Le nozze di Figaro
This production goes on Tour with a new cast from October
View Australian Cinema listings 12 - 17 October
A new production of Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro has particular resonance for Glyndebourne. In 1934, it was our first opera to be performed, and it was also the opening production of the newly built opera house in 1994. This production brings together two thrilling artistic talents. Conductor Robin Ticciati will be Glyndebourne’s new Music Director from 2014 and director Michael Grandage will return for the first time since making his opera debut at Glyndebourne with Billy Budd in 2010.
For Mozart, constantly chafing at the restrictions imposed by his aristocratic patrons, the story of servants outwitting their master had immediate appeal. He responded with music that is unrivalled in its beauty and acute levels of characterisation. The Countess’s pain at losing her husband’s love; Susanna’s determination to marry her beloved Figaro despite the Count’s opposition; Cherubino’s hormonal outpourings; Figaro’s quick-witted ducking and diving in his attempts to hang on to Susanna and defeat the scheming machinations of Bartolo and Marcellina – all these elements are woven together with consummate skill.
Rated five stars by the Daily Telegraph.
Rated four stars by The Guardian.
Rated four stars by London Evening Standard.
"A visual and vocal treat" says Gramophone.
Sir George Christie has penned an article for The Guardian in which he looks back at the history of Le nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne. Read it here.
A new production for the 2012 Festival
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Supported by The Monument Trust
Filming supported by The Ann and Frederick O’Brien Charitable Trust
Co-Production with Houston Grand Opera and the Metropolitan Opera
Listen to Le nozze di Figaro podcast (20 mins)
A guide to Glyndebourne’s signature opera, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, with music from the live recording of our 1962 production. Presenter Peggy Reynolds explores the historical context of the opera, the politics behind its humour, and Mozart’s sublime music of rage and forgiveness. (Producer: Mair Bosworth)
Download this podcast (right click and select 'Save file as')
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Le nozze di Figaro
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
This performance can be seen 12 October - 17 October
We want to share our work with as many people as possible. Broadcasts have been part of the Glyndebourne story since the 1930s, and in 2007 we were the first opera house in the UK to screen performances into cinemas.
Please note that intervals for all events are 30 minutes. For the many people now enjoying opera at the cinema, 30 minutes is a more realistic length of time to take a break. This means that we start our cinema transmissions a little after curtain-up at Glyndebourne and catch up for the second half.
Act I
While his fiancée Susanna tries on a wedding bonnet, Figaro measures a room which she is dismayed to discover has been offered them by the Count. She points out its dangerous proximity should he seek her out during her husband’s absence; his offer of a dowry is in exchange for his ancient feudal rights. Figaro swears to frustrate him.
As he leaves, his old enemy Bartolo and Bartolo’s former servant Marcellina enter, the latter with a marriage contract between her and Figaro to which they intend to hold him. Susanna’s entrance gives Marcellina the opportunity for some spiteful muttering. The two square up for a verbal combat.
The page Cherubino turns up, miserable that he is to be sent away because the Count found him dallying with the gardener’s daughter, Barbarina. Seeing the Count approach, he hides behind a chair.
The Count presses his proposal upon Susanna. Her gossipy singing teacher Basilio’s arrival forces him to hide behind the chair while Cherubino moves into it and is hidden beneath Susanna’s dress. Basilio’s mention of Cherubino gazing longingly at the Countess draws the Count out of hiding; demonstrating how he discovered Cherubino in Barbarina’s room, he finds him yet again!
He is interrupted by the arrival of Figaro and a group of peasants praising him for abolishing the droit de seigneur. The Count sends Cherubino off to join his regiment.
Act II
The Countess laments her husband’s neglect. Susanna explains his financial offer. Figaro intends to send a cross-dressed Cherubino to meet the Count instead. Arriving in poor spirits, the page is prepared by Susanna for his meeting with the Count; she leaves to fetch her dress. As the Countess teases Cherubino about his crush on her, the Count’s arrival causes him to hide in the closet. Cherubino knocks something over; the Countess says it is Susanna who, unobserved, returns and hides behind a screen.
The Count demands that Susanna come out. He goes to fetch tools to open the door -- taking the Countess with him. Susanna releases Cherubino who escapes through the window while she enters the closet. Returning with her husband, the Countess confesses that Cherubino is inside. Both are nonplussed when Susanna emerges.
Figaro arrives. The gardener Antonio bursts in complaining about someone jumping from the window; Figaro claims it was him. The Count is relieved to see Bartolo, Marcellina and Basilio enter demanding that Figaro marry Marcellina or repay his debt. All ends in confusion.
Act III
In the hall laid out for festivities, the Count takes the opportunity to renew his proposal to Susanna. She appears to agree, until the Count overhears her telling Figaro that they have won their case.
Alone, the Countess ponders her unhappy marriage. Meanwhile the court case to decide on Marcellina’s contract has been resolved in her favour. Figaro plays one last card – stolen as a baby from a respectable family, he requires his parents’ consent. In his description of his history and birthmark, Marcellina recognises Figaro as her long-lost son; Bartolo is his father. The family is reunited and Susanna and Marcellina reconciled.
Susanna and the Countess write to the Count inviting him to an assignation; a pin must be returned as acknowledgement. A group of peasant girls arrives offering flowers to the Countess; among them she recognises Cherubino; unfortunately, so does the Count. Slyly spilling the beans on the Count’s relationship with her, Barbarina’s plea for Cherubino to marry her forces him to agree. The wedding celebrations begin. Surreptitiously, Susanna passes the letter to the Count.
Act IV
That night in the garden, Barbarina laments losing the pin she was supposed to return to Susanna. Figaro and Marcellina realise its significance. Figaro prepares to interrupt the meeting. Marcellina decides to forewarn Susanna.
Barbarina enters and hides, soon followed by Figaro and his witnesses Bartolo and Basilio. Disguised in each other’s clothes, Susanna and the Countess enter to ensnare the Count.
Cherubino turns up, seeking Barbarina, but seeing (as he thinks) Susanna, he takes the opportunity to flirt with her. He is violently replaced by the Count before ‘Susanna’ makes her excuses. All is mayhem as the disguises confuse both the Count and (initially) Figaro, who is apparently caught trying to seduce the Countess.
The Count calls for arms. He refuses to forgive ‘the Countess’ for her infidelity until the real Countess enters and dumbfounds him. Begging forgiveness, he is pardoned.
George Hall
Creative team
Conductor Robin Ticciati
Director Michael Grandage
Designer Christopher Oram
Lighting Designer Paule Constable
Movement Director Ben Wright
Cast includes
Figaro Vito Priante
Susanna Lydia Teuscher
Countess Sally Matthews
Count Audun Iversen
Bartolo Andrew Shore
Marcellina Ann Murray
Cherubino Isabel Leonard
Don Basilio Alan Oke
Antonio Nicholas Folwell
Don Curzio Colin Judson
Barbarina Sarah Shafer
Extracts from Glyndebourne CD label recording of Le nozze di Figaro (1962).
This CD is available from the Glyndebourne Shop.
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Comments
Hearing the performance of Figaro from the Proms last night brought back all the memories of a delightful Glyndebourne on a really hot 18th August. Surtitles? - don't think I have ever seen 'horny bastard' so often in an opera ... is that really what Cherubino is described as - I think rascal might be more appropriate - yes, they were too short, too liberal and too modernised; costumes? - yes, confusing to have the real peasants (eg gardener, maids) in 18th century and others (including Barbarina) in 'Swinging 60s' complete with spliffs - I understand that the interviews with designer/director clarified their purpose in doing this, perhaps amorality is timeless?; characterisation? - excellent overall though I found the direction given to Figaro in ordering some of the staff around and the overfamiliarity with the Count at some points rather immature and inappropriate; droit de seigneur? - well, do we recall some of the aristocracy, petty or otherwise, who thought any bit of skirt was fair game? - plenty of 'colourful characters' from the 60s and 70s to refer to, whether the 19's or 17's; quality of singing? the ensemble was so good together, the individuals have been picked out in previous comments, but I have to say that the roar, feet-stamping and prolonged applause that went up for Cherubino was entirely right! I can't wait to get the DVD..... Well done and congrats to Gus, David and all involved - Meredith Lloyd-Evans Cambridge
I enjoyed this enormously and thought the singers were absolutely splendid. But yet again the whole point of the drama is removed by taking it out of its historical setting into a no man's land somewhere in the late C20 - it belongs firmly to the late c18 and you only make nonsense of it by introducing Austin Healey's and servants who are not afraid of their master but treat him with wholly unsuitable informality. In years to come we will look back at this era of opera production, in which no opera is ever allowed to rest in its proper period,as a daft aberration. But very enjoyable, all the same.
I am afraid I am a "party pooper" in that I find this production bitterly disappointing. The wheeling on of a car during the overture was presumably meant to date the production to the Sixties. But the Sixties WHERE? It cannot have been Spain and, given the setting, cannot possibly have been in this country.My main criticism however, is the direction given to the Count. He was portrayed - and performed - as a scruffy, boorish lout, whereas he is a nobleman, as the 18C text makes perfectly clear. If he is not portrayed as such, the relationship of master and man loses its fundamental credibility. Secondly, nothing is left to the imagination; for instance, the Count is frequently "touching up" Susanna, Cherubino suddenly pins the Countess to the wall and Susanna, while berating Figaro in the final act, kicked him halfway round the garden, such as it is. I was astounded that a director of Michael Grandage's standing could do no more with the piece than this. Musically, I thought that the ladies out-performed the men, with special praise due to Isabel Leonard as Cherubino. (Why, incidentally, were the other ladies blonde?)
Too too good - my daughter is now in love with Cherubino! Congratulations on an outstanding production and performance.
I thought the production on Wed 22nd was of a very high standard so quibbling seems a bit unfair - but as Glyndebourne is world class perhaps it is in order. The modern setting had no logic and was as inappropriate as this year's La Boheme's attempt (you do wonder if the directors read the script before they settle on the period). If directors really want to improve an opera they should turn their attention to some of the music. The Marriage of Figaro would benefit greatly by having some of the arias shortened. They are too long and slow down the pace to a pedestrian level. And one more quibble; the wonderful room set in Act 3 was ruined by having the walls with perspective and the doorway without....
Fantastic evening. Loved the surtitles. Loved the 1960/70 costumes and dancing. Singing and acting brilliant. 4th act with the hats - made it so easy to follow the plot; Countess and Susanna rolling all over the place managed the hats and managed to sing fantastically. All sang so well - Basilio was excellent.
But was slightly miffed to see that the cinema and online screening was before we'd seen the last night.
Looking forward to the DVD next year ?
Alas, this production continues Glyndebourne's recent run of fundamentally STUPID interpretations of the classic Mozart operas. As a whole it was messy, and at the core was a completely misconceived take on the Count. The Countess (wonderfully sung) has two great arias in which she proclaims her heartbreak that the man she loves should deceive her and treat her so badly - because she longs to be reunited with him. The opera makes no sense at all unless the Count has the looks and character of a man that such a woman could love and long for - however much of a rat he may also be. This production destroys that classic ambiguity, which is what makes the opera so magical - as with Don Giovanni, as with Cosi fan Tutte. SHAME on you for this cheap and stupid travesty.
We really enjoyed yesterday evening. The sets were magnificent, and the orchestra and singers did full justice to the music and arias.It was the highlight of our summer.
Best regards,
Brian and Susan
A wonderful evening and everything conspired to make it so.I am not a Mozart fan, but this production made me see the glory of the piece. I found the sets wonderful and not overpowering as some (Hockney) have been. the ensemble singing and acting was superb and did not make me feel the drama was being overegged. Cherubino and the Countess stand out vocally in this superb production. Agree about the surtitles, however- this might be problematic for someone new to the opera.
For once, it did not rain and we were brave enough to picnic. Feel rewarded by a true Glyndebourne experience.
We love the production! The updating is smartly and cleverly done, allowing for beautiful costumes yet retaining the beautiful Spanish/ mooris
Magnificent ... except .. oh dear muddled costume and off putting sub-titles detracted .
Strong vocal performace esp Countess.
I thought the production was the best Figaro I have seen. The set, casting, voices, composition, costume's were superb. The whole opera was totally absorbing. Plus, my ticket was a birthday treat - what could have been better. Thank you.
Musically and scenically superb - we loved the sets, and the orchestra was on top form throughout.
There were no weak links in the cast, and all the singing was spot on. We both had two slight reservations: - a) costuming it in the 19702 didn't really add anything, and the Austin Healey at the beginning just seemed (to me) an irrelevant gimmick. b) we both felt that there wasn't much "chemistry" between Figaro & Susannah; perhaps its just that we are too familiar with the score. Overall though, a superb evening, with beautiful weather to complement it.
Perhaps the most superb weather imaginable, which allowed the visitors and gardens to meld perfectly.Not a cloud anywhere , warm throughout the whole evening.The gardens pretty good and the water lilies lovely.The sculptures very impressive
I have always previously felt the final act too long, and wanted it to finish, but not this time..Our party enjoyed the sets and production over all, but is was the singing that blew us away. For us Susannah and Cherubino outstanding,The Countesss and Figaro excellent as were the chorus. The orchestra superb.There were no weak points.
We have visited regularly with friends for forty years and had wonderful and amazing evenings shared with them, none better than this.A tremendous nightout.Sometimes you know, that you have seen and heard something remarkable.It was one of those evenings. Congratulations to everbody connected to this production .
What a wonderful production. We all enjoyed every moment.
Many congratulations to the whole team for a great day at Glyndebourne. Thank you.
Musically this was a wonderful evening with fine ensemble singing in the best Glyndebourne tradition and great playing from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Robin Ticciati who looks to be an excellent choice as Glyndebourne's new Music Director.
The mystery is why the producers felt it necessary to transmogrify the action from Enlightenment Spain to the post Franco era. If ever there was an Enlightenment masterpiece Figaro is it and transplanting it does nothing to enlighten the audience. It would take very few changes to take it back to where it ought to be. The sets are magnificent and the costumes sufficiently obscure to be applicable to most eras. Remove the MG and the embarrassing twist and it would be a splendid production truly living up to the name of its excellent orchestra.
We enjoyed the production very much but with two reservations. The singing, acting and orchestral playing - the essentials - were very good. We enjoyed the set too. However, the updating to the 70s added little, and the costumes seemed to cover an unrealistically wide period of the 60s and 70s. But the biggest problem was the surtitles, which would have reduced the enjoyment of those who were not familiar with dialogue. The translations were too free - so not fully refelecting what characters were saying to each other; lines were sometimes displayed too early or too late so not matching actions on stage; and often stretches of dialogue were not translated at all. What on earth went wrong - there has never been such a problem before at Glyndebourne?
Quite simply,the MOST MAGICAL EVENING.
Everything combining. Mozart, weather and Glyndebourne making it so.
We saw the this production at Stevenage. It was the best I've ever seen. I understood more about the forces leading the characters the way they behaved than ever before. Well done !
What a wonderful evening - the production is right up there with Theodora, Giulio Cesare and La Cenerentola as Glyndebourne "must-see and see-again" productions. It was, of course, made even better by the fabulous weather; it is probably the first time in three years that we have felt safe to picnic in the garden! The singing was immaculate and the action kept on apace until the end - marvellous.
Friday 17th August 2012
Great performance last night. The seventies theme almost seemed irrelevant as so much was straight 18th century. We liked the way that the humour was brought out, especially by the new libretto. The sets were excellent and the 2 classic car enthusiasts amongst us were delighted by the Austin Healy. The performances were mainly good but Cherubino stood out - voice very good,acting good and she looked the part better than any Cherubino I have seen. Good to see Ann Murray still singing well. I have always thought of Sally Matthews more in the role of Susannah than the countess, for which she still seems a little young, but she warmed to the part and was excellent in the last act. The weather enhanced the occasion, especially as we were accompanied by friends who had never seen an opera before, let alone gone to Glyndebourne and they were totally captivated by everything.
Everyone in my party on 17th August agreed that this was the best Figaro they had seen, and we are a well traveled group of opera lovers. The sets were outstanding, and the direction superb. All the cast were excellent. Even the weather was perfect.
A hugely enjoyable evening. This may not be the very best production of Figaro I have ever seen or heard, but it was one of the best. We enjoyed the sets and the 60s setting - somewhat to our surprise it really seemed to work. The singing was uniformly high quality, with some real gems - Cherubino in particular. I could take issue with some particular details of the performance or staging, but overall it caught brilliantly that mixture of comedy and heartfelt emotion which is the essence of this wonderful work.
A simply wonderful evening, singing was superb and loved the production. Sets particularly
good. We were blessed with wonderful weather and provided with a beautiful picnic with porter service. Champagne to round off the evening. A very memorable visit as always.
Regards to you all. Pamela and party.
Well we couldn't have been more blessed with the weather on our first visit. It was also the first time either of us has been to the opera. Both of us wok in the industry, we both had a wonderful and memorable time and will be back. Keep up the wonderful work. Thank you.
Loved Figaro ,just watched again online.So enjoyed everything I have seen,LaCenerentola,Fairy Queen and La Boheme.
Wonderful season
Thank You all so much
Figaro is one of my favourite operas and the performance on Saturday 11th July was one of the best I have ever seen. Glyndebourne at its best. Thank you everyone, espcially the Countess who literally had me in tears with her aria in the second act
A fine performance all round, if a slightly nervous start on 14th August perhaps because of the TV cameras. Wonderful singing and playing once the inhibitions were overcome, particularly of Cherubino, The Countess and Figaro himself. There was a major flaw though; The totally unsuitable surtitles were not only banal in some places, but were mistimed so that the laughs came either before or after the event...most disconcerting for the performers I would think. Thank goodness I didn't have to look at them too much. And there were long gaps in the progression as well, to such an extent that I wondered if the projectionist had got lost! What a shame....lets have some better translations properly executed for future outings. Apart from that, the evening was sublime.
My friend and I were blown away by the joy and fun of this production of Figaro and had a wonderful evening. We also loved being in the second row! The orchestra played beautifully and with energy and complimented some fine singing particularly we thought by the ladies. I loved Sally Matthews as the countess but I only picked her out because some of her arias are my favourites in opera, in reality I thought the countess, Suzanna and Cherubino were all outstanding, and very beautiful too.
Another Glyndebourne triumph. Congratulations and thanks to Michael Grandage, Robin Ticciati and a fantastic cast and orchestra for a gloriously enertaining performance.
We loved every minute of the opera and thought that it updated very very well. The whole experience was brilliant..the meal was excellent too!! Thank you so much
A sluggish start to the performance on Saturday 11th August: overture somewhat lacked zip and sparkle not helped by noisy movement on stage (itself a good idea). But this Figaro got better and better. No problem with updating to 1960s/1970s Spain though the Count looked incongruous as a debauched aristocrat. Stunning sets. Some very beautiful singing particularly the duet by the Countess and Susanna in Act III. Marcellina, Bartolo and Don Basilio were a delight, vocally and dramatically. Figaro sang well but didn't quite convince as the character he's meant to be. Cherubino deservedly got the biggest ovation. Lovely sunny evening and lovely sunny production for our family party of 30 and 40 somethings!
A really wonderful Figaro with an exceptionally high standard of singers but if we were to single one out for particular praise it would be Sally Mathews who played the part of the Countess.
A truly memorable evening.
like many I did not like the appproximation and crudity of the super titles This is a wonderful libretto,such a shame to deprive an audience of it.
11th August 2012
Refreshing to see a new production, even with twists such as actors and singers dancing Twist on Mozart's music. If the magnitude and volume of laughter from the audience behind me was anything to go by, one wonders how could thoroughly meaningful and profoundly serious moments of this opera be so easily misconceived...
This was one of the most accurately rendered The Marriage I have heard for many, many years! Robin Ticciati showed (once again) both his talent and understanding of care for detail, precision, articulation and phrasing. I was very impressed with his choices of temp (tradition + finessei which showed how a sense of good balance between the available extremes and feel for the natural flow of music bring a fabulous reward. Bearing in mind old instruments never exhibit the dynamic contrasts of their modern counterparts, all was well preserved.
Interesting cars of singers, too. While we always expect both main ladies to shine (as was the case on Saturday as well), it was wonderful to see a beautifully "understated" Cherubino - Isabel Leonard did a stellar job in every way. Audun Iversen was vocally slightly more bland than I would have liked and chose to be safe in his main aria (3rd act), but offered some brilliant acting nevertheless.
It was a great pleasure to witness The Marriage in Glyndebourne after many years and I am confident this production will give a variety of enjoyable cast opportunities in the years to come. I am very much looking forward to Robin Ticciati's term as Music Director from 2014 onwards.
It was my first time in Glyndebourne and I came specially from France to attend the performance of last Saturday. I was deligted by the place and the vocal and musical quality of the opera. The singers are all excellent (specially Cherubino and the Countess). The conductor and the orchestra were wonderful. I am more sceptical about the the set and the design (specially the costumes) which, in my opinion, were not interesting. But I spent a wonderful (and sunny !) day. Thank you again.
I hope I'll have the opportunity to come back soon.
Isabelle Baragan, Paris, France
When I read that this production featured a revolve I wondered if it might be similar to ENO's new 'Figaro', where the revolve constantly whisked the characters through a series of near identical white rooms. However, at Glyndebourne the revolve was used only to effect quick changes of the impresively massive sets.
The 1960's update worked very well and there was a naturalness to everyone's performance.
All the singing was of a consistently high stanard and it was very pleasing to see so many talented young singers.
Post-performance I heard several audience members comparing this production to 'Guilio Cesare' and I'm sure that it will be as big a hit as 'Guilio Cesare'.
A richly comic and nicely paced production with beautiful sets and superb music from singers and orchestra alike. The updating worked very happily for me even if the Count's costume unnecessarily over-emphasised his rakish nature.
When I saw all that feverish activity preparing the arrival of the "Count" and "Countess" at the beginning of this performance, in fact during the Overture when I would have preferred to listen to the music, my heart sank. A red sports car arrived (was it an Austin Healey?) and the captivated audience laughed out loud. Everyone was delighted, here was a jazzy, up-to-date version of an 18th century opera which was going to be fun. We'll open another bottle of champagne during the interval. "Trivialization" is the order of the day and Michael Grandage has provided it in great quantities. The evening became a sexual romp with Mozart's music as a backdrop, almost reduced to wallpaper The evening wore on. I thought for a moment that something might be saved in the fourth act in the famous garden scene where, in the twilight, identities become mixed, but this was not to be. Where were we, it looked like the terraced garden of a five star hotel in Andalusia. No magic there, and so the evening ended and I had not heard, or seen "Le Nozze di Figaro". I have seen productions of this opera all over the opera world, at Glyndebourne (at least three different productions before this one), Vienna, Paris, Aix-en-Provence, Salzburg, but never such a betrayal al this one. I could go on for ages but will stop here - I shall perhaps write a more detailed article on this subject for this opera is very near to my heart.A Disappointed Geoffrey Capner - during his 36th visit to Glyndebourne.
We enjoyed our evening at Glyndebourne yesterday and particularly liked Susanna's, Figaro's and Cherubino's voices. We would however like to say a big thank you to the very kind gentleman who switched on the TV in the organ room for us during the interval so we could watch Mo Farah win the 5000 metre race! That put the icing on the cake.
An exhilarating experience with a wonderful ensemble.
We thought La Cenerentola was one of the most enjoyable of our Glyndebourne visits so to have this production in the same season is amazing.
Congratulations to everyone
We have been members at Glyndbourne for many years and booked for August 11th as it was my wife's birthday. The reviews seemed to have been mixed so we were not sure what to expect. It turned out to be a wonderful evening seeing one of the best productions yet. The singing, orchestra and scenery were excellent and the production brought the opera to life. The cheeky translations were in keeping with the spirit and the performers deserved the applause they received. Though I am sure they were working hard there was a lovely relaxed 'feel' to the singing which allowed the humour to shine through. They were all good, perhaps Cherubino particularly. I am sure that we could find criticisms but I do not want to as the whole thing was so much fun.(PS can I have the car when you have finished with it?)
A brilliant evening. Fabulous playing, singing and sets, and absolutely wonderful acting and directing such that all the complicated stuff in Act 4 made sense to me for the first time. Thank you Glyndebourne, thank you Mozart!
Thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Production excellent though puzzled by costumes - as they seemed to vary in period. But we did appreciate Susannah's dilemma - well covered!
Nether Wallop excellent as usual.
Train down went well but for us in S E LOndon the train back was hopeless to get to London Bridge. Not your fault.
We were delighted with the whole performance. The best Figaro in 40 years. Beautiful sets, first class singing and the orchestra, conductor and the chorus combined to complete a magical and evening. Thank you to everyone involved. This typifies the delights and uniqueness of Glyndebourne.
We thought it was wonderful. The updating worked for us (and it doesn't always). The set was magnificent, the singing great, the orchestra good, and the production really brought the opera to life, full of fun as well as the serious social comment. One of the most enjoyable productions of Figaro we have seen. Thank you to all concerned. I agree with some of the comments on the surtitles, which were rather lacking in accuracy and timing, and over-modern I think.
The best Figaro in 50 years.Everything was of one piece with the perfect orchestra. All the cast were sparkling and Cherubino outstanding. An amazing achievement. Thank you all.
I found the new Theatre (previous visit 1984)a delight with one reservation the subtitles are too small over the stage, very annoying. Production was good with some excellent voices, staging and orchestra also excellent and I can see the attraction of the location in the 70s but am not convinced given the particular aspects of the story that it really fits.
Wonder if outside heaters have ever been considered for colder evenings? Will be back.
When one has attended the 11th performance of a production and when so many members of past audiences have already supplied a wide range of perceptive observations, it is difficult not to agree with La Bruyère that "tout est dit". However that produced no barrier for him! So… Musically, the 7th August performance of "le Nozze" was – as ever – an outstanding evening with orchestra and singers on fine form and incisive conducting by Robin Ticciati. The decor for each act was striking and highly impressive and one could only admire both their intricacy and cumulative effect. But surely they were fundamentally misconceived. The Beaumarchais play is a lightly veiled critique of late eighteenth century French society and its Spanish-inspired exoticism never more than skin deep. To anchor it in a rock-solid Moorish décor - more reminiscent of the Alhambra than of Aguas-Frescas - sits uneasily both with its satirical intentions and the admittedly anachronistic glance at the droit du seigneur convention. And surely something was lost by robbing the count of all gravitas. He might be a bounder but he is a bounder with social status and to reduce him to a simple long-haired bully makes the court scene less credible, his relationship with Figaro less complex and the final act reversal of his fortunes less amusing. As far as the sur-titles are concerned the best translations call no attention to themselves and reference to a "horny sod" was – on a linguistic level at least – as inappropriate as the count's arrival in the little red sports car. But these criticisms remain minor for it was an excellent evening at Glyndebourne.
Brilliant all round. A welcome new view of the opera with a happy blend of top-class singing (all the way through the cast including the two young ladies at front-of-stage during the wedding), acting, orchestra, sets... can't ask for better!
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