Figaro is no farce

Sex, bitter jealousy and complex characters with scheming plots are elements anyone could find incorporated into a number of soap operas. But these aren’t the first “operas” to have risque and exciting plot lines. \nMozart’s opera “Le Nozze di Figaro” (“The Marriage of Figaro”) will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday night at the Musical Arts Center and incorporates all of these, as well as humor, music and the thrill of \nlive performance. \n“Unlike other (operas), the characters are very human,” said Carl Kanowsky, a first-year graduate student in music who attended the opera on its opening night Feb. 22. “You can still relate to them.” \n“Figaro” is set in 18th century Spain and is a continuation of the play “The Barber of Seville.” In the opera, Figaro is preparing to wed his fiancée Susanna. However, Figaro’s master, the Count Almaviva, decides to reinstate a former tradition that allows a master to sleep with his servant’s bride on their \nwedding night.\nThroughout the four acts, Figaro tries to outsmart the Count while at the same time dealing with other characters who become involved in various ways. \nWhile some people may be intimidated by the fact that the performance is sung in Italian, it’s important to remember that supertitles, English translations displayed above the stage, are provided for the audience. \nGraduate student Thomas Florio, who plays Figaro, believes the supertitles are just one of many reasons why those who aren’t familiar with Italian or opera in general should come see the performance \nthis weekend. \n“It’s definitely a way to culture yourself and introduce yourself to opera without being intimidated,” Florio said. “And it’s a lot of fun.” \nCast members have been preparing for this opera since they were assigned their roles last October. The director assembled two separate casts that will perform on alternating nights.\nSecond-year graduate student Valerie Vinzant, who portrays Figaro’s fiancée Susanna, knows the amount of work required for these performances. The opera itself is about three-and-a-half hours long and the musical score is about an inch thick and hundreds of pages long. Performers memorized the entire score before coming together to rehearse for the first time in January.\n“I started chipping away at it right away,” Vinzant said. “I dedicated about two hours a day every day.” \nGraduate student Meghan Dewald was impressed with the performance, which she attended both nights last weekend. \n“It was one of the best performances of this opera I’ve seen,” Dewald said. “Everybody made it look easy.” \nAbove all else, cast members and former audience members both said the entertainment provided by this classic piece is the best reason to come see what “Figaro” is all about. \n“People were actually laughing out loud,” Dewald said of the performances she saw last weekend. “And not just polite opera ‘ah-ha-ha’ laughing.”