DUET:
The Count & The Countess argue.
Contrast his angrier music with her more pleading replies.
(Of course, she lets him have it sometimes, too.)
DUET:
He's trying to get Cherubino to come out from the locked closet.
DUET:
He's trying to get Cherubino to come out from the locked closet.
The Countess first wants to assure the Count that Cherubino is innocent of any wrongdoing.
DUET:
The Count's anger only rises on hearing that Cherubino will be partially undressed!
DUET:
The Count again insists that she give him the key. (Qua la chiave!)DUET:
Music changes to minor as the Count condemns his wife.
DUET:
The Countess declares her innocence in a dramatic pause.
DUET:
He doesn't believe her!
(cadenza!)
DUET:
In the closing section, the Count threatens to kill Cherubino, while the Countess despairs about his violent jealousy.
DUET:
Susanna emerges from the locked closet,
DUET:
Susanna emerges from the locked closet,
to the surprise of the Count
DUET:
Susanna emerges from the locked closet,
to the surprise of the Count
AND the Countess!
TRIO:
Begins with music of uncertainty as each of the three tries to assess the situation.
The dance (minuet style) is on.
TRIO:
All three are lost in thought.
TRIO:
The first of the dance section concludes...
TRIO:
The pace of the trio picks up as the Count goes to doublecheck the closet.
TRIO:
Susanna assures the Countess that Cherubino is not there.
TRIO:
The Count is confused.
TRIO:
Susanna and the Countess (in beautiful, close harmony) scold the Count for his jealousy.
TRIO:
The music briefly changes to a dramatic recitative style as the Countess expresses how hurt she is.
TRIO:
The Count asks for Susanna's assistance in getting the Countess to calm down.
TRIO:
The Count asks for Susanna's assistance in getting the Countess to calm down.
Susanna is not sympathetic.
TRIO:
The Countess continues to express her anger.
TRIO:
The Countess continues to express her anger.
The music builds as the three sing simultaneously of their varied perspectives.
TRIO:
The Count, though still somewhat repentant, wants explanations about Cherubino and the letter.
TRIO:
The Count, though still somewhat repentant, wants explanations about Cherubino and the letter.
He is scolded again.
TRIO:
The Count tries to make peace,
the Countess is conflicted (video skips ahead a bit here),
and Susanna moralizes.
TRIO:
As the Count tries to apologize (e mi pento), the music rises to great beauty, all lost in thought, things seemingly having resolved until . . .
QUARTET:
Figaro enters jubilantly, hoping to get on with his wedding to Susanna.
QUARTET:
Figaro enters jubilantly, hoping to get on with his wedding to Susanna.
Again, all are lost in apprehensive thought.
QUARTET: Interrogation #1: More courtly dance music signals that the game of suspicions, questions, and lies is to continue as the Count interrogates Figaro about the letter.
QUARTET:
The ladies try to get Figaro to back up their story - that he supplied the mysterious letter (which is actually true!).
(Note how tune is split up conversationally among the four.)
QUARTET:
As the inquest continues, the melody continues to be broken up into short responses by each character.
QUARTET:
The Count takes over in blustering fashion.
QUARTET:
As Figaro professes innocence and the ladies support him, the music twice builds to an ensemble of great beauty,
supported by a calming pedal tone in the bass.
QUARTET:
As Figaro professes innocence and the ladies support him, the music twice builds to an ensemble of great beauty,
supported by a calming pedal tone in the bass.
QUARTET:
As Figaro professes innocence and the ladies support him, the music twice builds to an ensemble of great beauty,
supported by a calming pedal tone in the bass.
QUARTET:
As Figaro professes innocence and the ladies support him, the music twice builds to an ensemble of great beauty,
supported by a calming pedal tone in the bass.
QUINTET:
The pace quickens again with the blustery entrance of the angry gardener, Antonio.
QUINTET:
Antonio explains about the man falling from the window into the garden.
(with manic triplets continuing in strings beneath.)
QUINTET:
Figaro and the ladies laugh at Antonio in a nervous attempt to dismiss him, as the Count tries to get more information.
QUINTET:
Figaro declares that he was the man who jumped.
QUINTET:
Figaro declares that he was the man who jumped.
The Count still suspects Cherubino,
QUINTET:
Figaro declares that he was the man who jumped.
The Count still suspects Cherubino,
alarming the ladies who curse, "Maledetto!"
QUINTET:
Figaro declares that he was the man who jumped.
The Count still suspects Cherubino,
QUINTET:
Figaro declares that he was the man who jumped.
The Count still suspects Cherubino,
but Figaro weaves a convincing story.
QUINTET: Interrogation #2: The music returns to the slower, courtly dance mode as Antonio reveals the papers that had fallen from Cherubino.
QUINTET:
The Count wants to know if Figaro can identify the papers.
QUINTET:
The Count wants to know if Figaro can identify the papers.
Figaro stalls - not sure how to answer.
QUINTET:
Antonio makes fun of Figaro who snaps back angrily.
QUINTET:
They all tell Antonio to leave (Lascialo!).
QUINTET (-1):
Back to a quartet as the Count continues quizzing Figaro about the papers that were left behind.
QUINTET (-1):
Susanna and the Countess realize that Cherubino must have dropped his commission papers. They whisper this to Figaro (as Mozart again cleverly passes the tune around).
QUINTET (-1):
Figaro identifies the commission papers.
(rocking music continues to suggest an unsteadiness on the part of all involved.)
QUINTET (-1):
The Count wonders why Figaro had the papers.
(rocking music continues to suggest an unsteadiness on the part of all involved.)
QUINTET (-1):
As Figaro stalls again, the ladies whisper to him that the papers did not bear an official seal.
QUINTET (-1):
Figaro triumphantly explains that he had Cherubino's commission papers because they still needed an official seal.
QUINTET (-1):
The Count is confused and frustrated, while the others just hope they can get out of this uncertain situation without sinking (the music suggesting the rocking of waves).
SEPTET:
The entrance of Marcellina, Basilio, and Bartolo ushers in the wild finale of this ACT II finale.
SEPTET:
Marcellina states her case that she should marry Figaro,
SEPTET:
Marcellina states her case that she should marry Figaro,
Bartolo backs her up,
SEPTET:
Marcellina states her case that she should marry Figaro,
Bartolo backs her up,
as does Basilio.
SEPTET:
The pace picks up even more as the confrontations build, three against four.
SEPTET:
The "bad guys" sing quietly & triumphantly.
(They could amost be singing an "alleluia" from Mozart's famous Exsultate jubilate!)
SEPTET:
Four on Three!
SEPTET:
The tensions start building again, with Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess singing very expressively,
SEPTET:
The tensions start building again, with Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess singing very expressively,
while their enemies gleefully exult below.
SEPTET:
The big rush to the finish begins...
SEPTET:
A bit of comic "soft-shoe" music for the vicious trio as they rejoice in their apparent triumph.
SEPTET:
Susanna angrily refutes them.
SEPTET:
Tempers are out of control!
SEPTET:
One last frantic acceleration to the finish line.
