Bill Theisen’sdirection keeps the characters clear and the complex story moving forward. Iwanted more unexplored character depth at times. Theisen has made much of theconnection between Rossini’s The Barberof Seville, produced at Skylight this fall, and Figaro. This is a stretch. Except for being based on relatedBeaumarchais plays with some continuing characters, the two operas arecompletely different animals. Carol Blanchard’s costumes are wonderfully rich.I liked Van Santvoord’s multifaceted, architectural sets for Acts III and IV.
Usually anoversexed hothead, barely able to contain his rage at any threat to hisauthority and desires, Kurt Ollmann instead plays Count Almaviva as a coolertempered aristocrat, more philosophical and bewildered than furious. It was afascinating twist. Soprano Tanya Kruse’s earnest vulnerability matches thespurned Rosina. She conjured the best singing and most touching emotion of theevening in her Act III aria, and in her brief lines of forgiveness at the endof the opera.
Soprano AliciaBerneche gives an unusually earthy and flirtatious spin to Susanna, a soubrettecharacter usually played lighter than air. Andrew Wilkowske is a charming,energetic, vocally pleasing Figaro. The role is best suited to a slightlylower, darker voice, but he handles it well. Diane Lane presents a credible andwell-sung Cherubino, if sometimes slightly uncomfortable physically.
Fashions in Mozartperformance practice have changed, but I found some of the more elaborate addedvocal decorations to be a little much. The best reduced orchestrations atSkylight have been inconspicuous. This was not one of them. All string partswere played by piano, with five wind players. Things started off on the wrongfoot by replacing the famous overture with music not from the opera. A moretasteful choice would be to skip the overture altogether.
