Jan 29, 31 & Feb 2

Mozart's delightful comedy brims with familiar favorites as the plot weaves through the on-going antics of the Barber of Seville now in the throws of wedding plans!

Cast and Artistic Production

Conductor - Ivan Törzs

Director - Hans Nieuwenhuis

Lighting Designer - Peter Dean Beck

Costumer - Helen E. Rodgers

Wig & Make-up Designer - Richard Stead

Count - Michael Chioldi

Countess - Inna Dukach

Figaro - Leon Williams

Susanna - Shawnette Sulker

Cherubino - Buffy Baggott

Bartolo - Valerian Ruminski

Basilio - James Price

Marcellina - Victoria Livengood

Don Curzio - James Price

Barbarina - Rosanna Perch/ Winnie So

Antonio - John Mount

Le Nozze Di Figaro

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Running time: 3 hours, 15 minutes

Synopsis

Act I   A room in the house of Count Almaviva
Figaro and Susanna, servants of the Count Almaviva, are preparing the room that they will share after their wedding. Figaro is happy with the room but Susanna is concerned that the Count’s bedroom is next to their own. It seems that he has shown an unhealthy interest in her lately. Dr. Bartolo and the housekeeper Marcellina soon arrive. He is looking for revenge on Figaro for past misdeeds and Marcellina wants to marry the dashing young servant. Bartolo indicates he has a plan by which he can ruin Figaro’s wedding and force him to marry old Marcellina. Susanna soon arrives and verbally spars with Marcellina as she and Bartolo leave.

The young Cherubino suddenly bursts into the room to tell Susanna of his latest crush — the Countess Almaviva. Hearing the Count, Cherubino hides just before the intimidating man enters the room. He begins turning his charm on the young Susanna but is interrupted by the arrival of Don Basilio, the music teacher, who tells the Count that Cherubino has been very attentive to his wife lately. Cherubino is soon discovered, but the irate Count is forced to control his anger as Figaro and some guests arrive to sing the Count’s praises. To get rid of this troublesome boy, the Count assigns him to his regiment and storms off. Figaro mocks Cherubino and congratulates him on his impending military career.

Act II   The room of the Countess Almaviva
The Countess is saddened by her loveless marriage. Figaro and Susanna soon join her and discuss ways in which they can make the Count pay attention to his wife rather than the other ladies of the household. Unaware of the ensuing plot, Cherubino arrives and sings his newest love song for the Countess. The Countess and Susanna conspire to dress Cherubino as a girl to play a trick on the Count but while preparing are interrupted by the Count. Cherubino quickly dives into a closet. As the Count converses with the ladies a noise is heard in the closet. The jealous Count demands to know who his wife is hiding. She refuses to open the door so the Count leaves to retrieve tools to open the door by force. When he returns, the Countess admits who is in the closet and the door is opened...but it is empty. Figaro joins them and spins an incredible story to explain things only to have it ruined by the gardener, Antonio, who complains that someone fell from the Countess’ window into the garden below. Figaro is able to weave several more fibs to avert disaster but the Count has become very suspicious. Confusing things even more, Marcellina, Bartolo and Basilio enter the room as the old woman demands that Figaro marry her. The Count says that he will decide the matter later on as everyone discusses the confusing situation.

Act III   A room in the Count’s house
Implementing the plan she and the Countess have devised, Susanna approaches the Count and says that she will bend to his will. Figaro comes to fetch Susanna and as they are leaving the room she whispers a bit too loudly that the Count has taken the bait. The Count becomes enraged, but soon calms down as he plots his own course of revenge. The lawyer Don Curzio marches into the house and announces that Figaro must marry Marcellina because of the clauses of an unpaid loan. After much argument, Figaro pleads that he is an orphan and that only his parents can give him away in marriage. He shows a birthmark which Marcellina recognizes is that of her long lost son of whom Bartolo is the father. Susanna walks in and is shocked to find her fiancée in the arms of her rival. Furious at fi rst, she is delighted and relieved to discover the identity of her future mother-in-law and Marcellina and Bartolo decide to make it a double wedding.

Meanwhile, the Countess longs for the days when her husband loved her like nothing else in the world. Susanna joins the Countess and they finalize their plot by drafting a letter to the Count indicating that Susanna will meet him in the garden that night. They plan to substitute Cherubino in drag and have the Countess catch her husband red-handed. Soon the entire household assembles to prepare for the evening’s wedding celebration including a group of young girls carrying flowers. Antonio notices something wrong and pulls one of the girls aside. It turns out to be Cherubino in disguise. Just as he is to be punished by the Count, the peasant girl Barbarina reminds the Count that he owes her a promise- she wishes to marry Cherubino. The Count receives the letter written by his wife and Susanna which Figaro oversees and becomes suspicious.

Act IV   Garden of the Count’s estate
Barbarina is concerned because she has lost Susanna’s pin that she is supposed to deliver to the Count. Figaro discovers her secret and his fears are confirmed. He warns about the scheming of women and becomes even more jealous after overhearing Susanna sing about her love. The confusion mounts as the Countess and Susanna switch costumes. Cherubino makes a pass at the Countess -thinking she is Susanna-but runs off when he hears the Count coming. The Count finds “Susanna” waiting for him and starts seducing her, not realizing that it is his own wife. Having been caught in the wrong and having been made to look foolish, the Count begs for forgiveness. It is given and everyone rejoices.