BaL 10.05.14 - Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro on DVD

[LeMartinPecheur]

I remember a few years back in the Gramophone Collection Richard Lawrence chose the Glynebourne DVD with Bernard Haitink, Gerald Finley and Renee Fleming as not only the top DVD but also the overall best recording of the piece. I like the performance on a par with the ROHCG.

I have very vivid memories of a TV broadcast of Figaro within the last couple of years where Finley was the Count. Is this the same one? A brilliant assumption of the role which in a bizarre way IMHO wrecked the whole work.

How so? He was such a complete sexual bounder that his final come-uppance and the heartwarming forgiveness from the Countess just seemed at best a fudge - this guy just wasn't going to change, and seemed set for a full career as a married Don Giovanni. Surely the Count has to give the impression that he's only philandering out of boredom, maybe social convention, and certainly his failure to appreciate his Rosina's excellent qualities for the ending to convince?

Most odd - I've never thought of any other stage production as failing because one member of the cast was too strong in a role.

[aeolium]

I have very vivid memories of a TV broadcast of Figaro within the last couple of years where Finley was the Count. Is this the same one? A brilliant assumption of the role which in a bizarre way IMHO wrecked the whole work.

How so? He was such a complete sexual bounder that his final come-uppance and the heartwarming forgiveness from the Countess just seemed at best a fudge - this guy just wasn't going to change, and seemed set for a full career as a married Don Giovanni. Surely the Count has to give the impression that he's only philandering out of boredom, maybe social convention, and certainly his failure to appreciate his Rosina's excellent qualities for the ending to convince?

But quite a number of Mozart operas seem to me to eschew a conventional happy ending, and it's in keeping that this one should create a sense of irresolution - the Count's plea for forgiveness being only short-lived (with Cherubino as a possible fledgling Don Giovanni), the jealousy between Figaro and Susanna. Think also of Cosi fan Tutte: are the lovers going to live in trust and fidelity following the end of the opera?

[johnn10]

Have you tried YouTube?

[Tony Halstead]

'Susanna is the epicentre'

I've switched off.

So have I!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

But quite a number of Mozart operas seem to me to eschew a conventional happy ending

- one of the marvels of this great composer is that, like Shakespeare in his comedies, he has such sympathetic insights into human weaknesses and can communicate these through his Music. Is the Count sincere asking for forgiveness, or opportunistic, or cynical? Is he a reformed character or will he stray as soon as the next opportunity arises? The Music allows for all these interpretations (and, no doubt, many others) - but it doesn't impose judgement on the characters: it magnificently presents them - "that's us: that's what we're capable of". He really is the greatest of all Opera composers in this respect.

[LeMartinPecheur]

But quite a number of Mozart operas seem to me to eschew a conventional happy ending, and it's in keeping that this one should create a sense of irresolution - the Count's plea for forgiveness being only short-lived (with Cherubino as a possible fledgling Don Giovanni), the jealousy between Figaro and Susanna. Think also of Cosi fan Tutte: are the lovers going to live in trust and fidelity following the end of the opera?

Um, a good answer aeolium, but please leave me with my illusions! Agree absolutely about Cosi, but with Figaro I want to believe in the happy ending. And actually I think that's what Mozart's music is telling us to do. It's 'one mad day' not a lifetime, isn't it?

[Grabs the Cambridge Opera Handbook on Figaro.] P119: 'the Act IV finale does appear to resolve the tonal dissonances of the opera, just as it resolves the emotional dissonances of the Count and Countess and, as we have seen, the melodic and harmonic 'dissonances' of their previous material.' And on p120-1 Tim Carter suggests some slight disagreement between composer and librettist as to the tone of the denouement and says this of Mozart's position:'The Countess no longer forgives the Count out of affection mixed with a little guilt. Instead, her act of forgiveness is the ultimate self-sacrifice, a moment of true nobility and perfect love. ... It seems clear that in Mozart's eyes at least the Count can only reform. But having reached a point of such high drama, it is difficult to end in the comic manner. The final D major chorus runs in danger of sounding trite: Mozart has gone too far to pull back.' That seems to me to bang on, and I hadn't read it before as far as I recall - really must sit down with it properly...when I retire?

Of course, our 20th/21st century cynicism can't be totally suppressed - we can't be quite sure they'll live happy ever after, especially once we've rejoined 'real life' outside the opera-house, but I think the music entitles us at least to hope. The end of Cosi is surely left much more open by the music?

[LeMartinPecheur]

Slightly OT but has this work always been called The Marriage of Figaro in English? The Italian is surely 'Figaro's Wedding' or even 'Figaro's Wedding-Day' and Beaumarchais' original French title I think permits this translation, which also links nicely to the (for him) main title, La folle journee.
(Please excuse lack of accent, but don't tell me how to do them)

IMHO use of a proper translation on these shores is long overdue

[aeolium]

Fair enough, LMP,and I'm sure there are quite a few productions which should satisfy you re the ending of Figaro As ferney says, the great thing is that it allows of different interpretations. I do agree with you that the ending of Cosi is much more disconcerting and harder to portray as "all's well that ends well".

Incidentally, I did think this was a silly idea to do a DVD BaL and a lot of the time the reviewer did not go into detail to describe the visual aspects of the production which are surely important to anyone thinking of choosing one. What next, a radio play on TV?

[verismissimo]

Given that this was an exploration of video versions, it seems a pity that Sarah Lenton thought that the main issue was between 'modern' and 'period' performances/instruments, when clearly the main point of contention should have been 'trad' versus 'post-modern' productions.

So she dismissed the Harnoncourt version, excellent musically she said, because of its white set and lack of furniture, without any discussion of the aesthetic ideas behind it.

Overall I found it disappointing. A walk-through of the opera with musical illustrations.

[Tony Halstead]

Incidentally, I did think this was a silly idea to do a DVD BaL

Absolutely agreed!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

What next, a radio play on TV?

If you buy the Dad's Army box set on DVD, some TV episodes are missing, so they have pictureless radio episodes instead.
So it can happen.

[Alison]

This failed my standard BAL criteria of notching up enthusiasm for the work under review.

It was ever so slightly boring really.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I agree, Anna. As a lesson plan, it would have been judged: "Development needed", rather than "Inadequate".

[Dave2002]

re msg 67

På svenska - Figaros Bröllop!

So now you know!

[Black Swan]

For me I don't think that reviewing only DVD/Blue -Ray works well on Radio. As stated it would be nice to compare Harnoncourt which was 'stark, white, spare sets but excellent singing' to the La Scala or ROH performances. I have been looking for a Blue-Ray of the Marriage of Figaro and was planning on the ROH disc, so today's recommendation is no big surprise.