I have a little preview of Rossini's Figaro tonight. We are giving a gala concert to open the season here at Green Mountain Opera, and I'm singing the Largo as well as "Dunque io son." I was mildly terrified to have to sing these with phlegmy cords, but I figure if I can do it feeling crummy, then I can do it anytime. Bring on the ham and eggs (is there such a thing as negative subtlety? If so, I think it's highly appropriate for Figaro).
Figaro. I have been doing some reading up on the Big Fig and Beaumarchais, hoping to impress my readership of one (I've been informed that it is really a readership of three now! Progress), and I have found that the name Figaro may mean 'son of Caron' (fils- Caron), as in Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. Now the name simply means barber in french, having taken on the iconic character's profession.
Speaking of being a barber, I love allusions to The Barber of Seville while doing Nozze. I have often sung the big Act II recit while prettying up the Countess' hair, but in this production I get to give Cherubino a shave during "Non più andrai," which is not only a lot of fun, but helps fill out what can be a challenging moment. It's easy to be Johnny one-note during that aria, manhandling Cherubino over and over and indicating the laundry list of things he will encounter in the military. The whole shaving scene adds a new shape and a lot of fun. Plus I get to play Figaro as Sweeney Todd for a brief moment. "Finalmente! Il mio braccio destro è completo ancora!!!!!"
Here is a picture from our photo shoot. I love this costume- Robina D'Arcy Fox did a beautiful job on all of our clothes. And they feel like clothes, not a costume. I'm sorry to gush about it, but it is pretty amazing.
I'm going to close with one of my new favorite quotes as I've been re-reading
the play of The Marriage of Figaro.
Figaro: You have no idea how much I love you.
Suzanne: When are you going to stop bothering me by going on about it from morning to night?
Figaro: [winking] When I can prove it to you from night until morning.
AW
Your hands, man, where are your hands? Has someone chopped them off of you? Were they lost in some heretofore unmentioned threshing incident? How can you shave Cherubino if you have no hands?!?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, that costume looks amazing even though your hidden hands make you appear as though you're in an 18th century straitjacket.
HA!!! My hands are noticeably absent, aren't they? The photographer wanted me to strike a 'mean' pose, and this is what I came up with. I think maybe the Count cut them off in a fit of rage.
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