Almaviva

Warning!
This production of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro contains frequent coarse language, semi-nudity, drug references and classical music!

Performed 25 - 28 May @ 8.00pm
Matinee 25 May @ 1.00pm
Matinee 28 May @ 2.00pm
The Performance Space, 25.168

Mozart’s loved opera The Marriage of Figaro is undergoing a re-examination by the Faculty of Creative Arts’ School of Music and Drama.

Working with professional director and former opera singer Rachel McDonald, the 10 music and performance students have produced an adaption of the famous opera.
“The idea was to create a version of Figaro for non-opera singers,” says Rachel, who has been a guest lecturer at the School this session.

Changes to the opera include translation of the original Italian libretto to English. Gone, too, is much of the recitative – or half-spoken, half-sung text.
“I’ve translated the text into contemporary, vernacular language which is also very Australian,” she says.

“It’s like I’ve turned it into a musical. It’s been updated, but the story is still extremely recognisable. All the ‘greatest hits’ are there.’’
Rachel has worked on a number of projects which have recontextualised classical music and she believes it is a particularly valuable process for the students, who are from both second and third year.

“Figaro is undoubtedly a masterpiece – some say the best opera of all. This gives non-operatic performers a way into it and it gives audiences another way of looking at it.
“Some of the students are way out of their comfort zones, which is really good for them.”
Following the Figaro project, Rachel will be working with Opera Australia on Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine starring Yvonne Kenny.

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