Mozart - Le Nozze Di Figaro [DVD] [2006]
Disc of the Day #20 is odd for two reasons: it's two discs not one and, more importantly, it's a DVD.
This particular Figaro is the Royal Opera House's current David McVicar production and is quite possibly the most complete realisation of an opera I've ever seen (I saw it at Covent Garden three times but it works just as well on DVD). The drama is full of comedy, wit and - vitally - humanity.
Our cast, which is uniformly excellent both vocally and dramatically, is:
Figaro - Erwin Schrott
Susanna - Miah Persson
Count Almaviva - Gerald Finley
Countess - Dorothea Roschmann
Cherubino - Rinat Shaham
the ROH forces are conducted by Antonio Pappano.
Schrott is a vigorous, passionate Figaro who gets the balance just right between being nobody's fool yet not quite the brains of the operation. That role goes to Susanna, who is delightfully played by Miah Persson. She combines a delicate sweetness with a clear love for both Figaro and the Countess without falling into the trap of over-sweetness (she is, after all, the central figure in this opera, no matter what the title tells us).
Gerald Finley's count is an intelligent, dark character who knows exactly what he's doing. The age-old question of whether he truly repents at the end is answered (as it always is) by the orchestra - Mozart's sublime, human melody leaves no room for anything other than true humility and repentance on the part of the Count. Whether he feels the same way in the morning is another matter...that's life though, just because you feel something to the exclusion of anything else one day doesn't mean that's how things will be in perpetuity. My guess is that he's off chasing the ladies again by the end of the run.
Opera directors dealing with 18th (and 19th century) repertoire face a similar dilemma to their theatrical counterparts when faced with Shakespeare; with so many years of performance history out there should they do something new and thought-provoking or rely on the traditional? Happily McVicar manages the perfect balance here, highlighting the inner workings of the drama within a traditional production and adding a whole host of deft touches that help the text sparkle anew. This DVD is a wonderful document of a brilliant production and the perfect argument to counter all those who would have us believe that opera is no longer relevant or necessary. It is both and so much more.
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