Utah Opera Performs Mozart's THE MARRIAGE OF FIGATO Beginning This Week

Utah Opera will perform Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro at the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre for five performances. Performances will run March 9-17, 2024.

The Marriage of Figaro serves as a follow-up to the events of The Barber of Seville (which Utah Opera performed in 2021). It continues the saga of the beloved characters and their intertwining fates. Audiences are invited to return to the grand estate of Count Almaviva, where Figaro and Susanna, now engaged, prepare for their impending nuptials. However, their joyous occasion is threatened by the romantic advances of the Count, who seeks to exercise his feudal right to bed Susanna before her wedding night. What ensues is a whirlwind of deception, disguise, and clever scheming as Figaro, Susanna, and their allies conspire to outwit the Count and preserve their love. Amidst the chaos, old flames are rekindled, secret identities are revealed, and alliances are tested, culminating in a climactic finale where true love triumphs over deceit and oppression.

Audience favorite Madison Leonard (known for her role at Utah Opera as Marie in The Daughter of the Regiment, 2023) returns to portray Susana. Adam Lau (who previously performed at Utah Opera in The Barber of Seville as Don Basilio) is portraying Figaro. In addition, Matthew Burns returns as Doctor Bartolo (previously playing Sulpice in The Daughter of the Regiment).

Both Nina Yoshida Nelsen, playing Marcellina (previously seen in Utah Opera’s production of Madame Butterfly, 2008) and Michael Adams as Count Almaviva (who previously performed at Utah Opera in The Barber of Seville) return to the stage. Countess Almaviva will be played by Katherine Whyte making her Utah Opera debut. Mary Beth Nelson performing as Cherubino, as well as Thomas Glenn as Don Basilio, will both be making their Utah Opera debut.

Through Mozart's sublime music and Pierre Beaumarchais's sharp wit, The Marriage of Figaro unfolds as a comedic masterpiece that also touches on the poignant undercurrent of social commentary from the 18th-century. Mozart, together with librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte, skillfully utilized comedic elements to reflecting the tensions and disparities prevalent in European society. However, the root of Mozart's genius rested in his ability to humanize these characters. By blending comedy and social critique, The Marriage of Figaro encouraged the audience, at the time, to empathize with the struggles of the working class while simultaneously laughing at the follies of the aristocracy.

And that laughter has resonated through the centuries allowing The Marriage of Figaro to stand out in the opera world for its comedic brilliance. In fact, this opera easily places among the top ten most popular operas of today, which include heavyweight titles like Carmen, Tosca, and more. Despite the language barrier and the passage of time, the humor in Mozart's masterpiece remains as vibrant and relatable as ever. This opera cleverly navigates the disastrous wedding day trope and sitcom-like schemes, proving that certain themes of humor are timeless, if not foundational. As such, this element of comedy, woven into the fabric of a genre more commonly associated with drama and tragedy, offers audiences a delightful stitch-in-your-side funny experience, demonstrating the versatility and enduring appeal of opera as an art form. As the curtain rises, the Utah Opera invites audiences to witness not only an delightfully funny and endearing performance, but the seamless continuation of Mozart's musical brilliance.

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