Madeline Boreham (Countess), Ross Fettes (Figaro) and Charlotte Jane Kennedy (Susanna)

⭐⭐⭐

Le nozze di Figaro, with so many big roles, glorious tunes and ensemble driven energy, is the perfect opera to showcase emerging talent. At the Royal College of Music (RCM), Jeremy Sams has set this new production within a grand, crumbling wine estate near Seville sometime between the ’70s and ’80s. It has two casts over four performances – last night I saw ‘Cast Fandango’.

Despite some dubious vine leaves projected onto the backdrop, the idea of a grand home steeped in feudalism and hierarchy being confronted by modernity fits the claustrophobia and secrecy of Figaro well. Scott Howland’s choreography brings jollity throughout, and Sams has really lent into Mozart’s comedy.

There are some superb individual performances. Cecilia Yufan Zhang is charming as Cherbuino; it took a short amount of time for her voice to get into its stride, but her characterisation of the flirty, hormonal teenage boy was delightful. Ross Fettes’s Figaro was similarly loveable. His gentle gravitas and rich tone (particularly at the lower end of his voice) anchor the show, and he brings a calm and warmth to every scene.

Alexandria Moon (Marcellina)

The two central sopranos are fantastic. Charlotte Jane Kennedy as Susanna is utterly watchable and her voice grew in strength and tone throughout the evening. Although still a student, Madeline Boreham as Countess Almaviva feels as if she has been transported out of a professional production and onto the stage at the RCM. This is almost true, as she stepped in for seven performances of Mimi in La bohème at the Coliseum last year. Her ‘Dove Sono’ is extraordinary: not only is Boreham’s singing exquisite, but her command and control of her voice brings a nostalgia and pathos that provides a vital moment of stillness to what is, essentially, quite a silly opera. 

The key to this production’s success, however, is in the performers as an ensemble. The chemistry between the central quartet – Sam Hird (Count Almaviva), Madeline Boreham, Charlotte Jane Kennedy, and Ross Fettes – was palpable and full of humour and the finale of Act II (as they are joined by Marcellina, Bartolo, and Basilio enter) is some of the most fun I’ve ever watched on stage. Susanna and the Countess constitute one of the most iconic friendships in opera, and Boreham and Kennedy brought that intimacy to life.

Although Mozart could be to blame, as any recitative that drives the plot has all but vanished by Act III, the final two acts were more tired than the first two and the second half felt like a bit of a push to the end. After an evening of fantastic singing, even the Letter Duet lost its energy by the end.

This is a fun production with moments of brilliance. Its success, however, lies in the principal singers, rather than the direction, so I would be intrigued to see how a second cast takes it on.

Alexandria Moon (Marcellina) and Gabriel Tufail-Smith (Bartolo)