Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais Knihy

lasická francouzská komedie nikterak nezestárla. Ve svůj svatební den brání sluha Figaro svou lásku Zuzanku před milostnými nároky hraběte Almavivy, který chce uplatnit právo první noci. Bavíme se Figarovým důvtipem a umem a fandíme jeho odvaze důrazně se ptát, proč existuje vrstva vyvolených, která si nárokuje pouze výsady a výhody. Je až s podivem, jak se více než po dvou stoletích stává i společenská rovina hry znovu aktuální. Text v adaptaci dramaturgyně Darii Ullrichové doprovází zasvěcená studie Záviše Šumana o kontextu vzniku hry, životopisná črta o autorovi a fotografie kostýmních návrhů Kateřiny Štefkové.

Komedie o čtyřech dějstvích. Satirická komedie konfrontující svět aristokracie a měšťanů.

Těmito komediemi vrcholí Beaumarchaisovo dramatické dílo. Vytvořil v nich postavu slavného Figara, chlapíka, kterého nadal nejvýraznějšími vlastnostmi: břitkosti kurážného vtipu, vynálézavostí, jak vybřednout z nejnemožnějších situací a schopností roztočit svět kolem sebe podle vlastnívůle. Zdaleka to však nejsou jen zábavné komedie o lásce s překážkami. Figaro mluví ostrým jazykem pařížského lidu, stojí proti šlechtici i měšťáku, odlišen od nich třídním postavením a mentalitou. Stojí v jedné řadě s Quijotem, Tartuffem, Švejkem a jinými, kteří vešli ze života do literatury a stali se majetkem všech. Lazebník Figaro vystupuje od svého stvoření v mnoha podobách: v Rossiniho opeře a ve verších Puškinových, u nás na příklad v díle Dykově i E.F. Buriana. Beaumarchais je jednou z ústředních postav Feuchtwangerova románu "Lišky na vinici". - V tomto vydání jsou po prvé do češtiny přeložené Beaumarchaisovy předmluvy k oběma hrám.

[Beaumarchais'] fame rests on Le Barbier de Seville (1775) and Le Mariage de Figaro (1784), the only French plays which his stage-struck century bequeathed to the international repertoire. But his achievement has been adulterated, for 'Beaumarchais' has long been the brand name of a product variously reprocessed by Mozart, Rossini, and the score or so librettists and musicians who have perpetuated his plots, his characters, and his name. The most intriguing question of all has centered on his role as catalyst of the Revolution. Was his impertinent barber the Sweeney Todd of the Ancien Régime, the true begetter of the guillotine? . . . Beaumarchais' plays have often seemed to need the same kind of shoring up as his reputation, as though they couldn't stand on their own without a scaffolding of good tunes. Yet, as John Wells' lively and splendidly speakable translations of the Barber, the Marriage, and A Mother's Guilt demonstrate, they need assistance from no one. [Beaumarchais] thought of the three plays as a trilogy. Taken together, they reflect, as John Leigh's commentaries make clear, the Ancien Régime's unstoppable slide into revolution. --David Coward in The London Review of Books

Originally published: Oxford World's Classic paperback, c2003.

A French courtier, secret agent, libertine and adventurer, Beaumarchais (1732-99) was also author of two sparkling plays about the scoundrelly valet Figaro triumphant successes that were used as the basis of operas by Mozart and Rossini. A highly engaging comedy of intrigue, The Barber of Seville portrays the resourceful Figaro foiling a jealous old man's attempts to keep his beautiful ward from her lover. And The Marriage of Figaro condemned by Louis XVI for its daring satire of nobility and privilege depicts a master and servant set in opposition by their desire for the same woman. With characteristic lightness of touch, Beaumarchais created an audacious farce of disguise and mistaken identity that balances wit, frivolity and seriousness in equal measure

A witty and irreverent comedy of manners that skewers convention and society's obsession with wealth and status. Pierre Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais and Thomas Holcroft's play is a timeless masterpiece of social satire, as relevant today as it was when it was first performed.

First performed in 1778, The Follies of a Day is a classic French comedy that satirizes the nobility and their frivolous pursuits. This edition features an English translation by Thomas Holcroft, with additional alterations by actor and playwright John Philip Kemble. With its witty dialogue and playful plot, The Follies of a Day remains a beloved classic of the stage.

This timeless comic opera, based on the classic work of Beaumarchais, is a beloved gem of the classical repertoire. The Marriage of Figaro is an opulent, lively and hilarious work that explores the foibles and follies of human relationships. With its memorable music and witty dialogue, this opera has stood the test of time and remains as entertaining and relevant today as it was when it was first performed over two centuries ago.