Le nozze di Figaro

Spring 2026

Music by W. A. Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

Music Director … Enoch Li ’26
Stage Director … Eliza Zangerl ’26

Send any questions to harvardcollegeopera@gmail.com.

synOPsis

Mozart’s comic opera, set in 18th-century Spain, follows a single tumultuous day in the lives of Figaro and Susanna, servants in the household of Count Almaviva. As they prepare for their wedding, complications arise when the Count—tiring of his marriage to the Countess—schemes to seduce Susanna. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess join forces to outwit him, while a host of subplots involving disguises, mistaken identities, and romantic entanglements add to the chaos. By the end, the Count is exposed and humiliated, begs his wife’s forgiveness, and harmony is restored with the celebration of Figaro and Susanna’s marriage.

Audition INFORMATION

To audition, please prepare one song to sing for directors and producers. You may choose any work (including the song “Happy Birthday”) in any language or style. While an art song or aria is preferred, it is most important that you choose a song appropriate to your voice type and that you feel comfortable with. Piano accompaniment will be provided in the audition room.

If you are interested in auditioning for the orchestra, please contact the Music Director and Orchestra Liaison at harvardcollegeopera@gmail.com.

callback Information

If you are called back, please plan prepare the short excerpt from the role (materials below). Expect the callback to consist of a full performance of the callback excerpt, a round of feedback from directors, and another performance (full or partial) incorporating directors’ feedback.

Note that auditions are NOT a part of HRDC’s common casting!

Roles

Conte Almaviva, Baritone

Contessa Almaviva, Soprano

Susanna, Soprano

Figaro, Bass

Cherubino, Mezzo Soprano

Marcellina, Soprano

Bartolo, Bass

Basilio, Tenor

Don Curzio, Tenor

Barbarina, Soprano

Antonio, Bass

Chorus, All voice types

timeline / Commitment:

Please understand that if you are offered a role, you will be committing to the following:

  • 1-2 coachings per number that the role has

  • Individual memorization over winter break

  • Coachings, Sitzprobe, Tech and Dress rehearsals, and concert in mid-January to early-February

Callback excerpts:

Sheet music for callback excerpts can be found here.

Figaro 

  • Act 1, Recit from before No. 3, m.41 - 54 (“Bravo signor padrone” to end of recit) 

  • Act 1, No. 3, m.64 - end  (“L’arte schermendo” to end of aria)  

Susanna 

  • Act 4, No. 28, m.1 - 24 (“Giunse alfin il momento" to “come la notte i furti miei seconda”) 

  • Act 2, No. 13, m.80 - end (“Mirate il bricconcello” to end of aria) 

Contessa 

  • Act 3, No. 20, m.14 - 25 of Recit (“Oh cielo” to end of recit) 

  • Act 3, No. 20, m.1 - 36 of Aria (“Dove sono” to “la memoria di quel ben non trapassò”) 

Conte 

  • Act 3, No. 18, m.1 - 24 of Recit (“Hai già vinta la causa” to “di dare una nipote in matrimonio”) 

  • Act 3, No. 18, m.94 - end (“Già la speranza sola” to end of aria) 

Cherubino

  • Act 1, Recit before No. 6, m.27 - end (“Deh dammelo sorella” to end of recit) 

  • Act 1, No. 6, m.1 - 51 (“Non so più” to “ogni donna mi fa palpitar”)