Lovers of music, Mozart and opera can enjoy all three attending the performances by the Burnaby Lyric Opera company in their production of Le Nozze de Figaro at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.
With a minimal set, but elaborate costumes, the company re-creates what some of the original performances of this comic opera must have been like, in the Shadbolt's intimate setting, with singers who not only have excellent voices but good comedic acting.
Music director Michael Onwood single-handedly provides the entire accompaniment, and you forget you are not hearing an entire orchestra.
Jordon Collato's Figaro is young and lively with a warm bass-baritone voice, while Andrey Andreychik's baritone delivers Mozart with verve and style as the randy count.
Chloe Hurst is the lively Susanna, with a clear, true voice. Gina McLellan-Morel as the countess delivers a beautiful, wistful aria, as does Simone McIntosh as the lovelorn page, Cherubino.
It's all about true love, obstacles in its way, and complicated plots within plots to achieve its happy end.
The surtitles are clear and make the plot and conversations easy to follow. With an good cast of supporting characters, all with excellent voices, this is a great chance to see a good opera production right here at home.
The show continues, with 2 p.m. matinees on Feb. 24 and 26, and evening productions on Feb. 27 and March 1.
Tickets from the Shadbolt box office, 604-205-3000, or tickets.shadboltcentre.com.
