La Mariage brings infidelity to stage

Last Wednesday, the famous opera La Mariage de Figaro was performed at the Ferst Center to an audience of avid opera-goers.

When people think about great French minds, powerful names such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Lily Baumil come to mind.

However, one could look in history books for hours and never find the name of Pierre de Beaumarchais. He was the author of La Mariage and solely responsible for its hilarity and unspoken verity of society ' s inseparability with lust.

In his own lifetime, Beaumarchais changed the world through his works as a writer and secret agent. As the latter, he was sent on covert missions to destroy dangerous literature (which, oddly enough, he created) and even provided secret French assistance to the colonies in the American Revolution.

After revising La Mariage, it was wildly received and adulated by audiences. His works were nominated by Napoleon as a " revolution already in action. "

A revolution it very well might have been. The story, the sequel to another Beaumarchais play, Le Barbier de Seville (The Barber of Seville), concerns the plight of Figaro, who is now engaged to Susanna. Both are in the service of Count Almaviva, who, to Figaro ' s misfortune, has his eyes on the bride-to-be. To further complicate the issue, the count is already married.

Much to Figaro ' s chagrin, the count is actually entitled to having his way with Susanna under le droit de seigneur ( " the privilege of the lord, " a rule of the times). Much of the play ' s meaning and controversy lies therein.

This took hold in the minds of the French, the attack on authority which at first caused the king to disallow the performance of the opera.

The audiences could appreciate the characters, and the French Revolution itself was an impending doom.

Enter Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Already well-known and well into his career, he undertook a foray into the art of comic opera with La Mariage and history was made.

Fast forward over 200 years. Figaro is a common household name, and his character a staple of the theatric world.

Audiences still dance to the tune of social injustice and adultery remains widespread.

The music of Mozart still hits as hard as ever, and advances in the story of mankind allow this timeless piece to be shown in its original vernacular to the world.

The performance on March 8 was traditionally preserved to the satisfaction of purists. Subtitles were projected to a screen above the stage so the audience could follow.

A shining moment during the opera is when Susanna is in a room with Cherubino, an effeminate page and hopeless romantic in the count ' s palace.

They ' re stuck having to find Cherubino a hiding place before the count arrives. Mozart ' s excellent selection captures human emotion to establish an ambient suspense which is almost palpable.

Further into the performance, Cherubino must cross dress to hide from him.

What is ironic about this is the fact that Cherubino is played by an actress, so that a woman whocross-dresses as a man is cross-dressing as a woman.

Mentionable selections from the piece include comedic lines such as Susanna claiming that " a woman always has plenty of time to say yes, " to the count concerning his request of a rendezvous.

Also notable was Figaro ' s misogynistic tirade in the count ' s garden. " Look at these women and see them as they are, " he warns, adding, " They ' re witches who charm to cause us harm. "

He pleads, " Open your eyes now and then, rash and foolish men, " concluding , " The rest I need not say. All you men know it anyway. "

For the studious, cultural influences abound throughout the performance, including allusions to Mars, Venus and Vulcan.

For the layman, physical comedy is episodic. If anything can be said of this production, it ' s the emblematic quality of the entire affair.

The parts of the musicians were executed flawlessly, and the vocals overtook the bounds of conventional " stage presence. "

When asked about the performance, opera-goers Kay and Dan Schumate commented that La Mariage " was high on the list . we enjoy opera, and we enjoy Mozart. "

" The first two acts were alright, but towards the end it really kicked up. That [opera] was hardcore! " exclaimed Ryan Manger, a third -year Nuclear Engineering major.

The cast included many notables such as conductor J. Ernest Green, Stefano de Peppo as Figaro, Viara Zhelezova as the timorous Cherubino and Dimiter Stantchev ' s permeating bass vocals as Bartolo.

The response of the audience as a whole can be described in simplytwo words: standing ovation.

One final note: for those lucky enough to attend this opera in their lives, be prepared for a surprise ending. The opera said it best: " In joy and happiness it ends, love at last has made amends. "