By Benedicte Dansie
The Marriage of Figaro performed at the Ellen Eccles Theatre as part of the Utah Opera Festival & Musical Theatre in Logan, Utah is an absolutely enchanting performance full of poignant realism and side splitting humor. The show, though composed of a full four acts, swept past in a delight making the three-hour show feel like a breeze.
Conductor Nicolas Giusti opens the opera with a gorgeous, swelling overture that sets the performance off to a strong start. He conducts the orchestra and singers with a strength and finesse that guides everyone smoothly through the many difficult runs and intricacies. Director Suzan Hanson is inspiring with her interpretation and execution of The Marriage of Figaro making it a classic moving piece for a modern audience.
Set Designer Peter Dean Beck originally made the intricate and stunning villa set for the University of Colorado, Eklund Opera. The piece involves several easily alterable rooms as well as a beautiful hedge garden through which the characters easily move, offering a stunning backdrop for the enfolding drama. The way that Lighting Designer Chris Wood utilizes the system awed audiences as they watched the combined lighting and backdrop shift from the blue sky on a gorgeous day, to a gentle sunset, and finally a dark starry night with a vast full moon. Sound Designer Nathan Schilz ensures that everything is crisp and clear for the duration of the performance.
Costume Designer Mallory Prucha goes above and beyond with the dazzling ensembles in the show. All of the gowns and waistcoats feature rich colors, elaborate pieces, and lush patterns. Each couple in the show was also given their own color scheme, ensuring that they were easy to pick out and identify with their significant other.Wig and Make up Designer Georgianna Eberhard has created some fantastic pieces that look stunning and natural, most notable are the tall perfectly coiffed ladies’ wigs.
Brandon Hendrickson cuts a dashing figure playing the kind and crafty Figaro. Known throughout Seville for his willingness to help all those who need it, Figaro is constantly getting himself in and out of trouble. Hendrickson plays the character with a sweet exasperation that instantly endears him to the audience. While Figaro is certainly not always right, and is given to bouts of doubt and jealousy, he is deeply loyal and loves those he cares about with all his heart. Christopher Holmes (Count Almaviva) plays his character with all the swagger and self-assuredness that comes with a position of too much power.
The Count, unlike Figaro, cares in the beginning only for himself and his carnal desires. He causes most of the issues in the play as he pursues Susanna and neglects his wife, the Countess.
Bridgette Gan (Countess Almaviva) and Rose-Antoinette Bellino (Susanna) are both fun and fierce female characters, who draw all eyes to them when they enter the stage. The duets between Gan and Bellino are beautiful, an ode to strong women everywhere and the many injustices they struggle with. Their friendship works to overcome so much distrust and hate that should tear them apart and pit them against each other, but instead makes them stronger. Gan has several lovely monologues where she pours her aching heart out to the audience. Even as she is abused and neglected she remains poised and confident, still striving to reach out and lift others up. Bellino is Gan’s more playful counterpart in her role as Susanna. Bellino plays the younger bride with a sweet mischievousness. Her quick tongue and quick wit act as a perfect balance to her fiancé Figaro. Alissa Anderson, who plays Marcellina, finishes the triad of female strength in the show. While at first she seems antagonistic, she later gives her support to Figaro and Susanna. Marcellina is a stalwart and stubborn character, but once she accepts you into her heart she will fight tooth and nail for you. In a show of female solidarity, she speaks against her own son with an eye roll saying, “A woman must defend all women from men’s oppression”.
Marianthi Hatzis plays the wily, whiny, philanderer Cherubino. Hatzis plays her cross-dressing character with playfulness and flirtation. Her mannerisms as a young boy who is constantly getting into trouble for his amorousness are the perfect mix of flustered and bold. Olivia LaBarge (Barbarina) is Cherubino’s sassy love interest who incriminates herself and everyone around her with her attitude. Kevin Nakatani (Bartolo) is grumpy and vengeful, striving to take Figaro down for his previous slights.
Jonathan Ray (Basilio), David Smolokoff (Don Curzio), Darren LeKeith Drone (Antonio), and the ensemble do a great job of progressing the plot while aiding and foiling Figaro and his friends in their fumbling plots.
The Marriage of Figaro is an absolutely amazing opera that leaves the audience in tears of mirth and joy. It’s playing all the way through August and I recommend the drive to Logan in order to see it because there are very few operas as playful and well done as this one.
Utah Opera Festival & Musical Theatre Presents The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang A Mozart.
Ellen Eccles Theatre, 43 South Main Street, Logan, Utah 84321
Tickets: $12-79
Contact: 800-262-0074
July 5-August 2, 2019 1:00 PM, 7:30 PM
Utah Festival Opera Facebook Page
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