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The wedding was beautiful! Geneva
Grand Théâtre
12/17/2002 - and 19, 21, 23, 27, 29, 31 December 2002; 8, 10, 12, 14 January 2003
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro
Dietrich Henschel (Almaviva), Mireille Delunsch (Rosina), Robert Gierlach (Figaro), Lisa Larsson (Susanna ), Valentina Kutzarowa (Cherubino), Sin-Nyung Hwang (Barberina), Alexandre Vassiliev (Bartolo), Hanna Schaer (Marcelina), Alexandre Krawetz (Don Basile)
Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Julia Jones (Conductor), Choir of the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Ching-Lien Wu (Choir Master)
Nicholas Hytner, Stephen Taylor (Producers)
Nicholas Hytner, Stephen Taylor (Producers)
A white ebony coloured room appears from behind the curtain, inlaid is an other room like in a Russian doll: it is Figaro’s small lodging. In the middle is an elegant armchair, like the throne of authority, the only furniture in this scene and the centrepiece of the first act.
This production mastered by Nicholas Hytner, now artistic director of the Royal national Theatre (London), and re-produced for us by Steven Taylor that was first given during the 1989-89 and 1992-93 seasons with great success. The rediscovery of this little masterpiece of aesthetic, fidelity to the epoch, balance and originality is a pure delight, and it has not taken a wrinkle.
The set evolves with the four acts: the room of the countess, the beautiful ballroom in a trompe l’oeil perspective, like Borromini’s Gallery in perspective of Palazzo Spada in Rome. Doors open and bring the singers in and out of this closed shoebox. Finally, the dollhouse slides away to let room for the trees of the garden that appear from under due to the high technology of the Grand Théâtre. The viewer is brought out of the secluded boxes, where the protagonists are free to play their flirts, but also where Susana and the Countess join forces to break customs and the feudal rights of the count.
The historical costumes match the ebony coloured walls perfectly with their palette of colours ranging from greys to beiges and cream, all in pastel tones. The finesse of acting is also well mastered. The Ukrainian tenor A. Krawetz as Don Basilio, who we saw in Geneva as Triquet in Onéguine, excels in his role: funny, ridiculous and a swindler. Mireille Delunsch is less to her ususal, she lacks conviction. But Susanna and Cherubino are very well interpreted. Indeed Larsson (Susanna) was perfect in technique in her Deh veni… her timbre is perfect for the role. V. Kutzurova was gracious in the Voi che sapete…. Julia Jones has given us a splendid moment with the famous overture with an orchestra sounding authentically 18th century, thus giving us the tone to an wonderful evening. One can specially recommend this production as a Christmas entertainment for the whole family. Zoltan Bécsi
Zoltan Bécsi
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