to the master, &c.