Mozart's own 'Anchorman'

By Molly McGonigle

Men in tights and women with alternate agendas are the highlight of this year's on-campus opera, Mozart's mischievous "The Marriage of Figaro."

Known for its racy humor and beautiful music, this opera could be called "the 'Anchorman' of the 1700s," said junior Nick Benavides, who plays Figaro in one of the casts.

Each of the four shows this weekend will be performed by one of two casts.

It is the story of Count Almaviva, who is bored with his wife and tries to lure his charming servant, Susanna, into an amorous relationship before her wedding day.

Susanna outs the Count's bad behavior, which foils his plans and allows her to marry her beloved fellow servant, Figaro.

The story behind Mozart's creation of this opera is quite risqué, much like the plot itself. The original theater version of "The Marriage of Figaro" was banned in Austria because it portrayed nobility in an unfavorable light.

Mozart wrote the opera version anyway, which the king enjoyed it so much that the opera continued its performances.

Matt Peterson, who plays the Count , has loved his experience playing the bad guy. "It's glorious to play the villain because it's almost as fun as the role of the hero, but you get to be an awful character," Peterson said.

Mike Hayes, who plays the Count in the other cast, agreed with Peterson and attributed the Count's socially-unacceptable nature to the fact that all of the characters are flirting with each other.

"This is my third time participating in opera," said senior Gina DiRado, who plays Susanna, "but this year we have the most talent we have ever had. It's a three-and-a-half-hour opera, so it's hard, but the music has come together beautifully."

Hayes agreed, "Most people do not do the whole play at an undergraduate level, because most 19-to -22-year-olds don't have the vocal skill and strength to sing for that long."

Senior political science and music major Ashleigh Gage has her first lead as a performer in this year's opera as Susanna. As a lead, Gage has found the time commitment demanding, but ultimately very worthwhile. "We auditioned last spring and got our music over the summer," Gage explained. "This year, we practice during the 11:50 class period, plus Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. So it's 15 hours a week for almost 17 weeks."

Jessica Long, a civil engineering major with a music minor, also has her first lead as Countess Almaviva, and has loved her experience thus far. "The opera is so collaborative because you really get a strong relationship with not only your own character and performance, but also with the other characters, the orchestra and the audience."

Despite the extensive training and five-month commitment, "The Marriage of Figaro" is only being shown for one weekend.

"I wish it could've been shown for a longer time than just a weekend," Gage said. "It's a fully exhausting and strenuous experience, but the recital hall we are using was already rented out."

This is really a great opportunity for people who have never seen an opera, Gage said. "For one, it's in English and you know the people on stage, and it's always fun to see your friends make fools of themselves."

DiRado agreed and said that even those that have never seen an opera should come check out their performance. "You should come and see it with an open mind because it's really funny and you will end up having a really good time," she said.

The opera will run from Friday through Sunday, with two performances during the weekend by alternating casts. The tickets are $5 for students and $12 for general admission.

Contact Molly McGonigle at (408) 551-1918 or mmcgonigle@scu.edu.

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