| Go to the opera and have a good laugh! |
The Marriage of Figaro |
| Welsh National Opera , Wales Millennium Centre , February 16, 2020 |
Mozart’s ‘presto’ overture, again masterly played by the WNO orchestra, spiritedly and inspirationally led by conductor, Carlo Rizzi sets us ready for the fun.‘Opera buffa”, comic opera and we certainly get some jolly good laughs but it’s also a complicated story, a challenge for us to have fun trying to sort it out. It is clear that today Figaro and Susanna are going to get married and the twinkle in their eyes tell us we are all going to have a good time. Base Baritone David Ireland, making his debut with the company has just the right comic touch in both his acting and in his fine singing. We meet him getting the wedding room ready for his bride, checking that the bed is big enough! Not surprisingly he is excited about marrying Susanna. She gives him and us a most delightful and attractive performance: Soraya Mafi’s crystal clear soprano enchants us all. They are servants to Count and Countess d’Almaviva. There seems to be a tradition,’droit de seigneur’ going round that allows the Count the privilege of sleeping with a new young bride. Figaro is having none of this. Jonathan McGovern and Anita Watson are perfect in their aristocratic roles and both initially bring that quality to their singing: McGovern a charming baritone and Watson’s captivating soprano equal the quality of their acting. A doctor Bartolo, excellently costumed, telling us that underneath he is a bit of a figure of fun , well embraced by Henry Waddington, but not today. He is accompanied by his old housekeeper, Marcellina, given a very good character performance by Leah-Marian Jones. He demands Figaro pays him his debts, if not he must complete his promise to marry the old lady. Clearly Figaro is not at all keen on that idea. A pageboy, Cherubino is somehow in the mêlée sung with a nice touch of innocence by mezzo soprano Anna Harvey. Harvey is well up for the farce that follows: hiding behind a chair, in the chair, being sat upon. For a short while the chair is the central character of the action. Things are resolved, well sort of. The Count orders Cherubino to join the army. Figaro tells him he won’t get much fun there. He gives a knowing wink as he sings “No more gallivanting”. Rampant infidelities appear to be happening but it’s hard to work out who is going off with whom especially when every one goes of the forest in disguise. We may not be sure of what exactly is happening but there’s a lot of excitement about. Somehow Figaro is caught with the Countess, he’s only pretending. Maybe it’s not her. The Count is furious but now he’s off the rails and his wife catches him out and he kneels and begs her forgiveness. She’s OK about it now and sings, “I am more mild”. Figaro and Susanna are married. Contentment reigns. It been a great fun evening and maybe some members of the audience are leaving with a bit of naughtiness inside themselves! |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
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