MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 1 CARMEN

Transcription

1 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 1 CARMEN

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Characters & Synopsis 3 The Creators of The Marriage of Figaro 6 A Closer Look 10 Discussion Questions 14 In the Classroom 15 Michigan Opera Theatre 22 Contact & Resources 24 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 2 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

3 CHARACTERS & SYNOPSIS The Marriage of Figaro "Here they talk of nothing but Figaro. Nothing is played, sung or whistled but Figaro. No opera is drawing [audiences] like Figaro. Nothing, nothing but Figaro." Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart THE CHARACTERS Count Almaviva Countess Almaviva Susanna, her maid, engaged to Figaro Figaro, the Count s valet Cherubino, the Count s teenage page Bartolo, a doctor Marcellina, Bartolo s housekeeper Don Basilio, the music master Don Curzio, the magistrate Antonia, a gardener, Susanna s uncle Barbarina, Antonio s daughter, Cherubino s girlfriend THE STORY SETTING: The Count and Countess country house near Seville, Spain in the late 1700s ACT I Alone in their room, Figaro and Susanna prepare for their wedding. Susanna does not like their new room, because it is next door to that of the Count, who is trying to woo her. Figaro is furious to learn of the Count s interest in Susanna, and vows revenge. Bartolo appears with his former housekeeper, Marcellina. She has made a deal with Figaro: if he does not repay the MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 3 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

4 money he borrowed from her, he must marry her to settle his debt. Susana returns, and the two exchange jealous insults. Marcellina goes off with a huff, and the teenage pageboy Cherubino rushes in. He babbles about his many romantic desires, confiding in Susanna that he is both in love with the Countess and in trouble with the Count. The Count arrives to attempt to f lirt with Susanna, and Cherubino hides behind a chair. The Count s wooing is interrupted by Don Basilio, the music teacher, and it is his turn to hide. Basilio tells Susanna that everyone knows that Cherubino has a crush on the Countess, and the angry Count jumps out of hiding. He becomes even more enraged when he discovers Cherubino is also in the room, and has overheard his romantic passes at Susanna. Their argument is interrupted by Figaro, who is leading the entire household in a song praising the Count. Figaro asks the Count to bless his wedding to Susanna, and he is forced to oblige. Then, to spite them and get Cherubino out of the way, the Count orders the page to enlist in the army right away. Figaro teases Cherubino, explaining that war is not a place for f lirting or fancy clothes, but rather mortars, marching, and mud. ACT II In her bedroom, the Countess mourns the loss of her husband s love. Together, she, Susanna, and Figaro plot to embarrass the Count: they will send Cherubino, dressed as a woman, to a rendezvous with the Count in Susanna s place. Cherubino arrives and, with Susanna s encouragement, sings a love song he wrote for the Countess. Susanna begins to dress him up in women s clothing, but Cherubino keeps getting distracted in his attempts to get the Countess attention. When Susanna goes off to f ind another ribbon, Cherubino declares his love for the Countess. Just then, the Count bangs on the door, and Cherubino hastily hides in a closet. The Count demands to know who the Countess was talking to, showing her an anonymous letter he has received warning him that she is with a lover (all part of Figaro s poorly-made plan). A mysterious sound comes from the closet, and the Count is suspicious of his wife s story that Susanna is in there. He leaves to find tools to break open the door, taking the Countess with him. Meanwhile, Susanna has snuck back into the room. She helps Cherubino escape through the window, and takes his place in the closet. The Count and Countess return, and are both astonished to find Susanna. Apologies and explanations of the confusion ensue, and all seems well until Antonio, the gardener, appears to complain that someone has jumped from the window, trampling his flowers. Improvising quickly to deflect the blame from Cherubino, Figaro fakes a limp and claims that it was he who jumped. Marcellina, Bartolo, and Basilio barge in, demanding that Figaro marry Marcellina. The Count happily agrees to postpone the wedding of Figaro and Susanna. ACT III The Countess encourages the hesitant Susanna to go ahead with their plan to fool the Count: Susanna will agree to a secret meeting with the Count, but the two women will exchange MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 4 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

5 cloaks, and the Countess will go in her place. The Count is excited for their upcoming rendezvous, but becomes enraged when he overhears Susanna conspiring with Figaro. Alone, The Countess sings of her past happiness. Marcellina and Don Curzio, the lawyer, demand that Figaro must repay his loan or marry Marcellina at once. Figaro protests that he cannot be wed without the permission of his parents, for whom he has been searching since being kidnapped as a baby. He reveals a distinguishing birthmark on his arm, and Marcellina realizes that Figaro is her long lost son. Bartolo reluctantly identifies himself as Figaro s father. The newly reunited family sings of their happiness as the Count and Don Curzio huff angrily. Susanna arrives with money to repay Figaro s debt to f ind him embracing Marcellina, and, thinking her f iancé has married another woman, hits him. All is explained, Bartolo agrees to marry Marcellina, and the two happy couples go off to plan a double wedding. The Countess is determined to go on with their plan, and dictates a letter to Susanna confirming her meeting with the Count in the garden that evening. They seal the note with a pin, which the Count is to return to her if he agrees to meet her. Barbarina and some peasant girls including Cherubino, still in disguise as a woman arrive to serenade the Countess. Antonio arrives and reveals the page s charade, and the Count is furious to discover the Cherubino is still in his house. He wants to punish the boy, but Barbarina convinces the Count but to let her marry Cherubino instead. As the household prepares for the wedding, Susanna slips her note to the Count, cementing their meeting. ACT IV That night in the garden, Barbarina despairs that she has lost the pin the Count has given her to deliver back to Susanna. Figaro appears with Marcellina, and upon hearing Barbarina s tale of Susanna s scheduled rendezvous with the Count, believes his fiancé to be unfaithful and rages against all women. Marcellina goes off to warn Susanna. When Susanna arrives in the garden, she sings a song about an unnamed lover to tease the spying Figaro. She then hides and disguises herself in the Countess cloak. Figaro is boiling mad, but stays in hiding. Cherubino arrives searching for Barbarina just as the Countess enters, disguised as Susanna. He flirts with her, but accidentally plants his kiss meant for Susanna on the Count. The Count chases him away, ready for his own chance to be alone with Susanna. The watching Figaro has become even angrier, but when Susanna arrives in her guise as the Countess, he hears her voice and realizes what is going on. The Count returns to discover Figaro declaring love to the Countess, and explodes with fury, flinging accusations. When the real Countess reveals her identity, the Count humbly asks her forgiveness. After a moment of hesitation, she grants it, and the company rejoices. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 5 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

6 THE CREATORS THE COMPOSER: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART ( ) This boy will consign us all to oblivion! -Johann Adolph Hasse, composer and contemporary of Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart on January 27, 1756, in Salzburg, Austria, the son of Anna Maria Pertl and Leopold Mozart, a skilled violinist, leading music teacher, and successful composer. Wolfgang and his sister Maria Anna ( Nannerl ) were the only two of their seven children to survive. Mozart showed a remarkable talent for music very early on, and at f ive, he was composing his first pieces. That same year, he and Nannerl, also highly gifted in music, were taken to Munich by their father to play at the Bavarian court. A few months later, they went to Vienna and were heard at the imperial court and in noble houses. In mid-1763, the family set out on a tour of western Europe, including Munich, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, and London (where they spent 15 months). Mozart s first pieces were published in Paris during this time, and in London, he composed his first symphonies- all by the age of eight years old.! In 1768, Mozart wrote a one-act German singspiel (literally sing-play ), Bastien und Bastienne, which was followed by La f inta semplice ( The Fake Innocent ), an opera in three acts. Within the year, another tour would follow, bringing the now 13 year-old Mozart to Italy, then considered a preferred educational destination for aspiring young musicians. Over 15 months, he traveled to all the main musical centers in Italy, and commissions began to roll in- an opera in Milan, an oratorio in Padua, and more. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 6 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

7 Returning from Italy in 1773, Mozart gained employment as a court musician in Salzburg, allowing him the opportunity to compose in a great number of genres, including symphonies, sonatas, string quartets, serenades, and the occasional opera. Nevertheless, Mozart gradually grew more discontented with Salzburg and at age 25, moved to Vienna in order to continue developing his career. It was in Vienna that Mozart would meet his wife, Constanze, and strongly establish himself as a composer. His opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail ("The Abduction from the Seraglio") achieved a huge success and was soon being performed throughout German-speaking Europe. However, despite this achievement, Mozart focused on his work as a piano soloist and writer of concertos, and did not return to opera until four years later, when he composed The Marriage of Figaro. The success of this opera led to a commission for Don Giovanni, which premiered in 1787, and was followed in 1790 by Cosi Fan Tutti. All three operas are now considered among Mozart's most important works and are mainstays of the operatic repertoire. Despite the popularity of his work, Mozart struggled f inancially in this period as his career began to decline. He moved his family from Vienna to cheaper lodgings in the suburb of Alsergrund, and began to borrow money from friends would be Mozart s last year, but was, until his f inal illness struck, one of great productivity. This was the year he competed a series of string quartets, a piano concerto, a clarinet concerto, and of course, his opera The Magic Flute. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart s death came at a young age, even for the time period. At the time of his death at age 35, Mozart was considered one of the greatest composers of all time. His music presented a bold expression, oftentimes complex and dissonant, and required high technical mastery from the musicians who performed it. Mozart conceived and perfected the grand forms of symphony, opera, string ensemble, and concerto that marked the classical period, and have continued to fascinate and provide enjoyment to musicians and music lovers alike. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 7 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

8 THE LIBRETTIST: LORENZO DA PONTE ( ) Lorenzo Da Ponte was born Emmanuele Conegliano on March 10, 1749 in Ceneda, Italy. When he and his father converted to Christianity in 1763, he took the name of the Bishop of Ceneda, Lorenzo Da Ponte. Digging deeper into his new faith, Da Ponte began his adult life training to become a priest, and was ordained in Da Ponte s opinions did not match with those of the church, however, and his teachings were banned from the Veneto region of Italy. When he was exiled from Venice in 1779, Da Ponte went off in search of a new life purpose. Da Ponte moved on to Dresden, Germany and started his career as a librettist. He worked translating and arranging plays and libretti alongside his friend Caterino Mazzolà, who was Dresden s court poet. It was Mazzolà who recommended Da Ponte to Antonio Salieri, an important Italian composer of 18 th -century opera. In 1781, Da Ponte travelled to Vienna to work with Salieri. While there, he attracted the attention of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, who gave Da Ponte a new job: poet to the Viennese court theatre (1783). Da Ponte s skill in writing beautiful and often funny verses, and his ability to speak many languages made him the ideal court poet. However, his f irst new! libretto for Salieri, Il ricco d un giorno (1784), failed to impress audiences. In a display of his famous ego, Da Ponte blamed the show s failure on Salieri s music, not his words. Not all was lost, however: in 1786 he gained fame by writing six whole operas in just one year, including his and Mozart s adaptation of Beaumarchais play Le Mariage de Figaro. After that, Da Ponte managed to regain Salieri s trust, and went on to write three more operas with him. His partnership with Mozart also yielded Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte, rounding out a trio of amazing operas. Together, he and Mozart pushed the limits of opera buffa (Italian comic opera), discovering new possibilities of drama and comedy. Despite his success, Da Ponte was fired from his post when Joseph II died in He was still not allowed to return home to Venice, so he found his way to London, accompanied by his wife, Nancy Grahl. There, he was given a job at the King s Theatre in Haymarket. Here again Da Ponte showed off his skills by writing many libretti, including collaborations with his favorite composers, Martin y Soler. However, Da Ponte s position at the theatre was haunted by rumors and financial problems, and he and Nancy eventually fled to America, chased away by debt collectors. In America, Da Ponte once again switched careers once priest and librettist, he then became a grocer in New York and Pennsylvania. He became an American citizen, and made it his mission to introduce Italian language and culture to his new home. He taught and sold Italian books, eventually serving as an honorary professor at Columbia College (1825, 1827 until his death). MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 8 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

9 Though he published a few more written works including several editions of his autobiography, Memorie it wasn t until late in his life that his love of opera returned. He then published new editions of some of his operas, including Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni, and briefly managed the new Italian Opera House. Upon his death on August 17, 1938, Da Ponte s life was recognized with a funeral that was grand enough to celebrate his many important contributions to Italian opera.! King Louis XVI of France MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 9 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

10 A CLOSER LOOK FIGARO AND THE FRENCH REVOLUTION "For this play not to be a danger, the Bastille would have to be torn down first." King Louis XVI Beginning in 1789, the French Revolution had an impact that was felt across the globe. It brought the end of the ancien régime in France and ushered in the beginning of democracy and the birth of modern Europe. It marked a movement across the Western world towards a culture based on human rights, rather than the will of the King. In a model example of art influencing politics, The Marriage of Figaro played its part in bringing change to France: Beaumarchais play can be read as foreshadowing to the world-changing events that unfolded over the course of the French Revolution.! The Storming of the Bastille READY FOR REVOLUTION At the end of the 18 th Century, the Western world was in a state of unrest. The American Revolution ( ) had just reached its conclusion, and many other countries across the world were beginning to echo the American colonists discontent with the way their political and social systems were being run. This new worldview was largely due to the emergence of Enlightenment thinking across Europe. Lead by a group of thinkers called philosophes, Enlightenment intellectuals advocated for reason and equality, speaking out against class division, aristocracy, and prejudice. These ideals laid the groundwork for the American and French resistance against absolute monarchy, paving the way to revolution. Though many countries across the globe were leaning towards revolution, the events that took place in France would be the most violent and have the most widespread impact. The philosophes were read more widely in France than anywhere else, and their revolutionary ideas had the strongest influence there. Political pressures in France were mounting: France was in the middle of a food crisis a widespread shortage of grain had brought to famine in Paris and left peasants angry and starving. Riots broke out across Northern France, and peasants aimed MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 10 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

11 their anger about the food shortages at the government, crying out for change. At the same time, a group of the poorest French citizens started to become more successful, pulling themselves out of poverty. This growing middle class of people wanted their voices to be heard in the French government, and were willing to f ight for this political power. Meanwhile, France had recently helped out America during its own revolution, and the steep cost of war had left France without enough money to run the country. To fix this problem, King Louis XVI France s absolute monarch decided to tax his wealthiest citizens, called the bourgeoisie, who had always been exempt from paying taxes. The bourgeoisie resented this change of plans, and so also became angry, calling for revolution.! Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais THE PLAY S THE THING As these forces built to a head, Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais play La Folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro (The Crazy Day, or the Marriage of Figaro) opened at the Comédie- Française. Despite having been written between 1775 and 1778, the heavily political play had only just made it past the Parisian censors to open at the leading French theatre in The censors had been right about the power of Beaumarchais play: the first French performance after Louis XVI s ban on the play lead to a riot that left three dead. In Beaumarchais story, Figaro, servant to the Count, outsmarts his master, sending the radical message the servants are actually smarter, more morally sound people than the elite aristocrats. At points throughout the play, Figaro expresses his anger and lack of obedience right to the Count s face: Because you are a great nobleman, he spits, You think you are a great genius whereas I have had to deploy more knowledge, more calculation and skill merely to survive than has sufficed to rule all the provinces of Spain for a century! This outright critique of the French class system sparked governmental anger and inspired Parisian citizens to rise up. Much of Le Mariage de Figaro centers around The Count, who, having just given up droit du seigneur (feudal right) and therefore his absolute power over his subjects, spends the majority of the play attempting to go behind everyone s backs to get it back. Through his play, Beaumarchais critiqued the similar behavior of Louis XVI at this time; the King waffled back and forth over policies that would reduce his power over his people in order to move France towards a more democratic society. With the encouragement of Beaumarchais play, this indecision led French citizens to view King Louis XVI as a symbol of tyranny. Louis VXI recognized that the play carried this power to influence his subjects, prophetically proclaiming that For this play not to be a danger, the Bastille would have to be torn down first. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 11 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

12 ! ADDING MUSIC, ADAPTING MEANING Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte were also aware of the political power of the Beaumarchais play when they began to turn it into an opera, they faced opposition by Italian composers. It is rumored that much of the f irst draft of Le Nozze di Figaro (begun in 1785) was finished before they d even received permission to stage the opera. However, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II ( ) coincidentally the brother of King Louis XVI s wife, Marie Antoinette was well versed in the new Enlightenment ideals, and gave Da Ponte the go-ahead to adapt the play into an opera. Despite this official royal blessing, the influence of political censorship was still strong in Europe. This led the duo to play down the political aspects of Beaumarchais play, focusing more on the comedic aspects of the story in their adaptation. However, the influence of the revolution can still be seen in the opera: servants take center stage, driving the action, rather than staying hidden in the shadows. Early opera had been based on myths, telling the stories of heroes, gods and goddesses. Mozart and Da Ponte told the stories of everyday people, reflecting the Enlightenment ideals of realism and human rationality. REVOLUTION REIGNS Just as the King had so fatefully predicted, on July 14, 1789, the discontented Parisian citizens rose up to seize the Bastille, a prison that stood as a f igure of the reign of the French government. This day is widely considered the true beginning of the revolution. Following this event, peasants in the provinces rose up against their masters, which eventually led to the abolition of the feudal system in France that had kept them under the control of their lords. On August 24, 1789, the new, more democratic National Constituent Assembly introduced The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, a radical document that expressed the core ideals of the French Revolution and would serve as a basis for the coming development of freedom and democracy worldwide. Over the course of the next ten years, the French citizens would continue to fight for change. The Women s March on Versailles, Maximilien Robespierre s Reign of Terror, the subsequent execution of Louis XVI, and the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte all followed, leading to the eventual fall of the French monarchy and establishment of a new political and social structure in France. The events of the French Revolution changed the world, and through the power of storytelling, Beaumarchais, Mozart, Da Ponte and The Marriage of Figaro helped to spread its ideas across the globe. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 12 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

13 TIMELINE OF EVENTS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 1774: September 10 - King Louis XVI comes to power; Grain riots in Northern France; Famine in Paris 1775: American Revolutionary War Begins : Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais writes La Folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro 1776: July 4 - American Declaration of Independence sets precedent for French revolutionary thinking 1778: France enters American Revolutionary War 1784: La Folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro has its French première at the Comédie- Française 1785: Mozart begins to compose Le nozze di Figaro 1786: May 1 - Le Nozze di Figaro premiers at the Burg Theatre in Vienna 1789: July 14 - Fall of the Bastille August 37 - National Assembly approves text of Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen October Women s March through Paris 1792: January-March - Food riots in Paris September 21 - French monarchy is abolished 1793: January 21 - Louis XVI is executed by guillotine; Maximilien Robspierre s Reign of Terror begins 1794: July - Fall of Robspierre, end of Reign of Terror 1799: Napoleon Bonaparte seizes political power in France, ending the Revolution MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 13 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

14 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS PART 1: ART IN OUR LIVES What is art? What is music? How do these fit into our lives? What was your first exposure to opera? What do you remember about it? Define what opera is, and what it is not. How does it differ from other musical and/or theatrical forms? Do you consider yourself an artist? What is the criteria for being an artist? What did you expect to experience with this opera? Were your predictions correct? In what ways were your expectations met or not met? Did you identify with any characters in this opera? Why or why not? PART 2: ABOUT THE PRODUCTION How did the technical elements support the story? What do the sets and costumes tell us about the characters, and how do they help to tell the story? Did anything in particular stand out? Are there any props that play a role in driving the plot of the story? How did the music reinforce the action on stage? What musical changes did you note throughout that marked the change of setting or atmosphere? In what ways to the actors embody the characters to make their personalities and desires clearer to the audience? How does Mozart s music add to your understanding of the characters? PART 3: STORY AND THEMES The authors of Figaro were trying to point out to their audiences that sometimes people in lower positions (like Figaro and Susanna, the servants) are just as smart, if not more so, that people in higher positions who may think they are better than them. In what ways does the story try to show us this? How do the servants of the house try to outsmart their masters? What happens in the opera that you think could have inspired French audiences to consider revolution or question authority? In the last act of Figaro, there are a lot of moments of mistaken identity. What other books, movies, or theater works have examples of people getting confused for one another? Do those stories turn out differently than Figaro s happy ending? Do you think a similar situation/mistaken identities would lead to a happy ending in real life? Why or why not? Is there a clear good guy or bad guy in this opera? What aspects of each character could be seen as good or bad? What do you think the authors are trying to tell us about good and evil? What statements, actions, or scenes in the opera relate to ideas of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution? MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 14 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

15 IN THE CLASSROOM Pre- and Post-Performance Activity: ALWAYS, SOMETIMES, RARELY, NEVER Assign four corners of the room (or four spaces within the room) to be the location for Always, Sometimes, Rarely, and Never. When a statement is given, have students move to the location that matches their answer and discuss with their group members why those chose their answer. After several minutes of discussion, choose one group member from each area to share with the whole class why the group as a whole answered Always, Sometimes, Rarely, or Never. Statements about live performance: I (always, sometimes, rarely, or never) think that attending a live performance (an opera, play, concert, or sporting event) is more enjoyable than watching the same event on television. I (always, sometimes, rarely, or never) think that attending live performances is an important thing to do. Live performances hold my interest (always, sometimes, rarely, or never). When I attend live performances, I (always, sometimes, rarely, or never) feel like the story is relevant to my life. I (always, sometimes, rarely, or never) wish I could attend live performances more often than I do. Notes on this activity: Remember to encourage your students to talk about WHY they chose their answers. Follow questions with more questions- for example, if students RARELY believe that operas and live performances are relevant to their lives, make sure to ask why. And how can we change that? Who is telling the stories right now? How do we position ourselves to make sure our stories, and stories that are important to us, get told? What stories would we like to see represented on stage? Also, if this activity is conducted both pre- and post-performance, make sure to encourage students to note if their answer has changed, and why it changed. Encourage them to talk about elements of the performance that may have contributed to their answer changing. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 15 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

16 GRADES 1-3 English Language Arts 1. Write a review of The Marriage of Figaro and send a copy to Michigan Opera Theatre! CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.1 Write Opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons 2. Draw a picture of one of the characters in the modern day. Describe what elements your chose to show aspects of their personality. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.7 Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events. 3. Imagine what happened before or after the events of the opera. Write a prequel or sequel story using Le Nozze di Figaro as a starting point! CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.3 Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense of closure. 4. Imagine that you were one of the characters. Write a letter from one character to another that would solve the problems he/she faces in the story and give your character a happy ending. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. GRADES 4-5 English Language Arts 1. Write a blog post about your visit to the Detroit Opera House, including a review of The Marriage of Figaro. Make sure to tag #michiganoperatheatre in your posts, and don t forget to a copy of your review to ascobie@motopera.org. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 16 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

17 produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting. 2. Write a story based on Figaro that sets the events in the modern day. What would each character s role be in a 21 st -Century household? Would there still be royalty and servants? Does the message of the story change if it s setting changes? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text. 3. Imagine you are one of the servants in the story. Write a schedule about what you think you might do all day around the Duke s castle. Then, imagine you are one of the royal characters in the story (The Count, or Countess), and write a schedule of this day, too. Then, compare the daily lives of each character? How was life different for a servant that it was for royalty? Why do you think that was? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.3 Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character's thoughts, words, or actions). 4. Compare the experience of going to the opera with the experience of reading a book. What is the difference between seeing a story on a stage versus reading it on a page? Do you learn more or fewer details about the plot, setting, or characters from either format? What do you like or dislike about each type of storytelling. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.5 Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.5.7 Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem). Social Studies 1. Choose an event from the Timeline of the French Revolution on page XX of this Study Guide, learn all you can about it, and then write a short research paper describing the event and the impact it had on the French Revolution. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 17 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

18 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.7 Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.8 Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. GRADES 6-8 English Language Arts 1. Read the information on pages of this Study Guide to learn about how Beaumarchais La Folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro expressed the author s views on the way society was run leading up to the French Revolution. Then, write a short report describing whether you think Mozart s opera Le nozze di Figaro does a good job adapting those points of view. As an audience member, did you see political opinions expressed in the opera? In what way were these points worked into the action? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author's point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.5 Analyze how a drama's or poem's form or structure (e.g., soliloquy, sonnet) contributes to its meaning CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1 Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. 2. Choose a scene from Le nozze di Figaro and rewrite it, changing one detail of the story (you could change what characters are in the scene, what they say, what props are used, where the scene takes place, etc). Then, think about how that small change affected the outcome of the story. How would the opera have turned out differently if events had unfolded the way you imagined them. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3 Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 18 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

19 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences. Social Studies 1. Conduct research on King Louis XVI, using the information in this study guide as a starting place to get ideas. Then, compare him to the Count in Le nozze di Figaro. Do you think Beaumarchais based his character on King Louis XVI? In what ways are the two men the same, and in what ways are they different? When French audiences came to see the Count onstage in the opera, what do you think the performance made them think about their own king? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.7.9 Compare and contrast a fictional portrayal of a time, place, or character and a historical account of the same period as a means of understanding how authors of fiction use or alter history. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.2 Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation. HIGH SCHOOL (GRADES 9-12) English Language Arts 1. Read a scene from Beaumarchais La Folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro that is included in Mozart s operatic adaptation. Then, compare the scene in each version. What does Mozart change in his adaptation? What effect do these differences have on the meaning and effect of the scene, and on the opera overall? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL Analyze the representation of a subject or a key scene in two different artistic mediums, including what is emphasized or absent in each treatment (e.g., Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts" and Breughel's Landscape with the Fall of Icarus). CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL Analyze how an author draws on and transforms source material in a specific work (e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovid or the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare). 2. Imagine that you were one of the characters from Le nozze di Figaro. Write a poem expressing your thoughts and feelings that could be turned into the text of the expositional aria that your character performs the first time he/she is introduced to the audience. Make sure to rhyme. After you ve written MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 19 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

20 your solo aria, try your hand at a duet that reflects how your character (and one of his/her allies or enemies!) feels at a later point in the story. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme. Italian Language 1. Compare the Italian text and English translation of an aria from Le Nozze di Figaro. How do the two differ? Do the jokes land in both languages? Are there any Italain idioms that an English-speaker wouldn t understand? Is there any meaning that has been changed or lost in translation? CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including words with multiple meanings or language that is particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful. (Include Shakespeare as well as other authors.) Social Studies 1. Research other works of literature and art that had a big impact on the social or political climate at the time they were written. Focus on pieces written during the American and French Revolutions, or other instances of revolution throughout world history. Write a research paper explaining how art impacts the world using the pieces you found in your research as evidence. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL Analyze a particular point of view or cultural experience reflected in a work of literature from outside the United States, drawing on a wide reading of world literature Political Revolutions Analyze the Age of Revolutions by comparing and contrasting the political, economic, and social causes and consequences of at least three political and/or nationalistic revolutions (American, French, Haitian, Mexican or other Latin American, or Chinese Revolutions) 2. Research the cost of putting on an opera production in 1785 and today (don t forget the cost paying the singers, directors, and orchestra for rehearsals and performances, set and costume production, theater rental, et cetera). Next, research how opera was and is funded, then and now. Compare your results. How has society s view of the value of the arts changed? Using what you know about how art impacts the world, discuss what about opera s effect makes it worth the time, effort, and money put into the production? K1.8 Apply social studies concepts to better understand major current local, national, and world events, issues, and problems. K1.9 Integrate concepts from at least two different social studies disciplines. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 20 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

21 P2.4 Use multiple perspectives and resources to identify and analyze issues appropriate to the social studies discipline being studied. P2.5 Use deductive and inductive problem-solving skills as appropriate to the problem being studied. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 21 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

22 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE AN INTRODUCTION Michigan Opera Theatre (MOT), the state of Michigan s premier opera company, which, through its commitment to producing and presenting the very best professional productions of opera, dance, musical theater, and arts education programming, serves as a statewide cultural resource. The vision of Founder and Artistic Director Dr. David DiChiera, and led by President and Chief Executive Officer Wayne S. Brown, MOT offers an essential, vibrant contribution to the quality of life for Detroit-area residents and to communities throughout the region. This dynamic cultural resource exemplifies artistic excellence. Since its founding in 1971, MOT has offered southeast Michigan the finest arts and cultural performances, concerts, education, and entertainment. By presenting culturally significant productions relative to the diverse populace of the region, such as Porgy and Bess, Anoush, King Roger, Dead Man Walking, and the world premiere production of Margaret Garner, MOT has brought the magic of live theatre to thousands of people. In April of 1996, on the Company's twenty-fifth anniversary, the ribbon was cut for the grand opening of the Detroit Opera House. Michigan Opera Theatre joined the ranks of major opera companies worldwide with the multi-million renovation of a 1922 movie palace. Michigan Opera Theatre is one of only a few opera companies in the United States to own its own opera house. The product of Dr. DiChiera's dream, the Detroit Opera House is comparable to the world's greatest houses in visual and acoustical beauty. OUR MISSION Michigan Opera Theatre is the premier multi-disciplined producer and presenter for opera, musical theatre, and dance in the Great Lakes Region. Based in the city of Detroit, the organization engages artists of national and international stature for stellar main stage and outreach performances, and provides compelling cultural enrichment programs for the diverse audiences and communities that it serves, making it one of Detroit s pillars of arts and culture. SELECT AWARDS & HONORS INCLUDE Best Opera: Cyrano, Wilde Awards 2017 Best Opera: The Passenger, Wilde Awards 2016 Best Opera, Elektra, Wilde Awards, 2015 Founder and Artistic Director Dr. David DiChiera named the 2013 Kresge Eminent Artist Opera Honors Award to Dr. David DiChiera, National Endowment for the Arts, 2010 Outstanding Service in the Field of Opera for Youth, National Opera Society, 2006 Success in Education Award, Opera America, 2002 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 22 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

23 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS The Department of Education and Community Programs has brought its varied musical programs to every age group in Michigan for nearly 40 years. Artists visit schools, community centers, and stages throughout Michigan, performing shows that range from lively children s operas to musical revues. Founded by Karen V. DiChiera, the Department of Education and Community Programs serves the entire state with quality entertainment and education. Since its inception, the Department of Education and Community Programs has been honored with awards and recognitions including the Governor s Arts Award, a Spirit of Detroit Award, and multiple Philo T. Farnsworth Awards for Excellence in Community Programming, among others. Touring productions, concerts, workshops, and residencies have reached many thousands of people throughout the state of Michigan, and programs have extended as far as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Canada. With an ever-growing repertoire of productions, an exciting roster of up-and-coming singers, and a circle of experienced and passionate teaching artists, the Department of Education and Community Programs continues to provide people of all ages with opportunities for access, growth, and learning through the arts. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 23 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

24 CONTACT For more info about the Department of Education and Community Programs please contact: ANDREA SCOBIE Manager of Education and Community Programs Visit us online: Website: Facebook: Michigan Opera Theatre SOURCES Encyclopedia Britannica The Grove Book of Operas The Guardian History Home The Metropolitan Opera Oxford Music Online Oxford Art Online Regina Opera Company SAGE Reference University of California, Santa Cruz MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 24 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO