The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro

'He has everything - pleasantry, seriousness, reason, vigour, pathos, eloquence of every kind' Voltaire

Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais was born in Paris in 1732. The son of a clockmaker, he was early appointed to horologist ot the French court, where a rich marriage established his fortunes. Having had a career as financial speculator, confidential agent and gun-runner, he became a man of letters. His most famous works, The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro, formed the basis of the operas by Rossini and Mozart. He died in 1799. 
 
 
John Wood was a producer of plays and a translator, with a particular interest in Moliere.

A French courtier, secret agent, libertine and adventurer, Beaumarchais (1732-99) was also author of two sparkling plays about the scoundrelly valet Figaro - triumphant successes that were used as the basis of operas by Mozart and Rossini. A highly engaging comedy of intrigue, The Barber of Seville portrays the resourceful Figaro foiling a jealous old man's attempts to keep his beautiful ward from her lover. And The Marriage of Figaro - condemned by Louis XVI for its daring satire of nobility and privilege - depicts a master and servant set in opposition by their desire for the same woman. With characteristic lightness of touch, Beaumarchais created an audacious farce of disguise and mistaken identity that balances wit, frivolity and seriousness in equal measure.

Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais

Nickolas Grace

Nick Hornby

Alison Steadman

Michael Aldridge

Norman Rodway

Moir Leslie

John McAndrew

Dorothy Tutin

Full Cast

Three BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisations

A trilogy of classic plays by Pierre Augustin Caron De Beaumarchais, including The Barber of Seville, The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother 
 
Forerunner to the renowned operas, The Figaro Plays by Pierre Augustin Caron De Beaumarchais are a celebration of how intelligence and wit can bring any servant level with their aristocratic masters. Considered scandalous in their time, the plays went on to be adapted by Rossini (The Barber of Seville) and Mozart (The Marriage of Figaro) to become some of the most popular and acclaimed operas of all time. These original plays show us the stories behind these popular operas. 
 
In The Barber of Seville, Count Almaviva falls in love with a young noblewoman, but every attempt to seduce her is countered by her watchful guardian. Only his resourceful servant Figaro may get him what he wants... The Marriage of Figaro sees the Count grown tired of his marriage to Rosina, and instead his thoughts turn to Suzannah, Figaro's own fiancée. Will Figaro's wiles prove sufficient to save two marriages? And in The Guilty Mother, the Countess Almaviva finds troubles of her own with an illegitimate child on the way, and a scheming Major on hand to make every slip-up into a catastrophe. Once again, all depend on Figaro... 
 
Translated by John Wells, the English actor, satirist, screenwriter, and co-founder of the magazine Private Eye, this trilogy of comic dramas are masterpieces of power, humour, and marital misadventure. 
 
The Barber of Seville 
Cast 
Gary Bond - Count Almaviva 
Nickolas Grace - Figaro 
Dorothy Tutin - Rosina 
Michael Aldridge - Bartholo 
Peter Pratt - Master Basil 
Michael Bilton - The Youth 
John Wells - Wide-awake 
Peter Acre - Notary 
Arnold Diamond - An Alcade 
 
The Marriage of Figaro 
Cast 
Dorothy Tutin - The Countess 
Gary Bond - Count Almaviva 
Nickolas Grace - Figaro 
Alison Steadman - Suzannah 
Michael Aldridge - Bartholo 
Jean Boht - Marcellina 
John McAndrew - The Cherub 
Peter Pratt - Basil 
Moir Leslie - Little Fanny 
Michael Bilton - Antonio 
John Wells - Don Guzman Bridlegoose 
Peter Acre - Grab 
Michael Jenner - Ebenezer Sunshine 
Helena Breck & Narissa Knights - Bridesmaids 
 
The Guilty Mother 
Cast 
Alison Steadman - Suzannah 
Nickolas Grace - Figaro 
Norman Rodway - Major Bejorass 
Gary Bond - Count Almaviva 
John McAndrew - Leon 
Moir Leslie - Floresta 
Dorothy Tutin - The Countess 
John Wells - Wilhelm 
Arnold Diamond - Mr Dim 
 
 
Production credits 
Music Composed & Conducted by Carl Davis 
Written by Pierre Augustin Caron De Beaumarchais 
Translated by John Wells 
Produced and Directed by Ian Cotterell 
 
 
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 3: 
29 May 1985 (The Barber of Seville) 
12 June 1985 (The Guilty Mother) 
1 January 1986 (The Marriage of Figaro) 
 
©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais

Books by Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais

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