ONP: Le Nozze di Figaro

Count Almaviva – Christopher Maltman

La contessa di Almaviva – Maria Bengtsson

Figaro – Luca Pisaroni

Susanna – Ying Fang

Cherubino – Lea Desandre

Conductor – Gustavo Dudamel

Director – Netia Jones

Set and costume designer – Netia Jones

Lighting Designer – Lucy Carter

The Marriage of Figaro is one of the repertoire’s most iconic works. Brahms spoke of it as a “miracle” and the Countess’s lament remains one of the most heart-rending musical pages of all time. By taking up Beaumarchais’ comedy, which had caused a scandal to shake Parisian society, Mozart and Da Ponte’s success was secured. The play had even been banned by Joseph II in 1785 at Theatre of Vienna. Did it shine too much light on the contradictions of an already faltering regime, ready to collapse with the French Revolution? Netia Jones’ new production retains the very essence of Beaumarchais’ play as she humorously yet mischievously explores human relationships in a universe that confuses reality and fiction to the point of asking, like the Count: “Are we playing in a comedy?”

ACT I
In the Palazzo Aguas Frescas. Figaro, valet to Count
Almaviva, is about to marry Susanna, the Countess’s maid.
But while the celebrations are being prepared, obstacles
arise and plots are woven. The Count, a fi ckle husband,
attempts to seduce Susanna and dreams of reestablishing
the “droit du seigneur”over young brides; he is aided in his
plotting by unscrupulous Basilio, the music master. There
is also Marcellina, “housekeeper at the castle”, who has
lent money to Figaro in return for a promise of marriage;
with the support of the doctor Bartolo, who bears an old
grudge against Figaro, she intends to assert her rights.
Cherubino, the vivacious and mischievous page, is in love
with all women and especially the Countess, his “beautiful
godmother”. He is chased from the castle by the Count,
who has surprised him with Barbarina, the gardener’s
daughter. He comes to beg Susanna to intercede for him
with the Countess, but the Count arrives hoping to obtain an
assignation with Susanna. On his approach, the page hides
behind an armchair. The arrival of Basilio obliges Almaviva
to hide in his turn, but he leaps out when he hears Basilio
refer to Cherubino’s passion for the Countess. The page is
soon discovered; the Count gives him a commission and
orders him to join his regiment without delay.
ACT II
The Countess, abandoned by her husband, is ready to
assist Figaro and Susanna in their plan to marry as soon as
possible thereby thwarting Almaviva. They intend to send
an anonymous letter causing the Count to worry about
his wife’s conduct; then to send the page disguised as a
girl to the assignation he has made with the maid. In the
Countess’ bedchamber, Cherubino dresses in woman’s
clothing and sings his “romance”. The banter is interrupted
by the arrival of the Count, who, alerted by the note, is
jealous. The page escapes via the window. The Count, mad
with rage, enters his wife’s chamber to discover not a man
but Susanna. Everything would be all right if it were not
for Antonio, the gardener, who has seen Cherubino jump
from the window onto his fl ower beds. The Count feels
he has been tricked. Marcellina arrives with Bartolo and
Basilio giving him the opportunity to avenge himself; he
promises to see that the contract is honoured: Figaro will
marry Marcellina.
ACT III
Susanna pretends to accept the Count’s assignation,
but manifests her joy at deceiving him too loudly. He
hears her and his wounded pride makes him swear
more than ever to defend Marcellina’s cause. The judge
Don Curzio arrives and condemns Figaro to marry
Marcellina if he cannot pay his debt. But there is a turn
of events when it is discovered that Figaro is none other
than the son of Marcellina and Bartolo. Meanwhile, the
Countess, awaiting Susanna’s return, is consumed with
melancholy. Susanna returns. She writes a letter to the
Count, dictated by the Countess, giving the time and
place of the assignation: it is the Countess who will
be there dressed in her maid’s clothes. Cherubino, in
disguise, mingles with the young girls who have come
to offer flowers to the Countess. He is unmasked. But
the Count stifles his anger as the joyful bridal procession
arrives for the ceremony. During the festivities, Susanna
hands the Count the note dictated by the Countess.
ACT IV
Barbarina informs Figaro, who is unaware of the
deception, of the meeting between the Count and
Susanna. Worried, he hides upon the arrival of the
Countess and Susanna (who have exchanged clothes).
He observes and listens. The disguises and the darkness
create a series of misunderstandings. Remarks, slaps and
kisses are all bestowed on the wrong people. Cherubino
takes the Countess for Susanna; then it is the turn of
the Count to make his long awaited declaration to the
woman he takes for the maid, while Figaro throws
himself at the feet of the so-called Countess. Figaro and
Susanna are spotted by the Count, who believes he is
being cuckolded and in a fury summons his men. To his
great confusion, he discovers that it is to his wife that
he has been addressing his passionate declarations of
love. Everyone’s true identity is revealed and the pardon
granted by the true Countess puts an end to the turmoil
and emotion of this “mad day”