The Marriage of Figaro
The Marriage of Figaro (, ), K. 492, is an opera buffa (comic opera) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786. The opera's libretto is based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, "La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro" ("The Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro"), which was first performed in 1784. It tells how the servants Figaro and Susanna succeed in getting married, foiling the efforts of their philandering employer Count Almaviva to seduce Susanna and teaching him a lesson in fidelity.
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.