Do3: The Marriage of Figaro

[french frank]

Well, I'm looking forward to it!

Sunday, 26 December, 8pm, a new production of Beaumarchais's Le Mariage de Figaro.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This is not to be missed, containing much material that da Ponte removed to make it acceptable to the aristocracy.

[french frank]

This is not to be missed, containing much material that da Ponte removed to make it acceptable to the aristocracy.

Let's hope this production hasn't removed it too to fit it into two hours!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

That did concern me too. But spoken drama moves much more quickly than opera.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Did anyone hear this? I missed the beginning, which is never good, but caught the last 90 minutes. It was pacey and thoughtful, and worthy of a second hearing.

[french frank]

I'll be giving it a first hearing in a day or two!

[french frank]

I thought this was a sparkling - and 'workmanlike' - production, effective in presenting straightforwardly what could be an overlong 18th-c. bore. Good performances, very appropriate translation by John Wells (John Wells the satirist?). I can't remember if da Ponte produced a complete libretto for Mozart - I think it was Mozart who chose the work in the first place and both he and da P. had to sell the idea to the Emperor.

The biting edge of the political comment has gone from the opera, with little more than the generality of the servants outwitting the aristocracy. Marcellina's aria is muted to become a lament for women's fate, whereas her rant in the play refers to the impoverishment and lack of opportunities for women during the Ancien Régime. Figaro's hostility towards the count retains some political references, but they are not as explicit as in the play.

The really remarkable aspect for me is what Mozart made, musically, of the situations created by Beaumarchais (e.g. Susanna and Marcellina's sparring duet - much funnier in the opera). I knew the play before I came across the opera, but now know the opera much better. For an evening out Le Nozze is probably the livelier option.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But Susanna and Figaro with northern accents - what a thought. :)

[french frank]

But Susanna and Figaro with northern accents - what a thought. :)

But then, the Count and Countess had English accents!

[agingjb]

Was it the Wells translation? I couldn't find out, and managed to miss it anyway. Some years ago, Radio 3 broadcast all three of Beaumarchais' Figaro plays, including "The Guilty Mother", in the late John Wells' translation.

[french frank]

Was it the Wells translation? I couldn't find out, and managed to miss it anyway. Some years ago, Radio 3 broadcast all three of Beaumarchais' Figaro plays, including "The Guilty Mother", in the late John Wells' translation.

It isn't credited on the website, but they did announce it as being John Wells' translation. I wasn't sure whether it was the John Wells as I couldn't find a reference in the ODNB or Wikipedia that he had translated anything (but he did read German and French at Oxford).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But then, the Count and Countess had English accents!

Hey! Hang on. Are we northerners not English?








:)

[agingjb]

It isn't credited on the website, but they did announce it as being John Wells' translation. I wasn't sure whether it was the John Wells as I couldn't find a reference in the ODNB or Wikipedia that he had translated anything (but he did read German and French at Oxford).

Thanks, It does seem rather hard to confirm that the translator is or was the satirist, but I do seem to remember that being fairly clear in the earlier broadcast. I wish the BBC, and Radio 3 in particular, could be more forthcoming with information. I think the plays (in this translation) have been (re)published quite recently.

[french frank]

Thanks, It does seem rather hard to confirm that the translator is or was the satirist, but I do seem to remember that being fairly clear in the earlier broadcast.

Correct (finally tracked down) - apparently translated for Jonathan Miller's radio production, and, yes, all three plays still in print. (Last time I was silly enough to click on John Wells' name and Amazon came up first with 'Learn to Drive: In 10 Easy Stages').

[Russ]

Good playing, good production, but the substance was slight, and the narrative just more and more tedious.

This was a case where the desire to add 'Mozart' to everything was a mistake.

Russ