Figaro's back

Le nozze di Figaro - Royal Opera House, 14 February 2012 

Oops. David McVicar's finest production isn't as bulletproof as it once seemed. This time round, coarse revival direction and subpar casting have diminished its subtlety and psychological insight.

It was never a conceptually radical vision, but earlier stagings did at least trace the shifting balance of household power with unusual delicacy. Deprived of that sort of character development - which demands skilled acting and detailed direction - the plot's deception and blackmail lack moral purpose, exposing the entire cast as an unappealing bunch of bullies and liars. That's - arguably - Beaumarchais, but it's not Mozart. Add slapstick acting and a lack of chemistry between the principals and what's left leaves a sour taste.

Things may have been different if the originally-scheduled Count and Countess, Simon Keenlyside and Kate Royal, had turned up.  But they were replaced by youngish Americans Lucas Meachem and Rachel Willis-Sørensen. Both are clearly well-schooled and sing loudly and accurately enough. Neither was disastrous. But Meacham's oafish, defensive persona was more servile than aristocratic, and I doubt if there was a damp eye in the house when Willis-Sørensen delivered her uninvolving Dove Sono. At the risk of sounding like Britain's grumpiest opera critic - were there really no British singers they could have called on instead?

At least Ildebrando D'Arcangelo made a decent Figaro. In place of the menacing physicality and exquisite comic timing of his predecessor in the role, Erwin Schrott, he brought elegant singing and suave, understated assurance.  Aleksandra Kurzak's Susanna was appealing too, her sweet tone and liquid phrasing more than compensating for her slightly irritating textbook pertness. Anna Bonitatibus wasn't on her best vocal form as Cherubino, but the rest of the cast were unusually strong, with old hands like Bonaventura Bottone, Ann Murray and Jeremy White joined by the promising Susana Gaspar as Barbarina.

Sir Tony played harpsichord continuo as well as conducting and kept things lively in the pit, though I hope the seagull squall of the natural horns is an experiment he won't bother repeating. 

 Production photos (above) - Bill Cooper for Royal Opera House

Thanks to Kyoko for the curtain call video below:

Comments

[FC]

This looks too traditional for words (ugh...not unlike the Met FIgaro...) I'll take the exciting Bechtolf Zurich production (conducted by (Welser-Möst!!!) any day over this.

[cunningfox]

My heart sank when I heard that they'd engaged Lucas Meachem to replace Keenlyside. I still have hideous memories of his gusty, wobbly and out of tune attempt at Purcell's Aeneas at Covent Garden three years ago.

[Aaron]

will you be giving your thoughts on the Don Giovanni 2nd cast as well?
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Intermezzo replies - when I've seen it!

[asperia]

it is not easy to replace Keenlyside so as audience doesnt regret replacing him deeply :(
he is too good :)

[Roberto Cacciaglia]

What a disappointing performance last night. I knew that Keenlyside had canceled the performance and was prepared for this young substitute. I didn't expect such a small voice and lack of incisiveness though. Lucas Meachem, to cut it short, was virtually a vocal non entity. But, wait, the worst was yet to come and it materialised into a tall, graceless figure who stormed on the stage in Act 2 and could only shout. Yes, shout. When a singer is not able to attack and control her breath for the length required by the phrase, can only resort to shouting. What Rachel Willis-Sørensen does not have is, in fact 'good schooling'. I have suffered every time she uttered a sound and, forget the 'bei momenti' the Contessa talks about, it was torture throughout. The worrying thing is that she received an unusually warm welcome and cheering from the audience. Have they gone mad? Has everyone forgotten how Mozart should be sung? Is this the same audience used to listening to Röschmann, Persson or Matthews in past seasons?
Thank God, D'Arcangelo and Kurzak (the latter, especially in Act 4) were singing their parts as one would expect to hear in a theatre of this standing. Cherubino was also not a particularly happy choice.

[M.Casavant]

It has been such a boring season anyway. The entire idea of this Mozart cycle was a huge mistake on the part of the ROH. No big names, same productions . We had 3 cosi in the last 3 years , 2 Nozze...please who planned this terrible season? And now for the big finally of the season we get to see another Fille du Régiment that cannot compare with Dessay-Florez duo, another Rigoletto , another Bohème and yet another Salomé.Maybe Les Troyens or Othello will save the season from going down in history as the most boring season in the ROH of all times.Let's hope that 2012-2013 season will be more exciting.

[Nik]

Let's hope Meachem is never let near this house again. I think he got the Count mixed up with the Ochs; his portrayal as a brutish, grinning buffoon just doesn't make any sense. His voice lacks both volume and refinement, and don't get me started on ruining the ending of "Vedrò mentr'io sospiro" by finishing on a high note. What was he trying to say? "I was Franco Bonisolli in a previous life"? Pathetic!

[Roberto Cacciaglia]

I saw the first on on the 3rd and I was far from being impressed. Heard that second cast is much better but I won't know for sure until the 29th, when I will see it.