Le Nozze di Figaro, composed in 1786, is the most famous of all the numerous operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, acclaimed as the acme of perfection. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte, a court poet, based on a novel of the same title by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, a comedy writer in the era of the French Enlightenment. Beaumarchais wrote three comedies set in Spain - Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Le Nozze di Figaro and La Mère coupable. The three works are related to one another in terms of the main characters and storyline. Le Nozze di Figaro is written in humorous and witty words, which suggest a severe satire on some absurd social customs and phenomena endemic in the aristocratic system at that time. The opera shows that the common French people, as the "Third Estate", already had a rise in their social status in those days. The opera eulogises their victory against the hypocritical aristocrats. Intricate and vivid, the story develops with sprightly humour under a serious anti-feudal theme, which is, however, very comic in itself.   

Composed by Mozart, a musical genius, Le Nozze di Figaro is honoured as "the most perfect opera of all time". It had its premiere on May 1st, 1786 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, with Mozart as the conductor. But since the theme was too avant-garde for the social culture of that time, some aristocrats felt indignant at it. The emperor, who had great admiration for this work, had to ask Mozart to revise the content several times. The German version of Le Nozze di Figaro was premiered in Berlin in 1790.

The NCPA production Le Nozze di Figaro premiered on August 15th, 2013, with a box office miracle created in its first round. The China NCPA Orchestra, rated as "the best Asian interpreter of this opera", will take the stage under the baton of Artistic Director LÜ Jia. An all-star cast, including top-notch artists from home and abroad, will join them and give a unique, exquisite rendition of this work by Mozart. Unfolding in a classical, elegant, lively and witty atmosphere, it presents the original features of Seville as described in the libretto, giving the audience a fresh feeling.

Date: July 15-20, 2025

Venue: Theatre, NCPA