Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro ****
Metropolitan Opera, 22nd September 2014
Le nozze di Figaro is often cited as the most perfect opera ever composed – a claim against which I find it difficult to argue. Based on Beaumarchais’ revolutionary La folle journée, with its satirical swipe at aristocratic privilege, it was the first collaboration between Mozart and his brilliant librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. Their detailed characterisations, not just of the principals but the comprimario roles too, give directors plenty of scope. Replacing Jonathan Miller’s popular 1998 production at the Metropolitan Opera comes a new staging by another British director, Richard Eyre, which updates the action to 1930s Spain.
Amanda Majeski (Countess), Marlis Petersen (Susanna), Ildar Abdrazakov (Figaro), Peter Mattei (Count)
© Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera
Read the full review on Bachtrack.