Above: This revival production of The Marriage of Figaro succeeds with its naturalist sets, costumes and a cast capable of celebrating Mozart’s musical, dramatic and comedic impact. Featured image: Richard Anderson as Dr Bartolo and Dominica Matthews as Marcellina. Images: Keith Saunders.
One truth explored beautifully in the 1984 movie Amadeus was the challenging environment Mozart worked in when composing and staging new operatic works for a commercially successful season.
Mozart, who had been creating operas since his teenage years moved on from the stuff of legend or myth to the perhaps controversial pieces with librettos by Lorenzo Da Ponte dealing with class, flawed relationships and harsh social realities.
The creative sequence of Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosí fan Tutte in the final five years of Mozart’s life shows his genius in setting Da Ponte’s text and all degrees of social as well as emotional savagery to some inimitably exquisite orchestral, solo vocal and ensemble music.
His text setting and musical flow needed to support and emphasize the mix of drama and clever comedic social comment on stage-without offending anyone in power, as well as any potential ticket buyers or anyone in the theatrical establishment.
Above: Siobhan Stagg as Susanna and Michael Sumuel as Figaro. Image: Keith Saunders.
Jump forward to our 2025 theatrical time and to the challenge Opera Australia has of selling a three and a half hour piece of theatre to opera fans and newcomers alike. With the added challenge of this narrative being from a period where servant women could marry but were compelled to satisfy their feudal masters sexually before their married partner could consummate their union.
Mozart’s music of course will never disappoint. It is diverse and consistently excellent in this lengthy opera. The score’s famous swirling overture, here taken at supreme speed was almost effortlessly delivered by the Opera Australia Orchestra and conductor Matteo Dal Maso.
This maestro’s choices relating to tempo, balance and nuance following the overture served Mozarts ingeniously created atmospheres very well. Expert too was this conductor’s guidance of both orchestra and stage characters in this revival of a Mozart classic. He maintained momentum, colour, nuance and a formidable sympathetic accompaniment over the next hours.
The stellar cast assembled impress us vocally as well as with their individual plus collective dramatic development. Proven stars from the regular Opera Australia stable plus newer faces provide solid solo characterisation and deliver Mozarts iconic group numbers commendably.
Above: Gordon Blintner as the Count and Kiandra Howarth as the Countess. Image Keith Saunders.
Dominica Matthews and Richard Anderson are an exemplary comic duo, in a combined package as Marcellina and Dr Bartolo. As with all principal characters, their directed use of the stage was full of energy for these caricatures. They presented these characters in effective costuming and with detailed expression and gesture plus fine comic interludes to provide a release of other tensions in the story.
The Count (Gordon Bintner) and Countess (a stunning opener for the season, Kiandra Howarth) – were also elaborately and attractively costumed-performed the dramatic demands of their fragile relationship engagingly. Apart from the energy needed in their acting, their individual vocal and stage presence were consistently formidable and intricately layered.
Also shining in the naturalistic huge noble house set were the electric, scheming, self defence servant pair, Susanna and Figaro.
Across this lush set, under superb lighting effects, newcomer Michael Sumuel as Figaro performed with svelte choreography, a fine range of facial expression and a welcome vocal tone.
His is a comic timing tour de force, which is also layered and boosted with chilling barbs of seriousness. Sumuel’s ‘Se vuol ballare’ aria pledging revenge against the Count is a chilling vocal and physical dance indeed.
Above: Michael Sumuel as Figaro, Gordon Blintner as the Count and Opera Australia Chorus. Image: Keith Saunders.
The chemistry between Figaro, the character of the Countess and his fiancee Susanna (Siobhan Stagg) is warm and madcap in turn. The quality of vocal blend from these two characters and when Mozart’s skilful ensemble writing stretches up to sextet strength highlights the fine casting of principal voices here.
Opera Australia’s choice to use Sir David McVicar’s naturalistic set and concept rather than a more abstract or modernised staging (in revival from 2022) helps the tale of the servant class fighting back against the nobility resonate clearly.
The sitcom, soap opera aspects to the story -along with hard to swallow themes of sexism, classism, gender wars and cross dressing gender disguise sit well in the period packaging.
The range of feeling and predicament bursting from this laughter and pain filled set is personified in the character of confused, lovestruck Cherubino-here encapsulated by Emily Edmonds’ agile voice and glistening spirit.
This revival shines anew with this cast in its packagin. Da Ponte opera librettos pack a fair punch against oppression or injustice of any kind. In this current global climate the story is an example of a stage classic from the past echoing a misuse of power seen in our present. The fabulous impact of this Da Ponte /Mozart opera in renewed tranche de vie from another time, so realistically packaged is not to be missed. Escape into the many levels of this lusciousness.
The Marriage of Figaro plays at Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre until August 27.
