We review the reprisal of the much loved Mozart masterpiece, “The Marriage of Figaro” this February 2025, at the English National Opera at its capital home of the London Coliseum.
Apparently, “getting married’, is one of life’s most stressful experiences. I totally “get”that. I gave up making notes just a few minutes into the opening Act. The deliberate frantic opening and closing of its sets of blank white doors, with people coming and going, in some sort of manic running for the tube train, is confusing in its deliberateness.
It is a musical similar to that much loved Hollywood series, “Modern Family”. Yes, it is family, but totally unexpected and expected. It is not life as it should be – but life as we know it. Every family knows it.
It is one of ENO’s most original interpretations, entertaining, so funny, and in typical Mozart style, with a morality statement towards the end.
“The Marriage of Figaro”, is a one-day peek, at the chaos of the bridge and groom, Figaro and Susanna, on their wedding day – and every possible complication. It takes up from its one and only performance just before Covid.
The first Act particularly, is a masterpiece of non stop great melodies linked by absurd humour – set against a minimalist backdrop, of opening and closing doors.
Mozart Opera, is the DNA of ENO. The phenomenal orchestra, with its precision, rise and fall of the atmosphere, pedal to the metal or cruising on their electric battery, is so used to this style of playing. Under conductor Ainar’s Rubikis, the orchestra is straight into the action, very deliberate – it is the glue that pushes the protagonists.
Mary Bevan excels as Susanna; more mature now than in earlier days and so clever, in the subtlety of her characterisation. It is the longest part in any Mozart opera, and she carries the performance.
Hanna Hipp, also from 2020, and a former ROH alumnus, is genuinely funny.
Standout in Act 2 has to be Nardus Williams, in her melancholy aria later – wandering alone on stage, does not need even the simple surroundings. It has to be her best role to date at ENO.
Does that approach work for others? I’m not so sure. Talking to others after the performance, we too were confused as to where this Act was going. Joe Hill-Gibbins, Director, said just a few weeks ago in a recent meeting, that “confusion”, and how to communicate that – is something that as a Team, they had stopped to discuss.
In lots of ways it reminded me of the starkness of “Two Boys”, a few years ago, where Mary Bevan also excelled – but that doesn’t matter; this is Mozart, – the spot-on musical cohesion and fabulous group ensembles – drive the drama forward to its obvious happy ending.
This production is an opera that you have to go see on so many levels. For me, – forget the philosophy. I enjoyed it.
“The Marriage of Figaro”. Is available to book at eno.org for a further six performances including tonight 7th February.
