And then there’s Don Basilio the wily music teacher, Sylvester Makobi. His servant is the personable Marcellina, Annmarie Errico who’s lent Figaro some money with a promise of matrimony.
Bartolo, a redoubtable Ricardo Ceballos who’s had it in for Figaro since he stole the Countess for the Count. The most interesting one involves a trio of comedia del arte characters. The Count keeps coming up with various delays for the marriage. Figaro is incensed and almost manages to close the opera at the end of the first act, but not quite and after intermission, there are new musical and plot delights to come. The opera is rich with these ensemble pieces that have multiple meanings and the super titles frequently drew laughs from the audience.
As he is cheerfully measures, his Susanna weaves her own song explaining the dangers of their position.
It begins as Figaro measures out the chamber room that lies conveniently between the Count and the Countesses rooms. The action of Figaro all takes place in one very active day. Philandering from a position of power, a tattoo like birthmark, cross dressing…how 21 st century. Meanwhile the hormonally driven Cherubino, Grace Skinner is being disguised in drag. Although he’s been bestowing his favors on Barbarina, Brianna Murray, his current target is Susanna, Kate Johnson the bride of Figaro, Milan Babic. He was a philanderer before his marriage and despite the love of the Countess, Mary Martin, he’s philandering again. Aaron Murphy as the Count is a philanderer. There was hearty applause for individual scenes and a full ovation at the final curtain call.Īlthough the music was classical and the costuming from the period, the play seems both delightfully and all too current. The complex set, with a variety of looks is very effectively lit by Ken Phillips. Walter Huff’s choruses are delightful musically and dramatically. Saturday night’s cast is an outstanding group of singer/actors ably coached in this production by stage director Michael Shell and carefully led from the pit by conductor Antony Walker. IU Opera Theater’s season opener is a thrilling production of Mozart’s comic The Marriage of Figaro, Le Nozze di Figaro.
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