Figaro: The Life of Beaumarchais
John Rivers
Play
Length 11 h 58 min
Chapters 33
First published 1922
Beaumarchais – Watchmaker, music teacher, politician, opportunist, publisher, secret agent for Louis XVI, yet fomenter of revolution in both France and America – and yet again imprisoned for being an enemy of the Revolution. . . Friend of Voltaire, libertarian, arms dealer, and dramatist whose famous Figaro trio of satirical plays reflects the dissolution of Medieval society and torturous emergence of a new democratic era. This biography by John Rivers was originally published in 1922. (Summary by Lynette Caulkins)
Chapters
1
Preface Read by Lynette Caulkins 4:38
2
Ch. II - Mme. Francquet and the First Marriage of Beaumarchais Read by Zunzil 13:06
3
Ch. III - The Duel Read by Kerry Adams 22:55
4
Ch. IV - Some Early Adventures of Beaumarchais Read by William Bruce McFadden 15:39
5
Ch. V - An Adventure in Spain Read by Rita Boutros 40:10
6
Ch. VI - In Old Madrid Read by Rita Boutros 31:40
7
Ch. VII - The Story of the Beautiful Creole Read by Rita Boutros 44:43
8
Ch. VIII - Beaumarchais in His Early Plays Read by Rita Boutros 18:52
9
Ch. IX - Mme. Lévêque and the Second Marriage of Beaumarchais Read by Zunzil 9:54
10
Ch. X - Beaumarchais at Law Read by czandra 7:12
11
Ch. XI - Beaumarchais, the Mad Duke, and the Demi-Mondaine Read by czandra 29:10
12
Ch. XII - Beaumarchais in Prison Read by Tatiana Chichilla 10:17
13
Ch. XIII - How "Louis XV Overthrew the Old Parlement and Fifteen Louis the New" Read by Sarah Rothwell 37:50
14
Ch. XIV - How "Louis XV Overthrew the Old Parlement and Fifteen Louis the New" Continued Read by Sarah Rothwell 29:21
15
Ch. XV - Concerning Mlle. Willermaula and the Third Marriage of Beaumarchais Read by Zunzil 8:53
16
Ch. XVI - On Secret Service Read by Availle 15:58
17
Ch. XVII - Beaumarchais and the Brigands of the Leichtenholtz Read by Sarah Rothwell 16:35
18
XVIII - A Mysterious Affair Read by Sonia and 1 other 22:27
19
XIX - "The Barber of Seville" Read by James R. Hedrick 53:47
20
XX - Beaumarchais and the Chevalier d'Éon Read by Isaac Wachsman 21:38
21
XXI - The Rehabilitation of Beaumarchais Read by Isaac Wachsman 6:47
22
XXII - Beaumarchais in Conflict with the Players Read by Isaac Wachsman 14:15
23
XXIII - Beaumarchais Closes His Account Read by Isaac Wachsman 12:19
24
XXIV - In Which Beaumarchais Discovers America Read by mkirkpat 26:48
25
XXV - Beaumarchais and Voltaire Read by William Bruce McFadden 14:12
26
XXVI - About "The Marriage of Figaro" Read by Sarah Rothwell 21:00
27
XXVII - "The Marriage of Figaro" - Part 1 Read by James R. Hedrick 23:00
28
XXVII - "The Marriage of Figaro" - Part 2 Read by James R. Hedrick 44:28
29
XXVIII - Beaumarchais and Mirabeau Read by czandra 8:28
30
XXIX - The Tribulations of a Knight-Errant Read by Sarah Rothwell 22:17
31
XXX - Tarare, and the Last Incarnation of Figaro Read by William Bruce McFadden 14:59
32
XXXI - Beaumarchais and the Deluge Read by mkirkpat 31:19
33
XXXII - The Exile's Return, Last Years and Death Read by Tatiana Chichilla 11:15
From LibriVox, read by volunteers and in the public domain. LibriVox page (opens librivox.org) , the text (opens babel.hathitrust.org) , all files on the Internet Archive (opens archive.org) .
