Mozart鈥檚 beloved four-act comic opera,听,听is the kind of mad and frantic bedroom farce from which guilty (and not-so-guilty) pleasures are made.听Artistic Director of Virginia Opera (VAO), Adam Turner, states, 鈥淭his story, these characters- they're all incredibly relevant and resonant. You鈥檒l find a way to see a connection with these characters in some fashion because these are all still themes we still explore today.鈥 In VAO鈥檚 recent 鈥淎dam Turner explains the plot of Figaro in just 30 seconds-ish,鈥 Turner attempts to summarize the plot in under a minute, falling short just a few moments into the first act in which he laughs and exclaims, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not even the first scene!鈥 The Marriage of Figaro is clearly full to the brim with characters that can鈥檛 be forgotten and moments that will leave you smiling.听
Last performed by 听in 2013, the new 2022 staging, conducted by Adam Turner with live music by the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, promises a captivating performance that will leave you whistling a tune all the way home. Turner echoes the significance of this performance, mentioning, "It's thrilling to be revisiting Mozart's masterpiece after a nearly decade-long hiatus, and this production of Figaro听is going to be nothing short of enchanting." Driven by the music of Mozart at his most spirited, Figaro鈥檚听hilariously absurd twists and turns pile the outrageous on top of the scandalous to create a perfect viewing experience. 听raves, "Bravo, Mozart, for fusing music and words into enlightenment ... And bravo, Virginia Opera. It may be your company鈥檚 sixth production of Figaro, but you still took risks to make it new."
Luckily for opera experts and newcomers alike, there are many opportunities to learn about the piece, such as , in which Borths,听Preview Lecturer & Educator of Des Moines Metro Opera and Founder of听, dives into the history behind this beloved Mozart piece, how controversy almost kept this classic work off the stage, and much more.听Along with many opera lovers between its original production year of 1786 and today's modern audiences, Borths notes The Marriage of Figaro as 鈥渙ne of [his] favorite operas to talk about鈥 and proves just that by wholeheartedly providing a plethora of information that is both intriguing and fun.听
The Marriage of Figaro highlights听aspects of the human condition and its ability to provide what we all wish for most: a happy ending. Adam Turner shares his excitement, stating, "It's thrilling to be revisiting Mozart's masterpiece after a nearly decade-long hiatus, and this production of Figaro听is going to be nothing short of enchanting ...听Figaro promises to deliver a performance to remember, with its听resounding听message best encapsulated by one of the show's final lines - in the end there is only love."听A fantastic opera to end Virginia Opera鈥檚 2021-2022 season, this performance truly can鈥檛 be missed.
For more information about Virginia Opera鈥檚 upcoming production of The Marriage of Figaro on April 9 and 10,听visit the听the .听