What is the meaning behind “(Galileo) Galileo, (Galileo) Galileo, Galileo Figaro magnifico”? Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
- by imrk
- March 25, 2023
Galileo Galilei was an Italian astronomer and physicist, best known for his support of heliocentrism—the theory that the earth revolves around the sun. The Catholic Church persecuted him and forced him to recant some of his scientific conclusions. He lived under house arrest from his trial in 1633 until his death in 1642. “Figaro” is probably an allusion to Mozart’s classic opera The Marriage Of Figaro. “Bohemian Rhapsody” has an intense, operatic style, especially in this middle section, and Freddie Mercury was a lifelong opera lover. In fact, in 1987 he released Barcelona, with polyglot operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé. As shown in the November 2018 biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody , this line required dozens upon dozens of takes from drummer Roger Taylor due to Freddie demanding that he push his vocal limits and continue reaching higher notes.