THE FABULOUS MAYHEM OF THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

Make some room for the bride and groom because it’s the wedding of the year!

Opera Queensland’s The Marriage of Figaro will have you laughing and weeping – much like at a real wedding. Patrick Nolan’s creative team stages a delightful production, featuring some of the best voices in Australia.

It is always a challenge to stage an absolute classic. Everyone has an opinion about it – after all everyone has heard of Figaro! But Opera Queensland has never shied away from the opportunity to revive the familiar with some contemporary touches, while staying true to the composer’s intended feel.

If you have planned a wedding, you will feel for the characters battling the mayhem of Figaro and Suzanna’s big day (although Mozart dials the madness up a bit!). As Suzanna (Sofia Troncoso) and Figaro (Jeremy Kleeman) try to keep a clear head and navigate the challenges the day throws at them, the chaos is fuelled by the lusty Count’s advances, the stories of long lost sons and family reunions, and a page who is always in the wrong place at the wrong time!

The fourth act is where we really feel Mozart’s presence. The composer who wrote for royalty as well as common folk was not afraid of ‘cheap’ laughs and physical comedy, and Opera Queensland singers revel in the opportunity to spur the audience on. Having firmly established a connection with the audience, the performers feed off their reactions to the complicated web of silliness that comes with the confusions of mistaken identities, wistful lovers hiding from jealous husbands, and the plots to rekindle a lost passion.

Of course, when it comes to Mozart, music is the ultimate jewel of the experience. Supported by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Dane Lam, the singers delight with a rollercoaster of harmonies. While every singer can be singled out for their vocal performance, the musical highlight has to be the duet between Suzanna and the Countess in Act 4. The two voices perfectly complement one another to create some warm and cosy magic that would make Mozart proud!

The season of The Marriage of Figaro runs until 31 July 2021 at the Playhouse, QPAC.