Arts & Culture
Fall in love with Figaro
Opera director Sheila Willey is updating Mozart for a new era
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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s masterpiece, Le nozze di Figaro or The Marriage of Figaro, is coming to Santa Cruz. The comedy, told in four acts, has been performed around the world and is still capturing audiences almost 300 years after its initial production in 1786. On the last weekend in May the opera will be brought to life again at the Music Center Recital Hall.
“It’s always really exciting to see how everything coalesces in this really beautiful way,” says Sheila Willey (M.A. ‘06, performance practice), a lecturer in the Music Department and director of the upcoming production. Willey and conductor Bruce Kiesling expanded their creative team with theater professionals Brooke Jennings on costumes, Sharon Ridge on hair and makeup, and Dave Dunning of Legend Theatrical on set and lighting design.
Le nozze di Figaro, which is based on an earlier work of the same title by Pierre Beaumarchais, follows two servants, Figaro and Susanna, as they get married in spite of the plots put in place by their employer. Willey updated the work to take place in the 1920s in upstate New York. “I wanted to give the students something that felt a little bit more within reach,” says Willey.
She also views the changing social and political structures after World War I, as a good reflection of our current moment. “The1920s is thought of as the ‘progressive era’ which saw a lot of social upheaval. By reflecting upon where things were 100 years ago and contextualizing it we can look at our current moment.”
For easier audience accessibility, parts of this production have been translated to English and abridged thanks to UC Santa Cruz faculty emeriti Sherwood Dudly and Miriam Ellis. The translated passages will be spoken instead of sung. There will be English subtitles for the elements that remain in the original Italian, making it easy for anyone to enjoy and understand the work.
Accompanied by members of the UC Santa Cruz Orchestra, the student performers in Le nozze di Figaro will demonstrate distinct capabilities in performance and vocal mastery. With an expert creative team, this production demonstrates the excellence expected in the Music Department.
This event is open to the public, with affordable general admission tickets from $10 to $29. “It’s a really wonderful opportunity to see super talented, budding artists sing one of the greatest pieces of music that exist,” says Willey.
May 29, 30 & 31 – 7:30 PM
June 1 – 3:00 PM
Music Center Recital Hall
UC Santa Cruz
400 McHenry Road
Santa Cruz, California 95064
Ticket prices: $10-$29 (free ticket for undergrad students)
Tickets available on Eventbrite