Claus Guth's 2006 Salzburg 'Nozze di Figaro' Returns to Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Claus Guth's interpretation of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro, first staged in 2006, has made its way back to the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, garnering both audience admiration and critical praise. This production delves into the intertwined nature of desire and authority, mirroring the influences of wealth and social class. In May 1786, Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte reworked Beaumarchais's La folle journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro for Vienna, cleverly sidestepping censorship by simplifying characters and political elements while preserving the interaction between servants and their masters. The performance features Erwin Schrott as Figaro and Martina Russomanno as Susanna, with Emmanuel Tjeknavorian at the podium. The enthusiastic audience reaction highlights the importance of opera houses in attracting new viewers amidst increasing expenses.
Key facts
- Claus Guth's production of Le nozze di Figaro, created for Salzburg in 2006, is staged at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.
- Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte premiered the opera at Vienna's Burgtheater in May 1786, three years before the French Revolution.
- The opera is based on Beaumarchais's La folle journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro, which Louis XVI obstructed and Joseph II banned from Viennese stages.
- Da Ponte reduced characters and removed much explicit political polemic to pass censorship.
- Christian Schmidt designed the large staircase that serves as the physical and political center of Guth's staging.
- The cast includes Erwin Schrott (Figaro), Martina Russomanno (Susanna), Germán Olvera (Conte di Almaviva), Federica Guida (Contessa di Almaviva), Cecilia Molinari (Cherubino), Jessica Ricci (Barbarina), Alejo Alvarez Castillo (Antonio) and Uli Kirsch (Mimo attore).
- Emmanuel Tjeknavorian conducts the production.
- The article argues that opera houses must attract and form new audiences while maintaining quality, as costs rise and public resources are finite.
Entities
Artists
- Claus Guth
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Lorenzo Da Ponte
- Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
- Christian Schmidt
- Erwin Schrott
- Martina Russomanno
- Germán Olvera
- Federica Guida
- Cecilia Molinari
- Jessica Ricci
- Alejo Alvarez Castillo
- Uli Kirsch
- Emmanuel Tjeknavorian
- Francesco Giambrone
- Paolo Cuccia
- Louis XVI
- Joseph II
Institutions
- Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
- Salzburg Festival
- Burgtheater
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Salzburg
- Austria
- Vienna
- France