Chapter II · "Le Nozze di Figaro"

Beaumarchais and his Figaro comedies—"Le Nozze" a sequel to "Il Barbiere"—Mozart and Rossini—Their operas compared—Opposition to Beaumarchais's "Marriage de Figaro"—Moral grossness of Mozart's opera—A relic of feudalism—Humor of the horns—A merry overture —The story of the opera—Cherubino,—"Non so più cosa son"— Benucci and the air "Non più andrai"—"Voi che sapete"—A marvellous finale—The song to the zephyr—A Spanish fandango—"Deh vieni non tardar."