Why does Count Almaviva want to prevent Figaro and Susanna from marrying?

In Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera The Marriage of Figaro, Count Almaviva attempts to prevent the marriage of Figaro and Susanna primarily because he wishes to seduce Susanna and make her his mistress.123

The Count’s pursuit of Susanna is a central conflict of the plot. To obstruct their union, he conspires with others, such as the music master Don Basilio and the housekeeper Marcellina, to force Figaro into a different marriage arrangement. Specifically, the Count supports Marcellina’s claim that Figaro is legally bound to marry her due to an unpaid loan, hoping this will derail the wedding between Figaro and Susanna.134

The Count’s behavior reflects the opera's critical stance on aristocratic corruption and the abuse of power, contrasting his dishonorable intentions with the virtue of his servants.12