Marriage of Figaro
Performance of Marriage of Figaro. Wikimedia Commons.
From a review of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Marriage of Figaro:
The opera’s comically convoluted plot is built of human foibles, and therefore timeless. Deceptions, mistaken identities, jealousy, pride, anger, an implausible backstory resolution, and various character alliances create a constantly churning sea of shenanigans.
Mozart both magnified and clarified the plot’s complexity with seemingly countless vocal ensembles — hence the need for a well-balanced cast. De Waart used brisk tempos to support the opera’s ample humor, giving singers plenty of interpretive room in its lovely slower arias.