Opera North: The Marriage of Figaro Review | The Lowry | Manchester
- Frances
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Opera North is bringing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s cherished tale of schemes, disguises and seduction back to the Lowry. Refreshing a classic so timeless, it consistently ranks in the top 10 operas of all time, this revived rom-com remains full of surprises and irresistible charm.
This intrepid new production from Opera North moves the 1786 production outside a Spanish estate and into the contemporary English country home of Count Almavivas (James Newby), who appears to be living the life of luxury with his Countess (Gabriella Reyes). Yet despite soaking up the champagne, the story indulges the audience in copious plot twists as the Count sets out to sleep with his wife’s assistant, bride-to-be, Susanna (Claire Lees). On the day of Susanna’s wedding to fiancée Figaro (Liam James Karai), Figaro also struggles to repay his debt to housekeeper Marcellina (Katherine Broderick), who has lent him money with the promise that if he can’t repay, he will have to marry her. The foundations of Figaro and Susanna’s nuptials are already on shaky grounds but as the heartbroken countess finds herself seduced by the errand boy Cherubino (Hongni Wu), the frenzied characters start leaking secrets like a sieve.
Director Louisa Muller’s creative sets, filled with split scenery, shrewd props and extravagantly large backdrops are all the better for helping characters pull focus for spying, clashing, confronting and not-so-private confessions. The staging is fantastically framed for embracing Lorenzo da Ponte’s exquisite libretto as the story visually blurs the lines of class and power within its scenes. The Marriage of Figaro is a playful production full of seduction and sabotage, but Opera North’s ensemble delivers warmth and vibrancy to Mozart’s score, keeping the choreographed chaos constantly in motion and endlessly entertaining. The live orchestra conducted by Valentina Peleggi shape the music to the mayhem, building characters through simple arias and emotional duets that result in a rollercoaster of emotions throughout this production.
Claire Lees playful aria, Deh vieni, non tardar and Reyes earnest arias pull on the heartstrings and play on the touching, passionate nature of the show. Offering the women moments of comedy and vulnerability while revealing the class and power dynamics these women are in, playing in a perilous game of cat and mouse built to benefit the powerful. However, Karai’s humour shines throughout this production and Newby’s manipulative charisma is larger than the stage, setting a high bar for opera as it balances the romance and drama to deliver a timeless and compelling piece.
The Marriage of Figaro finds a sweet spot between the chaos and comedy to form an opera of irresistible charm. Opera North’s elegantly reimagined production has a cast with the chemistry to build a world teaming with energy, passion and wall-to-wall heated performances. This 240-year-old opera does not age, it evolves with the times with Muller bringing the grandeur and pace for any fan of music to join in the celebration.
Tickets are available via the Lowry link