COUNTESS ALMAVIVA        Signora STORACE. 
SUSANNA                  Signora LASCHI. 
CHERUBINO                Signora MANDINI. 
MARCELLINA               Signora BUSSANI. 
BARBARINA                Signora GOTTLIEB. 
COUNT ALMAVIVA           Signor MANDINI. 
FIGARO                   Signor BENUCCI. 
BARTOLO                  Signor OCCHELEY. 
BASILIO                  Signor BUSSANI.

It was first brought out in Paris in 1793, with Beaumarchais’s spoken dialogue, in five acts, as “Le Mariage de Figaro,” and in 1858 at the Theatre Lyrique in the same city, in four acts, as “Les Noces de Figaro,” with text by Barbiere and Carre.  The late Mme. Parepa-Rosa introduced it in this country in its English form with great success.

At the time the libretto was written, Beaumarchais’s satirical comedy, “Le Mariage de Figaro,” had been performed all over Europe, and had attracted great attention.  It had been prohibited in Paris, and had caused great commotion in Vienna.  Mozart’s notice was thus drawn to it, and he suggested it to Da Ponte for a libretto, and the Emperor Joseph subsequently commissioned the composer to set it to music, though he had already composed a portion of it.  The entire opera was written during the month of April, and the wonderful finale to the second act occupied him for two nights and a day.  When it came to a performance, its success was remarkable.  Kelly, who was present, says, in his Reminiscences:  “Never was there a greater triumph than Mozart enjoyed with his ‘Figaro.’  The house was crowded to overflowing, and almost everything encored, so that the opera lasted nearly double the usual time; and yet at its close the public were unwearied in clapping their hands and shouting for Mozart.”  Popular as it was, it was soon laid aside in Vienna through the influence of the Italian faction headed by Salieri, one of Mozart’s rivals.

The story of the opera is laid in Spain.  Count Almaviva, who had won his beautiful Countess with the aid of Figaro, the barber of Seville, becomes enamoured of her maid Susanna, and at the same time, by the collusion of the two, in order to punish him, is made jealous by the attentions paid to the Countess by Cherubino, the page.  Meanwhile Figaro, to whom Susanna is betrothed, becomes jealous of the Count for his gallantry to her.  Out of these cross-relations arise several humorous surprises.  Besides these characters there are two others who have been disappointed in love,—­Bartolo, who has been rejected by Susanna, and Marcellina, whose affection for Figaro has not been requited.  The Count seeks to get rid of Cherubino by ordering him off to the wars, but he is saved by Susanna, who disguises him in female attire.  The Countess, Susanna, Figaro, and Cherubino then conspire to punish the Count for his infidelity.  The latter suddenly appears at his wife’s door, and finding it locked demands an entrance.  Cherubino, alarmed, hides himself in a closet and bars the door.