The student cast is excellent. With a rich baritone, Philip Spendley is a finely sung Figaro. Milda Smalakyte's mature-sounding Susanna rolls keenly on the floor with the Count in Act 3, just as the Countess, a touching Sophie Angebault, shows more interest in Cherubino than is usual. Tania Mandzy gives a spirited and believable performance as the horny page, particularly strong in Voi che sapete.

Nicholas Merryweather plays the Count as a slightly sleazy lothario with gold chains and greasy locks and an air of frustrated authority. There's a Groucho Marx-like Bartolo from Philip Gerrard and an already formidable Marcellina from Rebecca Raffell. Gareth Huw John is a scatty, bumbling Don Basilio and Daire Halpin a sexy and impish Barbarina.

Article continues 

Conor Murphy's set has a steep sideways rake and to begin with is cramped, divided as it is into separate rooms. The barriers are removed act by act, though, and by the second half the space is wide open allowing the ensemble to breathe and the performances to come into their own. The garden setting of Act 4 is quite magical, with large balloons looming out of the darkness like silent planets.

There is evocative use of projections, floating images of a wedding day that haunt the Countess like ghostly memories. This is a lovely idea that could have been exploited more throughout the production without over-using the technique.

With bouncy rhythms and stylish playing, David Angus leads a refined performance by the Guildhall Orchestra, generously giving the focus to the singers throughout.

The talented students from this first cast play two performances, alternating with Benedict Nelson (Figaro), Sarah Power (Susanna), Chloé De Backer (Cherubino), Marc Scoffoni (the Count) and Katherine Broderick (the Countess).

  share with:  Facebook | Digg | other sites