Opera Scotland

Nozze di Figaro 2024Komische Oper, Berlin

Read more about the opera Marriage of Figaro

In recent years the Komische Oper has brought us interesting stagings of The Magic Flute and Eugene Onegin, so much was expected of this Figaro.  By and large, expectations were fulfilled. Conductor James Gaffigan assisted Sir Charles Mackerras early in his career, with guidance as to how Mozart should go clearly an important element.

The work of Kirill Serebrennikov had not previously been seen in the UK. His reading of this blazing masterpiece of the operatic repertoire was thoroughly enjoyable, though certainly different.  The set design emphasised the upstairs/downstairs element of the plot.  Below we had a squalid workroom - a row of washing machines across the back, ranks of lockers for staff to change into overalls as required, an ironing board, workshop (for picture restoration work) and a mattress, presumably for the forthcoming wedding night.  Upstairs, by contrast, was squeaky clean, with a few art works.  From the stalls. most of this was visible from mid-stalls, though people at the front may have had a restricted view of upstairs.  Patrons in the upper circle and back of the grand circle apparently saw more of upstairs but rather less of the working areas.

The greatest novelty was the double-casting of Cherubino.  The usual female singer, in female attire, was described in the programme as Cherubina.  There was a Cherubino, clearly an adult male (Georgy Kudrenko), played as a deaf mute.  In the second act he made a serious attempt to seduce the Countess upstairs, while Susanna and his alter-ego were singing together downstairs.  This must have taken a deal of musical rehearsal, but had the benefit of introducing us to a foretaste of the third of the Beaumarchais dramas, in which Cherubino really does seduce his mistress. The Count also had a 'henchman' (Mikhail Polyakov) and there were a young man and an elderly woman who skivvied in the downstairs area. 

Such a faultless masterpiece will generally provide an entertaining evening in the theatre, so long as the musical side of things is well-handled.  On opening night there was no problem at all.  All the soloists were excellent Mozart stylists giving a delightful account of the music.  They were also adept with the acting side, and threw themselves into the unusual interpretation with a will.  National newspaper reviews (the FT) from a few months ago of the Berlin premiere listed what became the second Edinburgh cast with equal enthusiasm.  After the equally enjoyable Magic Flute of a few years ago it is clear that the Komische Oper takes its Mozart very seriously.