Mozart’s
‘Figaro’ shines with arias at The Beach
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
 The
humorous and delightful sounds of Mozart
came to life at the Studio Theater in a
stylized presentation of “The Marriage of
Figaro,” presented by the Cal State Long
Beach Opera Institute.
All songs were performed in English, using
standard dialogue in between songs, rather
than regular speech set to an orchestra.
The opera included a talented cast along
with a superb orchestra led by Richard Rintoul.
Mozart’s famous opera, based on Pierre de
Beaumarchais’ play, precedes the French
Revolution. “Figaro” tells the witty and
humorous story of Count Almaviva (Kenny
Stavert), who has plans to seduce Susanna
(Zanaida Stewart), the bride of Figaro,
played by Nathan Stark.
As the opera progressed, a quirky page named
Cherubino (Melody Intersimone) transitioned
between genders throughout the play, trying
to woo the hearts of girls. Intersimone
was delightful portraying a male, as a female,
who went back and forth between dresses
and suits. Her facial expressions along
with the cross-dressing proved to be very
comical.
In order to distract Figaro from marrying
Susanna, Marcellina (Brandi Samuel) tells
him to cancel the wedding to cancel a debt
he cannot pay. In the second half, a huge
surprise is presented, and turns out that
Marcellina and Figaro are related.
Each of the characters played very well
on stage. The chemistry, conflict and intertwining
of every couple made the play very engaging.
Stark’s diction and voice was so clear and
sharp, it added an extra dimension to the
arias. His presence and power on stage showed
that Figaro was a person that the Count
had no control over.
Portraying the deviant Marcellina, Samuel
had a profound voice and her attempts to
persuade Figaro showed her sly character.
Possessing a delicate but solid voice was
Stewart, who portrayed Susanna as a passionate
and strong-willed person. Stewart’s vocal
range was full of resonance, but her diction
was not as precise as Stark’s voice.
The chemistry behind Stark and Stewart was
nothing short of wonderful. When the music
started, and the opera began, their performance
was the driving force behind the presentation.
One thing that distracted the story line
was the set, which included a see-through
metallic castle designed by Andrew Deppen.
Every time a performer opened or closed
a door, a loud clank shrieked in the theater,
diverting away from the music.
“The Marriage of Figaro” was a stunning
and profound opera filled with superb arias
and a unique modern story without being
too pretentious. The overall performance
showed that a person does not have to be
an opera connoisseur to enjoy an entertaining
production.
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