Opera carries many stigmas, such as singers belting out minute-long solos and formally-dressed onlookers. UT Opera
Theatre breaks with this stereotype in its modern-day interpretation of Mozart’s comedy, “The Marriage of Figaro.”
The group’s spring production will take Mozart’s classic tale of a day in the life of the Sevillian barber Figaro and give it a mid-20th century feel by inserting characters like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Onasis (the widow of President John F. Kennedy) and musician Liberace.
At first glance this combination may seem to be a miss-match of cultural anachronism, which could only produce confusion among not only the audience but also the performers themselves. This, however, is not how the cast members view their final product, as they see the changes as allowing for less distance between the show and the viewer.
“This is the brainchild of our director James Marvel,” said masters in music student Kevin Dougherty, who plays Figaro.
“He wanted to set it different, and, honestly, the characters work out. Figaro is like a high-energy jack-of-all-trades, and the character Figaro is like the ‘Elvis’ of opera. He is that iconic figure. … He wanted to make it relatable to the audience and a new generation of opera-goers.”
The cast’s primary motivation is to make the production more accessible to its audience. Natalee McReynolds, who plays Figaro’s wife-to-be Susanna, said the new setting makes the play more applicable.
“It makes you far less removed from the action,” McReynolds, a masters student in music, said. “When I’m playing the character, I’m feeling real emotions that this person felt 300 years ago. And that doesn’t change.”
To convey the opera’s comedic elements, the performers worked hard to universalize its humor through their own physical actions.
“If there was no sound, this show would be entertaining — that’s the honest truth,” said Ryland Pope, a masters student in music, who plays the Count. “With the comedy, you don’t have to know the language. They could be singing gibberish up there and people will still understand.”
To further break down the fourth wall that plagues most classical performances, UT’s “Marriage of Figaro” will be performed as an interactive play, encouraging the audience to participate, as opposed to just sitting and watching. To help this along, the Friday and Saturday shows will feature pre-performances from the Rockabilly-Ska band Demon Waffle, which plans to play hits from the era.
“People are going to be up on the stage dancing, and it’s going to be a great time,” Dougherty said. “That’s the lead-in to the opera. Whoever wants to come and get on the dance floor and rock it out for a little bit, that’s who we want to come.”
Ultimately, the message of UT’s production of “The Marriage of Figaro” is that this opera was made for everyone.
“You don’t have to know anything about Mozart or opera,” McReynolds said. “… With this, anyone can enjoy it. There are no prerequisites.”
Show times are 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday at the Carousel Theatre.
Tickets are $5 for UT students, $10 for faculty, staff, seniors and non-UT students, and $15 for the general public. They are available for purchase at the Clarence Brown Theatre box office, online at www.knoxvilletickets.com, or by phone at 865-974-5161. Tickets are also available at the theater on the evening of the performance.
