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Arts in Review

Bernstein wraps up San Diego Opera
season in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro

SAN DIEGO—When the final curtain comes down on the last performance of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro on May 16th the footnotes on the San Diego Opera's season will read that it was successful, controversial and different. For the most part, however, the season was a mixed bag of old, new and traditional.

Mozart’s Figaro, the final opera, picks up where Rossini’s Barber of Seville leaves off. Rosina (American soprano Pamela Allen) and Count Almavava (Polish Baritone Mariusz Kwiecien) are now married. Figaro (Bass-baritone Richard Bernstein) is in the service of the Count and is planning his marriage to Susanna (American soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian). Remember, Figaro was the barber in Barber of Seville while Susanna was also in the service of the court

Richard Bernstein as Figaro

and is now the Count’s maid. She is still the main focus of this opera as well. When playwright Beaumarchais and librettist Lorenzo de Ponte presented this

piece to King Louis and Marie Antoinette in 1781, the King was not happy with the way the mores and traditions of his countrymen were depicted. The  nobility and ruling aristocracy were made to look like uncompromising, foolish twits outwitted by the women of the court, which in fact they were. In reality the age old tradition, droit de seigneur, the right of a lord to deflower any virgin in his domain on her wedding night, had been renounced, but it is, in fact, what the entire opera is based on. Not being politically correct however, in the eyes of the king, it wasn’t until 1784 that the he allowed the premiere to be mounted. Opera buffa is the term used to describe the works of both Rossini and Mozart. It’s just plain silliness. But it is at the expense of the royalty.

Make no mistake, we know from the outset where Beaumarchais’ plot is going. The Count wants to bed Susanna before she marries Figaro. But when the Count tries to keep Figaro away from Susanna on their wedding day, Figaro gets annoyed and plots a ruse to trick the Count. Stirring up the pot, Almavava and Rosina, have grown apart, and that gives him an even greater excuse to be with Susanna and get rid of Figaro. 

Meanwhile Marcellina (Delores Zeigler),who is owed money by Figaro, wants to collect her debt by marrying him. Her lawyer, Dr. Bartolo, (Kevin Langan) pretends to give the go ahead to Marcellina and she is on a quest to marry Figaro. Lest we forget, the love sick Cherubino (Mezzo-soprano Sara Castle) loves Susanna and goes drooling every time he /she is in her presence. He’s an annoyance to the Count, who can’t quite figure him out. In fact, this character does get in the way. The folly of it, however, adds to the comedic antics of the entire cast.  It’s all a crazy mess and takes four acts, clever scheming by the women, some beautiful voices and the wonderful music of Mozart to sort the whole thing out.

The San Diego Opera has staged Figaro no less than six times including this production. The San Francisco Opera’s sets by Zack Brown, which were used for this production were also used in the past. The costumes are also from the San Francisco Opera.  San Diego Opera Artistic Director Ian Campbell decided to give opera lovers a chance to see the ‘behind the scenes’ workings of how the techs orchestrate the changing of the sets, when they left the curtains back during Acts I and II. Those who were interested, watched the choreographing of the sets while each of the pieces was moved and put into place for the second act. It wasn’t as much fun as watching the opera and the antics of the luminaries, but it was a good lesson on how much work is involved and why it costs so much to mount an opera. There were no less than 34 stage hands including electricians, carpenters, sound and props. (Total cost of the production was $1,513,814. That’s some chunk of change.)

On opening night maestro Edoardo Müller conducted with his usual finesse. The  San Diego Symphony Orchestra was on perfect cue as the  Overture brought just a tease of what was to follow. The overall production, while lasting nearly four hours was filled with talent galore, much buffoonery and comic romantic nonsense.  Bernstein, who is following in the tradition of many Jewish opera stars of the past, Richard Tucker, Jan Pierce, Robert Merrill, Regina Resnick and  Roberta Peters to name a few of the 20th century notables, was in fine voice as Figaro. No stranger to this role, he has performed it no less than 100 times including at the Met. At thirty four, he has many more years of great work ahead.  The youngest of four talented siblings, his brother Bradley is drafting an opera for him.  He was in rare form as he and Bayrakdarian’s Susanna looked and felt the sought-after lovers.

Baritone Mariusz Kwiecien’s Count Almavava is a perfect fit for this role. His physical presence, strong and convincing voice and overall confidence as an actor gave the part more credibility than if he had just been a fool. His looks, stance and determination was convincing enough for me to keep my eyes on him. Both Kevin Langan and Delores Ziegler showed their expertise as old pros and neither disappointed. Soprano Pamela Armstrong was a compelling Countess with a wide range of emotions and clear voice. On the whole, Mozart was a perfect way to end an evening and a perfect way to complete a season. 

For more information on this season and the upcoming season log on to www.sdopera.com