This opera review praises the production of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” at Garsington Opera, highlighting the strong cast, conductor, and overall harmony of the performance.This opera review praises the production of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” at Garsington Opera, highlighting the strong cast, conductor, and overall harmony of the performance. The cast is lauded, with Claire Lees and Samantha Clarke receiving particular praise for their roles as Susanna and the Countess, respectively. Lees is described as “expressive” and “moving,” while Clarke is hailed as a “consummate actor” with a “creamy sound.” David Ireland’s Figaro is also commended, with the reviewer noting his “lush bass-baritone richness.” The supporting cast, including Paul Nilon, Neal Davies, and Susan Bickley, is also mentioned favorably. Conductor Tabita Berglund is praised for her “excellent performance” and her ability to bring out the “transcendental” moments in Mozart’s score. The Philharmonia orchestra is described as “glorious.” The reviewer emphasizes the “perfect harmony” of the production, with the designs, lighting, and music all working together to create a “delightful evening.” They recommend the opera to those who are unfamiliar with country house opera, calling it a “perfect” introduction to the genre.
This time, the brilliant director of Strauss masterpieces, Bruno Ravella, has been brought in to fine-tune a rather prodigious cast, with a relative youth among the leading actors, and serves up a delightful evening in complete harmony with its surroundings, perhaps the most beautiful of all on the summer opera circuit. 
It is, in fact, a rare pleasure to find yourself at the Spanish estate of Aguasfrescas in the late 18th century, where the two main couples – Count and Countess Almaviva, the Count Figaro’s servant, and his bride-to-be Susanna – seem truly alive. It must be the age Beaumarchais imagined them to be (early twenties at most, although the singers are considerably older). Robert Perdziola’s malleable designs begin with the small room at the heart of the palace where Figaro is working out the details of the bridal chamber, and morph before our eyes into the airy bedroom of the Countess (David Ireland and Claire Lees pictured above) – the sunlight slanting in from the exquisite Garsington Garden helps – as does a photo gallery of Spanish grandees (oppressively masculine, of course) and the entire space of the podium garden, informed by just a glimmer of twilight from outside. That’s a plus for Garsington, of course, and unlike A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is also being revived this season, The Marriage of Figaro begins in daylight and ends at night.
The casting is strong, as always with Garsington. The Countess and her maid, more resourceful than the men, give us gold: liquid in the case of Claire Lees’s Susanna, who looks a bit like a young Julianne Moore, expressive with features that everyone in the audience can read, moving as she should be in the serenade of Act Four as the jealous Figaro looks on; highest carat in the case of Samantha Clarke’s Countess (pictured below with Read). 
The Australian-British soprano gave us an Anne Trulove ready to be seen on any stage in the world for the British Youth Opera in 2018, won the Guildhall gold medal the following year, was there to sing the Governess in The Turn of the Screw at the Royal Opera’s Linbury Theater but then disappeared during Covid times. Fortunately, she has had great success as Violetta at the Australian Opera in Sydney, but we need to see more of her here. On this evidence, it won’t be long before she is promoted to the Marschallin, and perhaps other Strauss roles. The creamy sound of “Porgi amor” immediately announced a successor for Kiri te Kanawa and Felicity Lott; “Dove sono” was the showstopper. But Clarke is also a consummate actor, using the eyes and elegant body language to perfection. A star, in short, but one that is always part of the ensemble.
Austrian baritone Rafael Fingerlos is a slappable brat of a count, Cherubino, raised (sort of) but with a bad attitude. Only his revenge aria fell a bit short, without the necessary threat. David Ireland’s Figaro surpassed its master in the garden; the mock courtship had the most lush bass-baritone richness, a voice among a thousand. Good but surprising to see Paul Nilon, not so long ago Aschenbach’s best in Garsington’s triumphant Death in Venice, as a focused Don Basilio; the tone is immediately distinctive. Neal Davies and Susan Bickley serve vintage quality as Bartolo and Marcellina (pictured below), making the Sextet in the third act as funny and moving as possible. 
This was one of Norwegian conductor Tabita Berglund’s many successes in orchestral structure – the glorious Philharmonia getting to play one of the great scores – and tempo, which was not always assured (the second act finale had more effervescence, and the overture seemed cautious and clever rather than lively). But those moments when Mozart steps from the lively comedy to the transcendental can still move to tears: the opening of ‘Voi che sapete’, fulfilled by Bethany Horak-Hallett’s balanced and shining Cherubino, especially the duet serenade on the wind, Clarke and Lees correspond to rare perfecton. Berglund also made us aware of Mozart’s special filigree, even in numbers like the chorus of the third act, continuing the sublimity. An excellent performance from the youthful girls, and their acting showing contempt for their lustful master, enriched both their scenes. If you’re not familiar with the country house opera ethos, and are worried about something you might not like, this is the one to see: everything in perfect harmony.
