November 6-12, 2003

artpicks

The Marriage of Figaro

Opera

Beaumarchais' intensely revolutionary play (banned by Louis XVI) got less polemical in the transformation into opera, but Mozart and librettist Lorenzo da Ponte filled their 1786 Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) with humor, intrigue, sharp psychological insight and -- with all apologies to Verdi and Wagner -- the greatest operatic music ever written. Figaro is pure enchantment from the first note of the overture. (Christofer Macatsoris and The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia excel in Mozart.) It's also a great work to hear with a young cast, as all five leading roles are for young people. AVA's double casts involve some very promising singers, including Markus Beam, Kam Cheng, Ellie Dehn, Jennifer Hsiung, Kristen Leich, Keith Miller, Latonia Moore, Ailyn Perez and Jason Switzer. A former Army paratrooper and stockbroker, bass Matthew Arnold has worn almost as many hats as Figaro himself -- or, for that matter, da Ponte: self-defrocked priest, courtier, poet, member of Casanova's posse, Philadelphia shopkeeper (living near Washington Square for a few years after 1805), publisher and founder of Columbia University's Italian department.

The Marriage of Figaro, Nov. 8-9, Nov. 12 and Nov. 14-15, 7:30 p.m., Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St.; Nov. 20 and 22, 7:30 p.m., Centennial Hall, 450 Lancaster Ave., Haverford; $35-$80, 215-735-1685.

—David Shengold