Beaumarchais' fame rests on the Le Barbier de Seville (1775) and Le Mariage de Figaro (1784), the only plays out of the French Revolution period that became part of the international repertoire through Mozart's and Rossini's adaptations. The third of an intended trilogy, A Mother's Guilt, is now rarely performed. Leigh (French, Cambridge), introduces these new translations, and a chronology of his life and times (1732-1799). Originally published in 1997 by J.M. Dent, London. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)