Los Angeles Opera’s wide-ranging exploration, “Figaro Unbound,” reached its appropriate climax Saturday as James Conlon conducted a performance of Mozart’s masterpiece, “The Marriage of Figaro,” that evoked the use of such superlatives as “sublime” and “transcendent.”
And while there are aspects of the production — directed by Ian Judge, designed by Tim Goodchild, with costumes by Deirdre Clancy — that take the word “anachronistic” to indecipherable heights, the musical performance was so brilliant it made the production’s odd collision of time periods essentially unimportant.
A great deal of the credit goes to L.A. Opera’s indefatigable music director. Since the company began its “Figaro” exploration on Feb. 7, Conlon has conducted six performances of John Corigliano’s panoramic pastiche, “The Ghosts of Versailles,” six performances of Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” overlapping with six performances of “The Marriage of Figaro,” which continues through April 12. He also has given lectures, supervised rehearsals, and delivered the pre-performance lectures.
“In my entire career,” Conlon told the assembled listeners Saturday, “this will be the first time I have conducted the two ‘Figaro’ operas in their dramatic sequence — first the Rossini, now Mozart’s — within 48 hours.”
To use an appropriate “March Madness” metaphor, Saturday night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Conlon, the orchestra and the cast were in a zone. “They’re flying,” said a woman at intermission. And it was true. Every dulcet melody, every nuance and dynamic tension of vocal line and instrumentation was completely expressed and developed — whether it was the plaintive strains of the Countess’ aria, “Dove sono,” the modulated intensity of the second act’s climactic ensemble, or the opera’s fireworks finale.
It was the renowned Russian actor and director Constantin Stanislavsky who said, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” The same can be said for opera. There are no small singers in this production. It is a superb ensemble of ideally blended voices.
Roberto Tagliavini presents a powerful presence as Figaro. His resounding bass-baritone voice combines commanding authority with bright lyric intensity. Tall and handsome (not all Figaros are), he is in every way a worthy adversary for his master, Count Almaviva (Ryan McKinny).
Intended or not, McKinny’s Count Almaviva evokes the type of buff, bare-chested swagger and imperious self-importance associated with Vladimir Putin. And with his strong voice and robust authority, that’s just how McKinny plays him. He is a man that sees himself in total control of his world with little regard for those that he hurts, including his wife. His defeat at the hands of his servants, and his wife, is a sweet victory.
There was a good deal of buzz leading up to Saturday’s performance surrounding a lovely young soprano from South Africa with the delightful name Pretty Yende. The buzz was justified. Yende’s performance as Susanna, Figaro’s bride-to-be, is a delicious confection of saucy charm, feisty energy and dulcet phrasing. She is clearly on the verge of a major career.
Another interesting aspect of L.A. Opera’s “Figaro Unbound” is the way certain singers are appearing as the same characters in different productions.
Soprano Guanqun Yu, who made an impressive first impression as Countess Rosina in “The Ghosts of Versailles,” is even more impressive in “The Marriage of Figaro.” Her voice possesses clarion brightness as well as dark amber emotionality. The first impression we get of the Countess, however, is totally disconcerting, as she sprawls across the silk sheets of her palatial bed, speaking on the telephone, swilling Champagne and reading Vogue Magazine. She then shifts into a series of 1950s-style couture gowns more appropriate for Grace Kelly in an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. Why? I have no idea.
The imposing basso buffa Kristinn Sigmundsson carries over his role as Doctor Bartolo from “The Barber of Seville,” along with his animosity toward Figaro, the man who thwarted his amorous intentions and tricked him out of his intended bride.
Renée Rapier makes a charmingly believable young Cherubino, the boy in love with love. Rapier captures perfectly the conflicted emotional states of her character, one moment driven by passionate affection, the next a floundering adolescent.
Lucy Schaufer plays Marcellina, the conniving woman who is old enough to be Figaro’s mother, but nevertheless wants to become his wife. Schaufer brings a vibrant intensity to the role, while the costuming brings to mind images of Hermione Gingold in “Gigi.”
Even the smallest roles play a large part in the success of this performance: So Young Park’s perky Barbarina; Joel Sorensen’s conniving Don Curzio; and Philip Cokorinos as the gardener, Antonio.
Another pleasure of Saturday night’s performance was the audience, who shared in the frivolity, laughed at the humor and offered a thundering ovation in recognition of the superb quality of the singing and musicianship.
Jim Farber is a freelance writer.
