On This Day
·

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Vienna with Mozart himself conducting

The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492, is a commedia per musica (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte.

The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492, is a commedia per musica (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786. The opera's libretto is based on the 1784 stage comedy by Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro ("The Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro"). It tells how the servants Figaro and Susanna succeed in getting married, foiling the efforts of their philandering employer Count Almaviva to seduce Susanna and teaching him a lesson in fidelity.

Considered one of the greatest operas ever written, it is a cornerstone of the repertoire and appears consistently among the top ten in the Operabase list of most frequently performed operas.

Historical Significance

The Marriage of Figaro, K.

Key People

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Musician

Composer

–

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Musician

Composer

–

Events Before

  1. John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of L

    John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of London in 1788

  2. The parents of the poet Lord Byron marry - Captain John Byron and his second wife Catherine Gordon, heiress of the Gight

    The parents of the poet Lord Byron marry - Captain John Byron and his second wife Catherine Gordon, heiress of the Gight estate in Scotland

  3. Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals

    Benjamin Franklin announces his invention of bifocals

  4. Geologist James Hutton publicly reads an abstract of his theory of uniformitarianism for the first time at a meeting of

    Geologist James Hutton publicly reads an abstract of his theory of uniformitarianism for the first time at a meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

  5. US Congress unanimously resolves to name the US currency the "dollar" and adopts decimal coinage

    US Congress unanimously resolves to name the US currency the "dollar" and adopts decimal coinage

Events After

  1. Naval officer Horatio Nelson (28) weds Frances Nisbet at Montpelier Estate on the island of Nevis

    Naval officer Horatio Nelson (28) weds Frances Nisbet at Montpelier Estate on the island of Nevis

  2. The First Fleet, headed by Arthur Phillip, sets sail with 11 ships of convicts for Botany Bay, Australia [1]

    The First Fleet is the name given to the group of eleven ships carrying convicts, the first to do so, that left England in May 1787 and arrived in Australia in January 1788.

  3. Delegates gather in Philadelphia to draw up the Constitution of the United States

    The United States Constitution has served as the supreme law of the United States since taking effect in 1789.

  4. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completes his chamber piece "Eine kleine Nachtmusik" (A Little Serenade)

    Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major), K. 525, is a 1787 composition for a chamber ensemble by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791).

  5. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completes his violin and piano sonata in A, K526

    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completes his violin and piano sonata in A, K526

More from the 1780s

John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of L

John Walter publishes the first issue of his newspaper "The Daily Universal Register," which is renamed "The Times" of London in 1788

Emperor Joseph II's order for the Jews of Galicia, Austria, to adopt family names comes into effect

Emperor Joseph II's order for the Jews of Galicia, Austria, to adopt family names comes into effect

Future US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall (27) weds Mary Willis Ambler (16) at his cousin's home in Han

Future US Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall (27) weds Mary Willis Ambler (16) at his cousin's home in Hanover County, Virginia, until her death in 1831

British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burns Richmond, Virginia

The military career of Benedict Arnold in 1781 consisted of service in the British Army.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 1, 1786?
The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492, is a commedia per musica (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786.
Why is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Vienna ... significant?
The Marriage of Figaro, K.
Who was involved in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera "The Marriage of Figaro" premieres in Vienna ...?
Key figures include Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Musician), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Musician).

Explore More

May 1 in HistoryYear 1786