Oregon Music News

Portland Opera’s presentation of The Marriage of Figaro, which opened on Friday evening (November 3^rd) at Keller Auditorium, relied on skillful singing and acting by a well-matched cast to make a highly entertaining evening.

Directed by Stephen Lawless, this version of Mozart’s masterpiece poked fun at love and marriage. It was a light-hearted romp in which the servants, Figaro and Susanna, outwitted the master of the palace, Count Almaviva, who was bent on taking his feudal privilege of sleeping with Susanna. This interpretation of the opera avoided trying to reconstitute the subversive subtext of the story in which the upper classes look pretty bad. Yet that undercurrent could still be felt, especially with a line from the libretto prominently chiseled onto a huge beam. The text read “Perdono non merta chi agli altri non da.” (He who can’t forgive others doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.)

The scenery and costumes, created for Glmmerglass Opera and Florida Grand Opera, suggested 18^th century opulence with hefty columns, lots of drapery, doors and a bed that served incredibly well as a hiding place – the centerpiece for a series of shenanigans that make this story so delightful.

In the title role, Daniel Mobbs displayed a brilliant combination of physical and vocal athleticism.  He tumbled to the floor, crawled over and under the bed, got slapped in the face, and used a vast palate of facial expressions and gestures to make Figaro a man of the people. In much the same way, Jennifer Aylmer was spot on in her depiction of Susanna. Her supple voice and acting made her a delight to watch.

David Pittsinger had just the right blend of nobility and lechery to make the Count despicable and intriguing at the same time. His voice had weight and warmth that added to his character’s prowess.

Pamela Armstrong as the Countess sang well until she hit a snag near the end of the famous aria, Dove sono. She coughed and didn’t sing some of the lines. It was impossible to tell if she had a problem with technique or a post nasal drip or a reaction to whatever Figaro sprayed on the Count’s hair at the beginning of the scene. The Countess began the aria by fondling the chair and that might have stirred up the spray.

Jennifer Holloway threatened to steal the show with a Cherubino that had all of the hallmarks of a boy with countless crushes. Holloway’s uncanny ability to leer, swagger, tremble, blush, and bluster looked completely natural. At one point, she picked up Barbarinia (Lindsay Ohse) in her arms, and no matter what, she sang with elan.

Allison Swensen-Mitchell created a haughty and hilarious Marcelina.  Kurt Link’s Bartolo was just a riot. His crazed facial expressions alone could make anyone laugh. In the role of the music master Basilio, Jon Kolbet was prudish and loveable. Wearing sunglasses and a wig that flowed over with black ringlets, Carl Halvorson’s Don Curzio evoked the image of Howard Stern. As Antonio the gardener, Stacey Murdock added an earthy brand of comedy to the show.

Conductor Ari Pelto used judicious tempos to guide the orchestra and singers. Robert Ainsley’s playing of the harpsichord was impeccable.

Kelley Rourke is one of the best in the business when it comes to writing projected translations, but in this production it seemed that the surtitles were often on the skimpy side. In the end, it didn’t matter, because the audience got the story just fine, and the performers received a standing ovation.