Opera North – Marriage Of Figaro At Theatre Royal Nottingham Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Nigel Chester
I love Mozart’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ and have listened to it many times. But I have never seen a production of the opera in person. So, I was particularly delighted to be invited to Theatre Royal, Nottingham for the opening night of Opera North’s new re-imagining of this comic masterpiece.
We travelled to Nottingham city centre by car and parked on a metered street a few minutes’ walk from the theatre. Arriving at the theatre we were warmly greeted (as always) by very helpful staff. What a beautiful theatre this is! The fabulous Rococo plasterwork, domed ceiling and opulent drapes feel very grand – the perfect setting for such a grand evening at the opera.
Opera North prides itself in making opera accessible to anyone – and suggests that The Marriage of Figaro is an ideal introduction to the genre. This felt particularly relevant as I was taking a friend who had never experienced opera before. I was excited to share my love of the art form with them.
Directed by Louisa Muller, the production tells the story of Figaro and Susanna. It’s their wedding day and they’ve never been happier. But their employer, Count Almaviva, has his eye on the bride to be. Figaro and Susanna need to act fast to save their marital bliss. Enter plots, sub-plots, misdirection, disguise – and downright hilarity.
This romantic comedy masterpiece, written by Mozart 240 years ago with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, feels as fresh as ever – thanks to the clever setting of the production in an English country house with modern costume and props. Designed by Madeleine Boyd, both the set and costumes create a quintessentially-English feel to the opera. The set and props work well together to cleverly depict different aspects of a country house and estate. Scene changes were orchestrated by the cast with precision – allowing for a smooth continuation of the music and action.
Mozart’s music was performed live by a full orchestra, conducted by Oliver Rundell. The orchestra played with impressive momentum with a lightness of touch that suited Mozart’s score superbly. It was wonderful to have the power and resonance of live music to support the characters songs, arias and duets; it really added to the splendour of the whole production.
Furthermore, the live music provided an amazing platform for the performers. We were both blown away by the quality of the voices of the actors. We were particularly impressed with the way that the voices of Susanna (sung by Claire Lees) and Countess Almaviva (sung by Gabriella Reyes) complimented each other so beautifully. This came to the fore during their stunning duet ‘Sull’aria’ in Act III. Their gorgeous harmonies were sublime and very moving – we both had goosebumps. The two main male performers also had fabulous voices. Again, Liam James Karai’s (Figaro) stunning bass-baritone, complements James Newby’s (Count Almaviva) baritone. It felt like the Count and Countesses’ arias and duets were full of lyrical depth and emotion, whilst Figaro and Susanna’s had more quick and witty musical performances that drive the plot and comedy forward.
We were also impressed by the quality of acting in the performance. Claire Lees, in particular, was fabulous in being able to portray a range of emotions through her facial expression and body language. We also both loved the characterisation of Cherubino (sung by Hongni Wu) in this famous ‘trouser role’. Making her debut for Opera North, her comic timing, cheeky character and beautiful mezzo-soprano voice added a light and comedic value to any scene she was in.
There were many laugh-out-loud moments in the performance. On many occasions, this was down to the comedic timing of the characters on stage – or a plot twist (we loved the section when Antionio the gardener (Jamie Woollard) reports someone has fallen into his carnations!) We also appreciated the way that the English subtitles for the opera (it is sung in Italian) were very modern; the sometimes, blunt use of up-to-date language added to the comedic value of the action on stage. It really is fast paced, mad-cap and a little bit chaotic. My opera-newbie friend described it as ‘a farce – with added songs!’. I thought she had hit the nail right on the head!
All in all, we had a great night at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal. And the Marriage of Figaro did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing one of my favourite operas – and my friend’s first foray into opera was a complete success. We laughed out loud, we were moved by stunning voices and swept away by the beautifully played live music. Bellissimo!
Rating: 5/5
Dates: Thursday 5th March and Saturday 7th March. 2026
Tickets: £34 – £79
Remaining shows are bookable here.