The Countess and three servants conspire to embarrass the Count during an attempted infidelity. Complications ensue for the upcoming nuptials.
Director: Jonathan Haswell
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Time: 18th century
Place: near Seville
First performance at Vienna, May 1, 1786
I did not watch very carefully. The audience laughed only a few times. I think the production was competent, but perhaps never got madcap, which this story could certainly do. I like the voices of Figaro & Susanna; I've seen her in Cosi fan tutte, which I gave an 8.
I'm not feeling so generous today. 3h for this is a lot. I suppose this is so well known by opera goers that the production team wouldn't dare edit it down. (There are 3 tv captures of this opera in 2006: Vienna, London and Milan.)
I did not watch very carefully. The audience laughed only a few times. I think the production was competent, but perhaps never got madcap, which this story could certainly do. I like the voices of Figaro & Susanna; I've seen her in Cosi fan tutte, which I gave an 8.
I'm not feeling so generous today. 3h for this is a lot. I suppose this is so well known by opera goers that the production team wouldn't dare edit it down. (There are 3 tv captures of this opera in 2006: Vienna, London and Milan.)
Too many characters and too many connections between them, intentional for comedic purposes. Before watching, I'm going to write a summary of the Simon's 100 Great Operas synopsis, more to try to absorb it than to document anything.
Act I: Figaro & Susanna work as valet & maid to the Count and Countess Almaviva, respectively. F&S are also about to marry each other, and S expects the Count to chase her even after the wedding. Figaro borrowed money from Marcellina with the condition he'd marry her if he defaulted. M's boss Dr. Bartolo has an old grudge against F and vows revenge. Cherubino has a crush on the Countess. Here comes the Count to chase S, so Cherubino hides. Then here comes the music teacher/gossip Don Basilio, so the Count hides too. He gossips about Cherubino and the gardener's daughter, the Count discovers him, singing ensues, and the Count gives Cherubino a commission in his regiment, which will be traveling.
Act II: Countess laments losing her husband's love. Countess, S&F conspire to make the Count more loyal to his wife, and invite him to an assignation with S, but which will be fulfilled by Cherubino, and interrupted by the Countess. As S readies Cherubino, the Count arrives, so he gets locked in adjoining room, but makes noise there. By the time Count has broken into the room, S has replaced Cherubino. F attempts some fancy 'splainin', but the gardener arrives to complain about someone jumping from that room into his shrubbery. F 'splains some more. Here comes Marcellina to claim her rights to marry F, along with Dr. Bartolo & Don Basilio, and everybody sings.
Act III: The Count is confused; S soothes him. An attorney claims F must marry Marcellina, but F avers with needing the consent of his unknown parents. F reveals a birthmark, which matches Marcellina's; lo, she is really his mother, and Dr. Bartolo his father. So his parents decide to marry each other while S&F wed. Countess is sad again, but she & S write a confirmation note to the Count for the assignation. Everyone onstage for the wedding. The gardener snatches the wig off Cherubino revealing his true gender, but before his punishment is decided, a peasant girl wants to marry him. Then the Count gets S's confirmation note, and F gets suspicious. Wedding fever-joy completes the act.
Act IV: A messenger sings about fear of losing the pin she is taking to the Count from S, F gets jealous and sings about women's treachery. Within earshot, S sings rapturously about her approaching love, which F interprets as not himself. S & Countess exchange costumes, Cherubino woos the Countess; the Count arrives, ousting Cherubino, and woos S (really the Countess), and F woos the Countess (really S). But F knew it was S, so she forgives him. The Count is suitably embarrassed, begs pardon, and everyone sings happy thoughts.
Cast:
COUNT ALMAVIVA Baritone :: Gerald Finley
FIGARO, his valet Baritone :: Erwin Schrott
COUNTESS ALMAVIVA Soprano :: Dorothea Röschmann
SUSANNA, her maid and Figaro’s-fiancée Soprano :: Miah Persson
DR. BARTOLO Bass :: Jonathan Veira
MARCELLINA, his housekeeper Soprano :: Graciela Araya
CHERUBINO, a page Soprano :: Rinat Shaham
DON BASILIO, a music master Tenor :: Philip Langridge
ANTONIO, a gardener Bass :: Jeremy White
BARBARINA, his daughter Soprano :: Ana James
DON CURZIO, counselor-at-law Tenor :: Francis Egerton
Rated 8.7 (22)
Royal Opera, cond. Pappano; 7
