n 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. The Count is
admitted, and finding the Countess in confusion insists upon searching
the closet. He goes out to find some means of breaking in the door,
and Cherubino improves the opportunity to jump out of the window,
while Susanna takes his place and confronts the puzzled Count.
Antonio, the gardener, comes in and complains that some one has jumped
from the window and broken his flower-pots. Figaro at once asse