This Saturday, Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’

This Saturday WHRO-FM brings you Mozart’s operatic masterpiece “The Marriage of Figaro”. This sharp-edged, sassy comedy is simultaneously a battle of the sexes, and the classes. Hailed by critics as "an astute period staging that's as poignant as it is funny," this acclaimed 2025 production from the stage of Glyndebourne Festival Opera, England, is directed by Mariame Clément, in a semi-staged version by Talia Stern.
The plot is a whirlwind romantic farce involving a couple, Figaro and Susanna, who are preparing for their wedding. But Count Almaviva has designs on Susanna, threatening the couple's happiness. With the help of the Countess, the clever servants devise a series of schemes involving disguises, secret letters, and mistaken identities to outwit their master. As comic misunderstandings pile up, long-hidden truths are revealed, jealousies are exposed, and the opera culminates in a moving finale of forgiveness and reconciliation.
The outstanding cast is led by soprano Louise Alder as the wise and compassionate Countess, alongside bass-baritone Tommaso Barea as the resourceful Figaro, soprano Johanna Wallroth as the spirited Susanna, and baritone Huw Montague Rendall as the volatile Count Almaviva.
Among the opera's many musical treasures are the Countess's sublime arias, Porgi, amor and Dove sono, two of Mozart's most poignant expressions of longing, forgiveness, and hope. The score overflows with beautiful melodies and sparkling ensembles that perfectly blend wit, tenderness, and dramatic brilliance. One of the great strengths of this performance is the partnership between the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Italian conductor Riccardo Minasi. Performing on period instruments, the orchestra brings rhythmic vitality to Mozart's score, while Minasi's elegant direction reveals every nuance of the composer's musical genius.
Don’t miss this dazzling new production of Mozart’s masterpiece “The Marriage of Figaro.” Tune in to WHRO-FM 90.3, or listen online via our Media Player, this Saturday at 1:00 p.m.