Pierre Beaumarchais
In 1786, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart composed an opera, "Le Nozze di Figaro", based on "The Marriage of Figaro", with a libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte based on the play. Several composers including Paisiello in 1782 wrote operas based on "The Barber of Seville". Rossini's 1816 version is his most successful work and still often performed. In 1966, Darius Milhaud composed an opera, "La mère coupable", based on "The Guilty Mother".
René Jacobs
More recently, as a conductor, Jacobs has recorded numerous operas and sacred and secular works of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. His recording of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" is especially renowned, having won such awards as "Gramophone"'s Record of the Year for 2004, "Le Monde de la Musique"'s "Choc" of the Year for 2004, a Grammy Award for "Best Opera recording of
2005", and two Midem Classical Awards in 2004. Other award-winning recordings include George Frideric Handel’s "Rinaldo" (Cannes Classical Award, 2004), and Joseph Haydn’s Die "Jahreszeiten" ("Diapason d’Or" of 2005). The partial discography below lists some of the many other awards won by Jacobs' recordings.
His recordings and work have won numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for "Best Opera", "Gramophone" 's "Record of the Year", the "III Premio Traetta 2011", and numerous European awards. His recording of Mozart's Magic Flute was Record of the Year at the inaugural International Classical Music Awards in April 2011.