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An opera Europeans would adore

21/05/2010

The Marriage of Figaro, May/June 2010

PUBLICATION: The National Business Review
REVIEWED BY: John Daly-Peoples
WHERE: St James Theatre, Wellington

Mozart can't have been very legally minded. To have a man sign up to a contract in which defaulting on a loan required marriage to the lender in whom they had no interest would seem to be a ridiculous proposition.

But that is just one of the quirky aspects of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, NBR NZ Opera's latest production where sexual gratification and the exercise of power override any sense of morality or commonsense.

Like last year's production of Rossini's The Italian Girl in Algiers, this is an exceptional production that sets new standards. Director Aidan Lang launched the company into new territory where superlatives are no longer sufficient. This production could slot into the season of any great European opera house and be rapturously received.

It is innovative while staying within the bounds of the traditional and makes one realise that while it is an opera of the 18th century it is also one for the 21st century.

Count Almaviva sees himself as one of the great liberals of eighteenth century Seville, as he has repudiated the long established "droite de seigneur" at his court (the right of the nobleman to sleep with any newly married woman). However his temperament has not changed and he is intent on bedding Susanna, Figaro's betrothed.

Most of the opera is concerned with thwarting the Count in his endeavors. But there are others who attempt to prevent Figaro marrying Susanna so that he will have to marry the older and less desirable Marcellina (with whom he has the loan) who enlists the help of Dr Bartolo, an old adversary of Figaro.

Nuccia Focile as the Countess was the major import for the show and her voice is one of the richest and most opulent we have heard on stage for some time. In many ways, like the Countess herself, she was different from the other singers. She sang with a pure classical voice and a restrained acting style that reinforced her role as a woman trapped within the conventions of the past. But there were times when she managed to display her feelings, as when she is overcome with emotion at the love song Cherubino sings to her.

The star of the show was Emma Pearson as Susanna, who created a multi layered character who exuded confidence as though she were born to the role. When she was on stage she seemed to galvanise the rest of the cast, singing with a captivating freshness and liveliness.

She combined intense passion, frivolity and a guileless feminism with superb comic timing and a real sense of psychological insight. Her singing of "Il birbo e in sentinella" in the final garden scene was an exquisite and tender summation of romantic love.

Wade Kernot's Figaro was a nice mixture of the quick thinking and naïve singing with commendable natural ease. His "Bravo signor padrone" where he sings about the Count's designs on his future wife was sung with a mix of agitation, bitterness and thoughtfulness that hints at the upper class/lower class divide - a theme at the core of the opera.

Riccardo Novaro was an excellent Count, severe and aloof but totally confused when outside of his comfort zone. He was impressive with his razor-sharp singing and concise acting.

Wendy Dawn Thompson in the trouser role of Cherubino was a fine love-besotted youth. She carried the part with a luscious voice and effortlessly managed all the intricacies of acting that the part requires.

The generously bewigged Dr Bartolo, sung by Gennadi Dubinski, gave a fine acting display which complemented his impeccable voice and Helen Medlyn as Marcellina provided an engaging character part.

Richard Greager, Richard Green, Derek Hill and Alexandra Ioan all provided high quality singing and added immensely to the strength of the production.

Robin Rawstorne's elegant sparse sets of dazzling white walls were designed so that the moveable panels were able to create a variety of spaces punctuated by more doors than a French farce. These variously sized rooms provided a clever way of separating out the multiple scenes, which in most productions occur within the one space.

The final garden scene set, however, was a disappointment with its curved shapes that might have been inspired by Gaudi but looked more like a sci-fi creation.

While the smaller spaces were ideal for the main characters they were just too small when the Chapman Tripp Chorus piled in. Its members sang superbly but looked cramped and out of place.

Elizabeth Whiting's costuming was impressive although the much publicised denim wear of the servants, while cleverly designed, clashed with the refined costumes of the main protagonists and the set.

The Vector Wellington Orchestra under Lionel Friend provided a sensitive and well-judged accompaniment to the opera, never intruding or dominating on the singing and always ensuring the music told its own story.