Course Details
953: Marriage of Figaro: Revolutionary Opera in the Age of Revolution
July 6-8
1:45 PM -
3:15 PM
In-Person
There is a direct link between the American Revolution and the opera, Marriage of Figaro. The opera is based on a play by Beaumarchais, who played a significant role in the revolution. He lobbied for French government support to the American rebels, and formed a company to covertly supply the rebels with surplus French equipment. The opera is about resistance to aristocratic privilege and abuse, and reflects the values of the revolution. The librettist, Da Ponte, became a US citizen. The course will discuss the lives of Beaumarchais, Mozart and De Ponte, and play substantial excerpts from the opera, with light musical analysis. This study group has a high class size capacity.
Class Type: Appreciation
Class Format: In-Person
Hours of Reading: Less than 1 hour/session
Study Group Leader(s):
Jeffrey GorskyJeffrey Gorsky is the author of Exiles in Sepharad: The Jewish Millennium in Spain and the novel The Dark Forever, and has taught many classes at OLLI on the history of the Jews of Spain, silent film comedy, and the Mozart/Da Ponte operas. He is a retired diplomat and immigration lawyer.