STANDPOINT

DIRECTORS’ CORNER

Kerry Jennings

ILA 2023 returning Le Nozze di Figaro

Mozart’s masterpiece “Le nozze di Figaro” is often called the perfect opera, and is as relevant today as it was when it premiered in 1786.

With its thinly veiled commentary on wealth and class, it was initially banned in Vienna. With a libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte based on the comedy La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro by Pierre Beaumarchais, the opera is set over just one day and tells the story of how Figaro and his sharp-witted fiancé Susanna succeed in getting married, despite Count Almaviva’s interference and all the chaos that ensues over the course of that single day.

Mistaken identities, an unexpected game of hide-and-seek, twists and turns, and a day full of lust, jealousy, regret, and ultimately forgiveness all combine with Mozart’s genius score to make for an unforgettable experience, and truly has something for everyone to enjoy.

The opera begins with Figaro measuring the room for a bed, only to have Susanna inform him that Count Almaviva has re-instated the feudal right, allowing him to bed a servant girl on her wedding night, which explains the proximity of their new quarters to the Count’s. Figaro is of course filled with rage, and along with his betrothed Susanna, the now-forsaken Countess, and the libidinous pageboy Cherubino, they concoct a plan to entrap the Count and expose his philandering ways.

Add to the mix a drunken gardener, a manipulative housekeeper, a revenge-seeking doctor/lawyer, a pot-stirring music teacher, and a bevy of other characters, and you will see why this is one of the most beloved operas of all time.

And through all the twists and turns, “Le nozze di Figaro” is ultimately a story of love and forgiveness, which is something we all need to give and accept.