LA Opera Finishes Figaro Trilogy with ‘The Marriage of Figaro’

Sandra Miska

Wedding bells will be ringing this month at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion when “The Marriage of Figaro,” the final installment in the LA Opera’s Figaro trilogy “Figaro Unbounded: Culture, Power and Revolution at Play,” hits the stage March 21 – April 12.

The lucky bridegroom in this opera buffa (comic opera) is, as the title implies, no other than that wacky barber Figaro. “The Marriage of Figaro” takes place several years after the events of “The Barber of Seville.”  It opens on the morning of Figaro’s wedding to Susanna, a fellow servant to the Count and Countess Almaviva. Things go sour when the couple learns that the Count has given them the bedroom next to his. Fearing the Count plans to take advantage of her, Susanna makes protest. Needless to say, Figaro is angry, and he hatches a plan to save his bride’s virtue. Also standing in the way of Figaro and Susanna’s happiness is Marcellina, a woman who hopes to marry Figaro.

“The Marriage of Figaro” was composed by Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with an Italian libretto (text) written by Lorenzo Da Ponte.  It premiered on May 1, 1786 in Vienna.  Like “The Barber of Seville,” it is based on a stage comedy by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais.

This LA Opera production will feature Roberto Tagliavini, a native of Parma, as Figaro, South African soprano Pretty Yende as Susanna, Ryan McKinny as Count Almaviva, Chinese soprano Guangun Yu as Countess Almaviva, and mezzo-soprano Lucy Schaufer as Marcellina.  On the creative team will be guest conductor James Conlon, who previously conducted “The Barber of Seville,” and director Ian Judge.

Just as he did for “The Barber of Seville,” James Conlon will be hosting a talk one hour before each performance for those wishing to learn more about the opera. These talks will take place in the Eva and Marc Stern Grand Hall and are free to ticket holders.

The LA Opera will present “The Marriage of Figaro” at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion March 21, 26 and 29, April 4, 9 and 12. For ticket information, go here.