By Gregory Shepherd
Advertiser Opera Critic
After a rocky first act, marred by rampaging tempos and poor coordination between singers and orchestra, Hawai‘i Opera Theatre’s production of Mozart’s "The Marriage of Figaro" settled down enough to offer moment after moment of pure delight. But even though the tempo problem improved significantly, it resurfaced often enough to be the the main drawback of Friday’s performance.
Mozart’s musical setting of Honore Beaumarchais’ libretto is its usual perfect manifestation of lightness and profundity in a brilliantly zany plot. Although many of their low notes were inaudible, the principals generally sang with great beauty and acted with instinctive zest when not fighting conductor Andreas Mitisek’s tempos. In his defense, it should be pointed out that were instances in the latter acts where his fast tempos were just right for what was going on, but the principals couldn’t or wouldn’t keep up the pace.
Mark McCrory brings the title role to life with a rich bass-baritone and appropriately hammy acting. Soprano Jami Rogers as Susanna does equally effervescent vocal and comedic work, and the bubbly chemistry between the two was unfailingly charming on Friday.
Dean Elzinga’s full-voiced depiction of the randy Count Almaviva smoothly combines the arrogance of minor royalty with the morals of an adolescent goat. Aimee Willis invests the part of the spurned Countess with a soaring soprano voice and real pathos.
Sarah Helen Land sparkled in the trouser-role of Cherubino. Land brought an added dimension to the "Voi che sapete" aria, but her "Non so piu" was out of whack with Mitisek’s warp-factor tempo.
Catherine Cook, James Scott Sikon and Laurence Paxton camped about hilariously with appropriately strong voices.
Stage direction by Matthew Lata is at times brilliantly conceived, but there are some clunky moments that rely unduly on slapstick.
Gregory Shepherd has been The Advertiser’s opera critic since 1987.
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