Seeing/hearing live performances really does make a difference! Though I don't make it to live performances all that often myself, except the ones I'm in. :P And Figaro is such a great opera.
To me, when the words and music conflict, I believe the music. So I want to believe in the "Più docile sono" moment because the music sounds true, even though the Count's behavior doesn't make it seem like he'll really reform. The only other moment I can think of like it is the "Tamino mein/Pamina mein" exchange in Zauberflöte.
Similarly with "Deh vieni non tardar" -- the music sounds true and sincere, so I've asked myself why. The conclusion I've come to about that is: Susanna knows Figaro is listening, and she's really singing it for him. She's anticipating her wedding night with the man she loves, and the beautiful sensuality makes sense to me in that context. That makes more sense to me than dismissing the whole thing as none of it being real.
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To me, when the words and music conflict, I believe the music. So I want to believe in the "Più docile sono" moment because the music sounds true, even though the Count's behavior doesn't make it seem like he'll really reform. The only other moment I can think of like it is the "Tamino mein/Pamina mein" exchange in Zauberflöte.
Similarly with "Deh vieni non tardar" -- the music sounds true and sincere, so I've asked myself why. The conclusion I've come to about that is: Susanna knows Figaro is listening, and she's really singing it for him. She's anticipating her wedding night with the man she loves, and the beautiful sensuality makes sense to me in that context. That makes more sense to me than dismissing the whole thing as none of it being real.