Benucci sang Figaro's aria, 'Non piu andrai,' with
the utmost vivacity and the full strength of his voice. I stood close
beside Mozart, who exclaimed, _sotto voce_, 'Brava! brava! Benucci!'
and when that fine passage came, 'Cherubino, alla vittoria, alla
gloria militar,' which Benucci gave in a stentorian voice, the effect
was quite electrical, both on the singers on the stage and the
musicians in the orchestra. Quite transported with delight, they all
called out, 'Brava! brava, Maestro! viva! viva! viva il grande
Mozart!' In the orchestra the applause seemed to have no end, while
the violin-players rapped their bows on their desks. The little
Maestro expressed his gratitude for the enthusiasm, testified in so
unusual a manner, by repeatedly bowing."

The second act is the masterpiece of the opera, and contains in itself
music enough to have made any composer immortal. It opens with a
serious aria by the Countess ("Porgi amor") followed by Cherubino's
well-known romanza ("Voi che sapete,") one of the sweetest and most
effective songs ever written for contralto, and this in turn by
Susanna's coquettish song, "Venite, inginocchiatevi," as she disguises
Cherubino. A spirited trio and duet lead up to the great finale, begun
by the Count, ("Esci omai, garzon mal nato"). Upon this finale Mozart
seems to have lavished the riches of his musical genius with the most
elaborate detail and in bewildering profusion. It begins with a duet
between the Count and Countess, then with the entrance of Susanna
changes to a trio, and as Figaro and Antonio enter, develops into a
quintet. In the close, an independent figure is added by the entrance
of Marcellina, Barbarina, and Basilio, and as Antonio exits, this trio
is set against the quartet with independent themes and tempi.

The third act opens with a duet ("Crudel, perche finora") for the
Count and Countess, followed by a very dramatic scena for the Count,
beginning with the recitative, "Hai gia vinta la causa?" which in turn
leads up to a lively and spirited sextet ("Riconosci in questo
amplesso"). The two numbers which follow the sextet are recognized
universally as two of the sweetest and most melodious ever
written,--the exquisite aria, "Dove Sono," for the Countess, and the
"Zephyr Duet," as it is popularly known ("Canzonetta su l'aria. Che
soave zeffiretto"), which stands unsurpassed for elegance, grace, and
melodious beauty. The remaining numbers of prominent interest are a
long