The Marriage of Figaro: 'lively' revival of Mozart's comedy 'zings along'

Cast of The Marriage of Figaro at the Royal Opera House. — 'Marvellously lucid and sure-footed'

(Image credit: Clive Barda)

First seen 18 years ago, David McVicar's Royal Opera staging of "The Marriage of Figaro" is back for its 11th revival. The show "still gets plenty of laughs", said Richard Morrison in The Times, which is "far from guaranteed" in modern productions of "Mozart's greatest comedy".

The "dense, swiftly moving plot is notoriously difficult to articulate", said George Hall in The Stage, yet McVicar's revival remains "marvellously lucid and sure-footed". Set in a château in 1830 on the eve of France's second revolution, Tanya McCallin's sets and costumes are a "triumph" and provide a "handsome visual context" for the show.

Julia Jones has been brought back to conduct with "exemplary results", making Mozart's score "zing along". A "true ensemble show" with "no weak links", there are several stand-outs: mezzo Ginger Costa-Jackson brings the "awkward, boy-obsessed" Cherubino to life and his two arias are among the high points of the evening.

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It's a "lively" revival of Figaro, added Nicholas Kenyon in The Telegraph, and McVicar "fills Mozart's score with buzzing action". The artful sets slide "seamlessly" between acts, "atmospherically" lit by Paule Constable.

There are some "superb" performances, said Tim Ashley in The Guardian. Ying Fang makes her debut as a "curiously reflective" Susanna. Although "less immediately spirited" than some of her predecessors, the "silky" tone of her voice is "lovely" to listen to and her rendition of "Deh Vieni Non Tardar" is "exquisite". Figaro, played by Luca Micheletti, is "handsome, warm-voiced and morally aware", while Maria Bengtsson "lays bare the Countess's anguish of soul with understated intensity".

But while Jones brings "fierce energy and drive" to the production, she could "on occasion hold back more": "Dove Sono" was "propelled urgently forward" and felt "fractionally too fast", and at times the orchestra is "too prominent, sometimes obscuring the voices".

The orchestra was playing "louder than I have heard Mozart played in an opera house", agreed Richard Morrison in The Times. Thankfully Jones "turns down the volume" for the Countess and Susanna's "big numbers": both are "ravishing".

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Irenie Forshaw is the features editor at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.