The

cavatina Cavatina is a musical term, originally meaning a short song of simple character, without a second strain or any repetition of the air. It is now frequently applied to any simple, melodious air, as distinguished from brilliant arias or recitatives ...

"" is an

aria In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...

for bass from the first act of the opera ''

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premie ...

'' by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

. The

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

was written by

Lorenzo Da Ponte Lorenzo Da Ponte (; 10 March 174917 August 1838) was an Italian, later American, opera librettist, poet and Roman Catholic priest. He wrote the libretti for 28 operas by 11 composers, including three of Mozart's most celebrated operas: ''The Marr ...

based on a stage comedy by

Pierre Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French polymath. At various times in his life, he was a watchmaker, inventor, playwright, musician, diplomat, spy, publisher, horticulturist, arms dealer, satirist, ...

, ''La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro'' (1784). The Italian title means "If you want to dance". The song is sung by Figaro upon discovering the count's ploys to exercise his newly reasserted

feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a wa ...

, the ' to sleep with Figaro's wife Susanna before the consummation of their marriage. Figaro sings of how he will unravel the count's schemes and thwart him. Written a mere three years before the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

, it can also be read as a political attack on the power-wielding nobility of the time.

Libretto

Italian Se vuol ballare, signor contino, se vuol ballare, signor contino, il chitarrino le suonerò il chitarrino le suonerò, sì, le suonerò, sì, le suonerò. Se vuol venire nella mia scuola la capriola le insegnerò, se vuol venire nella mia scuola la capriola le insegnerò, sì, le insegnerò, sì, le insegnerò. Saprò, saprò, saprò, saprò, saprò, ma piano, piano, piano, piano, piano, piano, meglio ogni arcano, dissimulando scoprir potrò. L'arte schermendo, l'arte adoprando, di qua pungendo, di là scherzando, tutte le macchine rovescierò, rovescierò. tutte le macchine rovescierò, rovescierò. Se vuol ballare, signor contino, se vuol ballare, signor contino, il chitarrino le suonerò, il chitarrino le suonerò, sì, le suonerò, sì, le suonerò.. Literal translation If you want to dance, my little count, If you want to dance, my little count, I'll play the little guitar for you, I'll play the little guitar for you, yes, I'll play for you, yes, I'll play for you. If you want to come to my school I'll teach you the capriole, If you want to come to my school I'll teach you the capriole, yes, Teach you, yes, Teach you. I'll know, I'll know, I'll know, I'll know, I'll know, but slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly; Sooner every dark secret by dissembling I shall uncover. Artfully fencing, artfully working, stinging here, joking there, all of your schemes I'll turn inside out. all of your schemes I'll turn inside out. If you want to dance, my little count, If you want to dance, my little count, I'll play the little guitar for you, I'll play the little guitar for you, yes, I'll play for you, yes, I'll play for you. Singable translation So, little master, you're dressed to go dancing, dressed in your best to go strutting and prancing. I'll put an end to your fun pretty soon; you may go dancing but I'll call the tune, yes, I'll call the tune, yes, I'll call the tune. If you want dancing, I'll be your master; faster and faster, dance till you drop. If you want dancing, I'll be your master; faster and faster, dance till you drop, yes, dance till you drop, yes, dance till you drop. You'll see, you'll see, be careful, Figaro, be careful! Stay under cover, then you'll discover what he's about. I will be cunning, slyly deceiving, cutting and running, ducking and weaving. He may be clever but he's met his match. I can undo any scheme he can hatch. So, little master, you're dressed to go dancing, dressed in your best to go strutting and prancing. I'll put an end to your fun pretty soon; you may go dancing but I'll call the tune, yes, I'll call the tune, yes, I'll call the tune.

Variations

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

wrote a series of 12

variations Variation or Variations may refer to: Science and mathematics * Variation (astronomy), any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite, particularly of the moon * Genetic variation, the difference in DNA among individua ...

for piano and violin,

WoO Woo, WoO, WOO, W.O.O. and variants may refer to: People Woo or Wu, romanization of several East Asian names: * Hu (surname): 胡, 瓠, 護, 戶, 扈, 虎, 呼, 忽, 斛 * Wu (surname): 吳, 伍, 武, 仵, 烏, 鄔, 巫 * Ng (name): 吳, 伍 * ...

40, on the

theme Theme or themes may refer to: * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work * Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos * Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...

of "".

References

External links

*
"Accessible arias: 'Se vuol ballare'"
by Emma Beatty,

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

, 15 February 2011 {{Authority control Arias from The Marriage of Figaro Opera excerpts 1786 compositions Compositions in F major Bass arias Baritone arias