Opera to premiere this weekend

The sounds of Mozart will fill the Musical Arts Center Friday and Saturday night as the IU Opera and Ballet Theater begins its 2013-14 season with two performances of Le Nozze di Figaro.

The four-act comedic opera, based on a 1784 stage comedy by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais, was composed in 1786 by Mozart in collaboration with Italian librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was the first of three collaborations between the duo, who later created Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte.

“Figaro is such incredible music,” Stage Director Christopher Alexander said. “It’s so unbelievably beautiful and intelligent, and dramaturgically, what Mozart and Da Ponte put together from Beaumarchais’s work is quite remarkable.”

Adam Walton, a second-year doctoral student in voice performance, is one of two men to play the titular role in the double-casted production.

“It’s such a fun show to be in,” he said. “It’s very crowd-pleasing, and the audience always likes it.”

With only three weeks of rehearsals, Alexander said it was a challenge to get “Figaro” ready for the stage with two casts in such a short amount of time. He also said the comedic nature of the show required more preparation than more serious operas.

“It’s a very intelligent comedy, so in comparison to a drama or tragedy, you’re giving three or four times as many instructions to your people on stage,” he said. “And they have to be practiced because slapstick is much more difficult as processed on stage than straight drama.”

Anastasia Talley, a second-year master’s student in vocal performance, plays Figaro’s fiancée Susanna. She said she enjoyed being challenged to capture the versatility and intricacy of her character.

“I wanted to play Susanna because I really love her spirit,” Talley said. “She’s a very dimensional character — spicy, smart, loving and caring.”

Walton, a bass-baritone, said he’s excited to play Figaro because the character is different than many of his past roles.

“For my voice type, this is one of the few roles you get to play where you’re the hero of the show,” he said. “Usually you’re a villain or an old man or a father. It’s really fun to be the hero that people are rooting for.”But playing the hero comes with its own set of challenges, as Walton discovered.

“It’s a lot harder to play a good guy than a bad guy,” he said. “When you’re playing a bad guy, you can be over the top, but when you’re the good guy, you have to always be in control and be noble and likable all the time.”

When rehearsing for “Figaro,” Talley said Alexander was encouraging and patient and allowed her to bring her own ideas to the stage.

“He provided such a sturdy framework for this insanely complex opera, but he also gives you room for your own interpretation,” she said.

In regards to his directing style, Alexander said it is important to remember he is not the one on stage.

“They’re on stage, so the more of the characters that comes from them, the better it is,” he said of the performers. “I’m like a big mirror for many people on stage, and I try to inform them about what they’re showing me or not showing me as much as
possible.”

Although the set being used for the show is not new, members of the artistic staff, including lighting designer Patrick Mero and set and costume designer Robert O’Hearn, worked to capture the essence of the 18th-century surroundings and bring the story to life.

Alexander said he hopes the performers make the roles come alive for audiences and bring the passion of the comedy to the stage.

“Everybody on stage has some intention and some purpose and wants to get that with the blood of his heart,” he said. “The audience has to see that and go along with it.”
Walton said “Figaro” is the kind of show all types of people can enjoy.

“If you have never seen opera, this is absolutely one of the best operas you can go to,” he said. “It’s funny, touching, and has beautiful music. It has everything you could want out of a show for an evening.”

Follow Jacobs School of Music reporter Rachel Osman on Twitter @rachosman.