This is Thomas Holcroft's English translation, obtained by attending Pierre Beaumarchais' French play nine times in Paris during its original official staging in 1784. Beaumarchais' play was the basis for Mozart's 1796 opera, and is a satire about lovers' misdoings and French society. Because of its rebellious themes, presented during the troubling times leading up to the French Revolution, Beaumarchais had a very difficult time getting his play past the censors. Once staged, the play was enormously popular with audiences, including the aristocracy despite their understanding of the underlying themes...

Count Almaviva's heart is stolen when he lays eyes on Rosine, but he worries that she will only love him for his money. Can Figaro help him? This comedy is the first play in Beaumarchais' Figaro trilogy. It was written in 1773, but because of political and legal problems, Beaumarchais could not stage the play until 1775. The Barber of Seville was adapted into at least five operas, the best-known being by Rossini. The other plays in the trilogy are The Follies of a Day: or the Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother...