Revolution is in the air in David McVicar’s production of Mozart’s glorious comic opera. Available to watch via ROH Stream.
Generous philanthropic support from the Friends of Covent Garden
Figaro and Susanna plan to get married – but their master Count Almaviva has designs on Susanna and is determined to stop the wedding taking place. Meanwhile the page Cherubino's passion for the ladies jeopardizes his job, and Countess Almaviva longs to regain her husband's love.
Figaro, Susanna and the Countess plot to shame the Count and save Cherubino from banishment. But their plans don't run smoothly, particularly when the elderly Marcellina tries to force Figaro to marry her. An astonishing revelation prevents this happening, but will the Count still find a way to thwart the wedding? And can the Countess win back her husband's affection?
Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) was Mozart's first collaboration with Lorenzo da Ponte, who also wrote the librettos for Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. The opera is based on Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais' controversial play Le Mariage de Figaro, which was banned in Vienna for its potentially provocative content. David McVicar sets the action in a château in 1830 on the eve of France's second revolution, exploring the political and class conflicts at the core of Beaumarchais' play, but also maintaining Mozart and Da Ponte's humanity and wit.
The score of Le nozze di Figaro is packed full of wonderful arias covering a huge range of emotions, from the humour of Figaro's ironic farewell to Cherubino ('Non più andrai') to the poignancy of 'Dove sono', as the Countess remembers past happiness. Figaro was a success in Vienna, and even more so in Prague, where Mozart reported 'nothing but Figaro!' was heard. It has remained one of the composer's best-loved works ever since.
Ivor Bolton
Erwin Schrott
Sophie Bevan
Stéphane Degout
Ellie Dehn
Kate Lindsey
Carlo Lepore
Krystian Adam
Louise Winter
Alasdair Elliott
Jeremy White
Robyn Allegra Parton
Royal Opera Chorus
Peter Manning
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Lorenzo da Ponte
David McVicar
Tanya McCallin
Paule Constable
Leah Hausman
Thomas Guthrie
Angelo Smimmo
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Foundation, a charitable company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales (Company number 480523) Charity Registered (Number 211775)