Opera Review
By
There is something to be said about impressive talent. And I was absolutely overwhelmed by it as I sat in Keller Auditorium for the production of Mozart's great Opera, "The Marriage of Figaro," performed by the Portland Opera.
The opera tells the story of several marital mix-ups and a whole lot of tangled love.
One example: Susanna, lucky lady that she is, is in love with Figaro, but is stuck dodging the advances of his boss, Count Almaviva, and simultaneously trying to fix his marriage. Then Figaro loses a bet and almost marries an older woman. But then the woman fesses up that she is actually his mom.
The performance helped me to understand the roots of soap operas.
Generally funny, I loved the relatable humor the performers conveyed.
There was a certain silliness of watching characters in powdered wigs and 16th century clothing chase each other around a bed, over and over.
But also, the serious moments were beautiful as well. I could have cried when the Countess Almaviva realized her husband was pining after Susanna.
The way the cast portrayed all the emotions was superb.
At the end of the night, I was purely astonished when I left the theater.
Everything that night was perfect. Everything, from the remarkably profound singing, smooth and harmonious pit orchestra and the stunning costumes and stage design.
It knew I liked opera, but this brilliance made me love it.
- Laura Frazier
