Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! You have two performances left to catch Seattle Opera’s The Marriage of Figaro before it ends this Saturday. Mozart’s Figaro remains one of the most performed operas in America and is a great choice for opera newbies. The music is gorgeous and it’s the type of enchanting romantic comedy that would be perfect for Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts!

Figaro is the second in a trilogy of operas (including The Barber of Seville and The Guilty Mother). It is akin to a Shakespearean comedy of errors with every character romantically entangled with another (or two!) and, of course, lots of mistaken identities and cross-dressing. 

The entire opera charts the course of one day as Figaro’s and Susanna’s walk down the aisle is constantly derailed. Their benefactor, the Count, lusts after Susanna, Figaro is possibly engaged to another woman (who might be his mother!) and numerous other affairs ensue. The grand finale in the garden is great fun as everyone hides under the cover of night playing an elaborate espionage game of love. It’s a testament to the need for pre-marriage counseling! Figaro is charming and a fantastic showcase for Seattle Opera’s outstanding sets, costumes and casting.

In other Seattle Opera happenings: In August, Seattle Opera will be staging the Super Bowl of all operas, Wagner’s The Ring (the full Ring experience is over 17 hours of opera spanning four days). The Seattle Opera is looking for that special opera newbie to attend and then share their experiences in a 10-minute documentary. For anyone who falls into the 18-30-year age range, use Figaro as your launching pad to enter the contest, aptly named “Confessions of a First Time Opera Goer Project”. The deadline to apply is May 22 and more information is available at seattleopera.org.

-Posted by Deanna Duff