There was a sense that too much text was flying without translation. Jonathan Dean deserves praise for his succinct English supertitles, but sometimes they seemed too minimalist.
The audience always knew which letter was being discussed, who was serenading whom, and who could hear but could not see what was happening. A few notes were missed, and the singers got out of sync with the conductor, albeit briefly.Ĭlear stage directions by Peter Kazaras kept the plot from becoming confusing. Williamson also played the harpsichord with a flourish that added sparkle to this production. Barry Johnson got lots of laughs as the alcoholic gardener Antonio, and Leena Chopra created a delightfully lithe Barbarina.Ĭonductor Dean Williamson and orchestra had many fine moments, starting with the overture which chirped happily. Bartolo blustered about with excellent timing Ted Schmitz played music master Don Basilio and a wheelchair-ridden notary Don Curzio with a gleeful smirk. Joyce Castle’s elderly Marcellina and Arthur Woodley’s Dr. Sindram’s “Voi che sapete che cosa è amor” (“You who know what love is”) was one of the many highlights of the evening. She conveyed love-struck teenager to such a degree that she could, while seated, make her knee nervously bob up and down and sing at the same time. Twyla Robinson’s Countess Almaviva was dignified and aptly conveyed the suffering of a wife who wanted the affections of her husband.ĭaniela Sindram embodied the fidgety and amorous Cherubino with aplomb.
And with the penitent plea at the end of the story, when he asks for forgiveness from his wife, Kwiecien gave the Count some genuineness that effectively countered the impression that he made as sensuous, worldly, and utterly vain nobleman. The scene in which she uses her feminine wiles to arouse the Count was just one of many that captured the attention of the audience as well.Īs Count Almaviva, Mariusz Kwiecien swaggered with virility. Christine Brandes created a sensational Susanna, displaying a beautiful soprano tone and having fun throughout the entire opera. In the role of Figaro, Oren Gradus combined a supple and resonant baritone with outstanding acting to enhance the story with warmth, good humor, and occasional furry (like when he suspects his fiancé of a dalliance with the Count). The high-spirited and complex plot of this comedy creates many opportunities for something to go awry, yet the principals collaborated with expert timing to make all of the shenanigans work without a hitch and the audience loved every minute of it. A fine sense of teamwork helped to create a funny and rewarding performance of Mozart's “The Marriage of Figaro” at Seattle Opera on opening night (Saturday, May 2) at McCaw Hall.
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