The Abduction of Figaro

The Abduction of Figaro is a comic opera in three acts, described as "A Simply Grand Opera by P. D. Q. Bach", by Peter Schickele. It is a parody of opera in general, and the title is a play on two operas by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: The Abduction from the Seraglio, K. 384, and The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492. Those two operas, as well as Così fan tutte and Don Giovanni, and Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance are among the core inspirations for the piece. The Abduction of Figaro is numbered S. 384, 492 in Schickele's catalogue of works.

Schickele was commissioned to "discover" this opera by the Minnesota Opera, where the piece premiered on April 27 and 28, 1984. In addition to parodying Mozart, the music incorporates diverse influences and musical quotes, from traditional camp songs like "Found a Peanut" to popular songs like "Macho Man" by the Village People. The opera has been released on VHS and DVD.

Roles

Roles, voice types, premiere cast

Role	Voice type	Premiere cast, 27 April 1984 Conductor of chorus, corpse de ballet, orchestra of the Minnesota Opera, the whole schmeer: Peter Schickele
Al Donfonso, Pasha Shaboom, Papa Geno	bass	Leroy Lehr
Susanna Susannadanna, Mama Geno	mezzo-soprano	Dana Krueger
Pecadillo	tenor	Bruce Edwin Ford
Donna Donna	soprano	Marilyn Brustadt
Blondie	soprano	Lisbeth Lloyd
Donald Giovanni	bass-baritone	Michael Burt
Schlepporello	almost-a-baritone	Jack Walsh
Captain Kadd	basso	Will Roy
Opec	bargain counter tenor	John Ferrante
Figaro	silent	Arthur Kaemmer
Stage Director		Michael Montel
Choreographer		Larry Hayden
Set Designer		John Lee Beatty
Costume Designer		Gail Bakkom
Wig & Make-up Master		Richard Stead
Lighting Designer		Ruth Roberts
Video Editor		Daniel Mercure
Television Director		Kaye S. Lavine
Television Producer		Stephen Schmidt
The theme to Culture on Parade is performed by the London Serpent Trio.

Synopsis

Act 1

A dying Figaro lies in bed, attended by Al Donfonso, a doctor. Also present are Figaro's wife, Susanna Susannadanna; Susanna's servant, Pecadillo; and a chorus of townspeople. The doctor detects a heartbeat after removing a couple of peanuts out of Figaro's pocket. He says Figaro must get rest if he's going to live. Shortly after the doctor leaves, Figaro sits up as if trying to say something but falls back, prompting everyone to call back the doctor. The doctor returns and applies leeches, much to the everyone's disgust. He insists it was a treatment used on George Washington, but admits that Washington didn't survive.

Susanna is left alone with Figaro. She puts a pillow under him because his back hurts, then sings to him to "stay with me," supported by three doo-wop singers. A noblewoman suddenly enters, stating that she is looking for a man named Donald Giovanni who betrayed her. After being subdued by Susanna and Pecadillo, she introduces herself as Donna Donna. Pecadillo is immediately drawn to Donna Donna's servant, Blondie. All four express their views on love in a quartet.

Outside the palace, Donald Giovanni and his servant Schlepporello arrive. Schlepporello wants to sing an aria, but Giovanni tells him he's a mute character and shouldn't even be speaking. Susanna and Blondie emerge on the balcony. Giovanni is about to approach when Pecadillo enters and sings a serenade. Giovanni asks him about the lady, and Pecadillo tells him she's Susanna Susannadanna. Giovanni calls to Susanna, who comes out to the balcony and invites him inside.

Susanna shows Giovanni her husband lying asleep. Donna Donna enters, recognizes Giovanni, and demands that he marry her or be shot. Before Donna Donna can shoot Giovanni, a pirate emerges from a chest and threatens to kill anyone who moves. He introduces himself as Captain Kadd and announces he's "taking this ship to Cuba" in search of a hidden treasure. Al Donfonso awkwardly explains that they aren't on a ship, but rather in Figaro's bedroom, "in a town on the coast of Spain or Italy or somewhere". When the others threaten to report Kadd to the authorities, Kadd takes Figaro and his bed hostage and rolls out of the room.

Donald Giovanni descends a ladder from the balcony, but Donna Donna is waiting for him outside. He assures her he isn't trying to flee. He explains that he is going to find Figaro and bring him back. He recruits the unwilling Pecadillo to join him and Schlepporello. At a dock, Giovanni and Pecadillo promise to be faithful to Donna Donna and Blondie and say goodbye. The three men board a ship and sail off. Immediately there's a storm, and the ship sinks in the distance.

Act 2

The men reach an unknown shore somewhere in the Turkish Empire. They find Opec, who sings a song while picking various tropical fruit off of a single tree. Opec tells the trio that they are at the palace of Pasha Shaboom. The Pasha enters with his entourage, and a group of dancers perform the Dance of the Seven Pails. Opec tells the Pasha of the three suspicious foreigners he has found, but the Pasha is clearly stoned and isn't bothered. After the Pasha and his company leave, Giovanni and Pecadillo express their admiration of two veiled women. However, the women reveal themselves as Donna Donna and Blondie and promptly leave, feeling insulted by the men's lack of fidelity.

Blondie and Donna Donna commiserate. Blondie laments that there aren't any faithful men, but Donna Donna still wants a man who will be true to her. Pecadillo sings a song to Blondie, begging for forgiveness. Donna Donna angrily comes out, but Giovanni insists that she still has his heart. She initially succumbs to his advances, but quickly breaks off and denounces him. She becomes so angry that she breaks the fourth wall, telling the conductor that "I'm not going to sing my aria!".

Giovanni tells Pecadillo and Schlepporello that it's time to continue their quest to rescue Figaro. Opec wants to come with them, saying that he can provide a ship and crew. The quartet all head off to Cuba.

Act 3

On a tropical island, there's a ballet which has nothing to do with the story. The four men enter, believing they're in an enchanted forest or perhaps dreaming, but Pecadillo decides they're simply lost. Schlepporello still wants to sing, but Giovanni harshly reminds him he's not allowed to.

Papa Geno and Mama Geno, a pair of swineherds, enter and introduce themselves in song. They explain that they've been living on the island ever since they were in a shipwreck. Captain Kadd arrives, still with Figaro's bed. Kadd recognizes Papa Geno as his former ship's cook and receives a map from him. The directions lead to the bed, where Kadd discovers that Figaro is gone. Where he was lying, though, is the Maltese Falcon. That's why Figaro's back was hurting; the treasure was in the bed the whole time.

Kadd discovers that the hollow statuette, which is supposed to contain the treasure, is empty and stops the performance midway through the opera's finale. The stage director wants him to go on and pretend that the treasure is there, but Kadd insists the production is supposed to be fully staged. Schlepporello, now breaking character, says that he knows where the treasure is and that he'll return it on the condition that he is allowed to sing, suggesting an aria of Donald Giovanni's which was supposedly "cut" from the second act. The director gives in. After a mediocre performance, Schlepporello produces the treasure, and the finale concludes with Kadd celebrating his newly acquired wealth. An offstage narrator briefly summarizes the later life of the characters.

Musical numbers

1. Introductory remarks by Prof. Peter Schickele
2. Opening credits
3. Overture
Act 1: A town on the seacoast of Spain or Italy or somewhere
Scene 1: Figaro's bedroom in the palace of Count Almamater
4. Introduction: "Found a peanut!"
5. Recitative: "Ah, dear husband"
    Aria: "Stay with me"
6. Recitative: "Suzanna"
7. Recitative: "Dog!"
    Aria: "Perfidy, thy name is Donald"
8. Recitative: "I am distraught"
9. Quartet: "Love is gone"
Scene 2: A courtyard of the palace
10. Recitative: "Well, here we are"
11. Aria: "Behold, fair maiden"
12. Recitative: "Just a moment"
      Duet: "Thy lofty tree"
Scene 3: Figaro's bedroom
13. Recitative: "And here is my husband"
14. Recitative: "Hold it!"
      Aria: "My name is Captain Kadd"
15. Recitative: "Now that you've heard"
16. Sextet: "What a downer!"
Scene 4: The courtyard
17. Recitative: "Schlepporello"
      Aria: "No man"
Scene 5: At the dock
18. Recitative: "What a strange turn of events"
19. Quintet and chorus: "Ah, though we must part"
20. Act 1 finale

21. Introduction to act 2
Act 2: Somewhere in the Turkish Empire
Scene 1: At the seashore
22. Duet: "God be praised"
Scene 2: In front of the Pasha's palace
23. Aria: "Fish gotta swim"
24. Chorus: "Hey, make way"
25. Dance of the Seven Pails
26. Recitative: "Your immenseness"
27. Duet, chorus, and dialogue: "Who is the highest"
28. Quartet: "May I introduce"
Scene 3: A courtyard of the palace
29. Dialogue and recitative: "Why?"
      Aria and dialogue: "Macho, macho"
30. Cavatina and dialogue: "You can beat me"
31. Act 2 finale

Act 3: A tropical forest
32. Ballet
33. Trio and dialogue: "A magic forest"
34. Duet and dialogue: "I am a swineherd"
35. Finale (part 1) and dialogue
36. Aria and dialogue: "Why, oh why"
37. Finale (part 2)
38. Curtain calls and closing credits
39. Closing remarks by Prof. Schickele

DVD bonus tracks

• Excerpts from the Gross Concerto for Divers Flutes and Orchestra, S. −2
• Professor Peter Schickele in conversation with Gordon Hunt

External links

• Peter Schickele/P. D. Q. Bach homepage