The Marriage of Figaro

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Minus one day, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s controversial opera The Marriage of Figaro premiered 219 years ago at the Vienna Burgtheatre. Controversial then; hilarious fun and frolic to us. With an all-too short run, Mozart’s brilliant opera is Opera Colorado’s bid for adieu for playing at Boettcher hall.

Opera Colorado’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. Norah Amsellam as Countess Almaviva, Christopher Feigum as Figaro and Maria Kanyova as Susanna. Photo: P. Switzer

Next season, the opera company will be able to nestle down into their own home at the renovated Auditorium Theatre under the auspices of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. That will be a very good thing. It also should mean higher expectations laid at the feet of the company’s production team.

Mozart drew inspiration from a Beaumarchais play that had already been banned in Paris for its revolutionary political content. Fortunately, librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte placed emphasis on women not being trustworthy rather than Monarch’s being immoral. Austria’s Emperor Joseph II adopted the ban since the Queen of France was his younger sister. After The Marriage of Figaro was written, permission was granted to perform it. How fortunate we are in this time and place to be free of such censorship in the Theatre Arts.

Two hundred-nineteen years later, The Marriage of Figaro with its highlighted dazzling score, with its conniving tricks, mistrust, it’s-OK-for-men-to-have-a-roving-eye, but-not-OK-for women-to play-the -same-game syndrome, cross-eyed identity, juicy tricks and practical jokes, The Marriage of Figaro rides a roller caster of romantic confusion.

Bass-baritone Christopher Feigum climbs into the role of Figaro. Soprano Maria Kanyova sings his fiancé, Susanna. Mariusz Kwiecien, baritone, starts the rumpus of confused trickery as Count Almaviva planning a secret romp with Susanna on her wedding day, much to Countess Almaviva’s distress. Soprano Norah Amsellem applies her wiles and voice for the Countess.

For the first two acts, at least on opening night, the voices allowed the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Agler to overshadow the notes, quality and power. By Act IV, all voices were at their peak in strength, emotion and power.

Once upon a time, there was a reason for women to sing the roles of men, but it continues to make no sense to me at this point in time and history. Mezzo-soprano Katherine Rohrer sings the role of Cherubino, a Page totally dedicated to the Countess with youthful lust. To avert any hanky panky the Count arranges to send him on his way with orders in hand to join the army. No question, Rohrer contains a magnificent voice, but it didn’t work. There was too much female embedded in the hormone ridden Cherubino to be even halfway believable.

Thoughtful lighting and set design appeared more like a hodge podge. Yes, Figaro demands lots of doors with people coming, going, sneaking, hiding, escaping at the last minute, but the multi doors placed on stage blocked the view of singers who should be seen, allowing singers not yet ready to be seen standing in the shadows.

With all of the places for Cherubino to hide, sitting on a chair with a sheet thrown over him, feet sticking out seemed slightly ridiculous. Certainly anyone entering the room smelling trickery would immediately notice feet sticking out from under a sheet. Not this Count. Also, it seems unlikely, the Count would notice walking into a room that someone like Cherubino would have jumped out the window taking the drape with him. He doesn’t notice this either, The Count may have a male ego’s roving eye, but blind he is not.

In Act IV when Susanna and the Countess exchange clothes to pull a fast one on Figaro and the Count, the lighting so dim the fun of the confusion is lost in keeping track of who is who. A delicious scene confused the confusion.

Perhaps stage director James Robinson is so caught up in plans and dreams for the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, along with set designer James Schuette and lighting designer Mimi Jordan Sherin, but The Marriage of Figaro suffered serious consideration of doors placed willy nilly on stage, and misplaced lighting.

The orchestra is magnificent. The voices in tone and quality are suburb when they reach full throttle. Quality and tone are of utmost importance when it comes to opera. It is beyond my comprehension why it is so difficult to stage one.