Austin Lyric Opera Presents THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, Beginning 1/31

Austin Lyric Opera's (ALO) is pleased to present Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro at The Long Center. Tickets range from $21.50 to $143.50. For more information, visit www.AustinLyricOpera.org.

Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro
Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 7:30 pm
Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Something's afoot in the palace of the Count! In this single "day of madness," Mozart takes us on a laugh-out-loud ride filled with schemes, masquerades and mistaken identities. Figaro, his bride-to-be Susanna, and the Countess conspire to expose and embarrass the cunning, skirt-chasing Count. This is comic opera at its best. The cast of The Marriage of Figaro includes Jamie-Rose Guarrine (The Magic Flute, 2011) as Susana and Paolo Pecchioli (The Italian Girl in Algiers, 2011) as Figaro.

The Marriage of Figaro was not received well by the aristocracy when it was first performed in 1786. It is based on Beaumarchais' play La folle journée, ou le mariage de Figaro, which was first performed in Paris in 1784. Making fun of a Count; having a servant outwit him; openly taking a stand against the class system in society; all played into the turmoil that eventually boiled up with the French Revolution. Viennese nobility, where Figaro premiered, did not like to see their positions made fun of and did not embrace the concept of equality among men or the classes. These ideas were considered personal threats. Mozart wrote with a musical voice that celebrated life, love, one's spirit, but often allowed him to laugh at what we do and who we are. Add to this musical essence the mastery of Beaumarchais and the result is a work that is charming, multi-dimensional, and timeless.

Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Richard Buckley will lead the cast, chorus and orchestra in an ALO-owned production. Stage Director Chuck Hudson makes his Austin debut.