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Le nozze di Figaro
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Composer |
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart |
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Libretto |
Lorenzo da Ponte after Beaumarchais |
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Venue and Dates |
Opéra Bastille, Paris 12 September 2002, 21 May, 7 [or 9] July 2003
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Conductor |
Stephane Deneve |
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Production |
Sets and design: Ezio Frigerio Staging: Humbert Camerlo (from Giorgio Strehler's original staging) |
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Performers |
Il Conte di Almaviva: Bo Skovhus (Sept 2002) / Dmitri Hvorostovsky (21 May) / Gerald Finley (7 July*) La Contessa Almaviva: Brigitte Hahn Figaro: Ildebrando d'Arcangelo (Sept 2002) / Gerald Finley (21 May) / James Rutherford (7 July) Susanna: Isabel Bayrakdarian (Sept) / Patrizia Ciofi (May & July) Cherubino: Ruxandra Donose (Sept) / Joyce Di Donato (May & July) Marcellina: Della Jones Don Bartolo: Reinhard Dorn Don Basilio: Robert Tear (Sept) / David Cangelosi (May & July) Don Curzio: François Piolino (Sept) / Rodolphe Briand (May & July) Barberina: Laura Giordano Antonio: Michel Trempont First Bridesmaid: Second Bridesmaid: Orchestre et Choeurs de l'Opéra National de Paris
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Notes |
*It appears that Gerry, who was playing Don Giovanni at the Bastille on the 1, 3, 6, 10, 12 July, stepped in as a last minute replacement Count for 7 July |
What the critics say
David Stevens for the International herald tribune, June 11, 2003
Very few opera productions survive for three decades, but when the current revival of Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro" reaches its final performance of the season July 9 at the Opera Bastille — and most likely its final appearance altogether — it will have passed the 30-year mark, been given 167 times and been seen by more than 300,000 operagoers.
It was first given on March 30, 1973, at the Opera Royal in the palace at Versailles to launch Rolf Liebermann's regime at the Paris Opera. After two performances there, under Georg Solti's musical direction, it moved to the Palais Garnier and was seen in New York and Washington on tour in 1976. Since 1990, with some necessary adjustments to Ezio Frigerio's designs, it has continued at the Bastille. Since 1978, Humbert Camerlo has groomed Giorgio Strehler's original staging.
It can hardly be claimed that this production is as good as new, but it has held up well. Patrizia Ciofi's appealing Susanna, Gerald Finley's sturdy Figaro and Joyce DiDonato's lively Cherubino were the strongest elements. Dmitri Hvorostovsky was the lascivious but vocally pale Almaviva, Brigitte Hahn a rather maternal Countess and Della Jones the agressive Marcellina. Stephane Deneve provided solid musical direction.
Frank Cadenhead for Opera Japonica, 2 July 2003
Earlier in the month, on June 10, I was able to see - for the first time - the Paris Opéra's famed production of the Mozart masterpiece, Le nozze de Figaro, at the Bastille. This production is now a legend. Frequently revived for enthusiastic audiences, it is now celebrating its 30th birthday. It is a moody, majestic production with an appealing visual style; one of the late Giorgio Strehler's finest achievements in the theater. This revival finds it particularly well cast, with Russian star baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky as the smoothly sung Count and the excellent Gerald Finley as an almost perfect Figaro.
The women were equally assured and polished. The perky Patrizia Ciofi was an appealing Susanna, Joyce DiDonato was a fresh Cherubino and Brigitte Hahn was a clear, if somewhat lightweight Countess. This production has been conducted by in the past by Sir Georg Solti, Sir Charles Mackerras, and Christoph von Dohnanyi. Young French conductor Stéphane Denève is not at this level but kept things reasonably on track in the pit. Humbert Camerlo, who had worked with Strehler, was in charge of keeping this production gem sparkling and deserves special mention for keeping this masterpiece before the public.