I was pleasantly surprised after viewing The Marriage of Figaro at the Metropolitan Opera. Never having sat through a three and a half hour long Italian opera before, I was expecting a tedious and confusing show. However, I found that I did not need to speak Italian to appreciate the beauty and understand the strong emotions in the plot.
The music’s dramatic changes from cheerful, light melodies to suspenseful, dark refrains clearly depicted the ever-changing emotions of the characters. The audience felt Susanna’s frustration and Figaro’s anger solely from their tone and pitch. Each character’s voice, whether booming like the Count’s or airy like Cherubino’s, was strong and beautiful and translated their feelings well. I was also impressed by the conductor’s energy and devotion to the orchestra. All of his intense directions and passion were visible and emphasized how important the music was.
Another aspect of the opera that made a strong impression on me was the scenery and lighting. As the story moved from day to night, the lighting changed slowly and made the transition realistic. The only thing that could distract me from the captivating singers was the amount of detail in the set. Everything on stage was perfected to fit the scene. The upholstery and fabrics used, as well as the elaborate moldings, sculptures, and paintings, conveyed the Count’s wealth. When the stage completely rotated during a scene-change, I was in awe. The singers managed to stay perfectly still and maintain their high-pitched notes while the stage was in motion.
The plot was rich in humor, satire, mischief, love, and betrayal. The overall joviality and ridiculousness of the story successfully mocked the differences between upper and lower classes. The actors got the audience to laugh numerous times throughout and feel happy when everything finally worked out at the end. I was extremely impressed with the acting, singing, setting, and orchestra, and I look forward to seeing more operas in the future.
Well done. A very good review