Figaro getting married

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Seattle Opera will be ringing in the new year with wedding bells — The Marriage of Figaro, to be precise! Mozart's most popular opera is headed to McCaw Hall Jan. 16-30, 2016. Beloved Maestro Gary Thor Wedow is at the podium for General Director Aidan Lang's directorial debut at Seattle Opera. While Aidan doesn't plan to direct on a regular basis, it's not surprising he's made an exception for this particular production, which audiences fell in love with when it premiered at New Zealand Opera.

“The Marriage of Figaro has something for everyone," Aidan says. "This is the story of one madcap day; a day where people’s follies are exposed for all to see and laugh at, but one which concludes with one of opera’s greatest scenes of forgiveness and reconciliation. While these characters are highly flawed, they’re also drawn with a warm humanity we can all relate to.”

In addition to opening night, Jan. 16 marks Seattle Opera’s 3rd Annual Opera Ball. With the purchase of an additional ticket, you can enjoy live music, dancing, hors d’oeuvres, signature cocktails and the opportunity to meet members of the cast after the performance. This is a great opportunity to help benefit our learning and engagement programs (and party like you're at Figaro and Susanna's actual wedding reception!).

P.S. Whether you love opera or not, we bet you've heard this Figaro tune before!

The New Zealand Opera in The Marriage of Figaro. Neil Mackenzie photo

Story
It’s the night before Figaro and Susanna’s marriage when the curtain rises, and Count Almaviva’s wandering eye has landed on the bride-to-be. Servant and master must go head-to-head on a day of chaos, planning and missed chances that will result in a wedding—or two! Thankfully, with a little unintentional help from the page Cherubino, three very different couples will ultimately walk away a little wiser and with true love in hand. From its toe-tapping overture to joyous ending, The Marriage of Figaro offers fun for opera goers of all ages—as well as newcomers to opera, too. [ Full story in our Spotlight Guide ].

Figaro and Susanna couples: Shenyang & Nuccia Focile | Aubrey Alicock & Laura Tatulescu. 

Cast:
Making his Seattle Opera debut as Figaro is Chinese bass-baritone Shenyang—an internationally celebrated singer who’s been profiled on National Public Radio. Aubrey Allicock, who recently made headlines playing boxer Emilie Griffith in an all-jazz opera, shares the title role.

Sicilian soprano Nuccia Focile returns in the role of Figaro’s beautiful bride, Susanna. Focile, a regular star on the McCaw Hall stage, has previously been praised in various leading roles at Seattle Opera, including La Voix humanie (2013), a one-woman show. Focile shares the role of Figaro’s beloved with Romanian-American soprano Laura Tatulescu, who makes both her role and company debut.

Morgan Smith returns to Seattle Opera after this summer’s An American Dream (2015) to play the philandering Count Almaviva, opposite Bernarda Bobro as the Countess in her company debut. John Moore will also sing Count Almaviva in his company debut opposite Caitlin Lynch.

The Counts and Countesses: Morgan Smith, Bernarda Bobro, John Moore and Caitlyn Lynch. 

American mezzo-soprano Karin Mushegain will don trousers to sing the “pants role” of Cherubino, the cheeky adolescent page boy. Elizabeth Pojanowski will make her company debut in Figaro, also singing Cherubino.

The two Cherubinos: Karin Musegain and Elizabeth Pojanowski. 

Additionally, this performance sees the return of Margaret Gawrysiak (Marcellina), Arthur Woodley (Dr. Bartolo), Steven Cole (Don Basilio), Alasdair Elliot (Don Curzio), Amanda Opuszynski (Barbarina) and the debut performance of Charles Robert Austin (Antonio).

Along with General Director Aidan Lang, Robin Rawstone (Sets) and Elizabeth Williams (Costumes) make their company debuts bringing this sleek production— which includes period costumes fashioned out of denim—to life.

Tickets & info: seattleopera.org/figaro.

Follow #SOFigaro and #SeattleOpera on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and listen to excerpts from The Marriage of Figaro on SoundCloud.

Production Sponsors: Ann P. Wyckoff and Microsoft

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