THE HANGOVER REPORT – Star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo singlehandedly takes on THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

Anthony Roth Costanzo (right) in “The Marriage of Figaro” at The Amph at Little Island (photo by Nina Westervelt).

This past weekend at “The Amph” venue on Little Island, I had the opportunity to catch the delightfully scrappy new production of The Marriage of Figaro starring countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. In this case, the term “starring” may very well be an understatement — you see, this abbreviated take on the beloved Mozart opera has Costanzo vocally tackling every principal role (from Susanna, to Figaro, to the Count, to the Countess, to Cherubino, and beyond). In a sense, Costanzo is The Marriage of Figaro, and he emerges from this insane assignment victorious.

He doesn’t do it alone, however. Fast rising theater director Dustin Wills has devised a renegade theatrical framework to make the ambitious feat possible. Although Costanzo sings all the major roles, the stagehands also double — often amusingly — as the physical embodiment of a number of the characters, donning period costumes and lip-syncing to Costanzo’s voice as needed (when not in costume portraying a specific character, the opera star can be discreetly seen in the background of the action in the guise of the puckish Cherubino). The result is a very entertaining madcap affair in which the farcical elements of the opera pop pronouncedly — especially apparent in this fast-paced 100-minute version of the opera — but happily without compromising the opera’s touching humanity.

Suffice to say, Costanzo displays a deep understanding of the opera — both dramatically and vocally. Indeed, that he’s able to comfortably sing in such a vast array of registers and cadences is a notable achievement all in itself. Although his vocal performance is ultimately more impressive for its skillfulness than its eloquence, the production is all-in-all a triumph for Costanzo. Throughout, the production is ebulliently conducted by Heartbeat Opera’s irrepressible Dan Schlosberg, who leads a necessarily downsized orchestra with reckless abandon.

RECOMMENDED

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Opera
The Amph at Little Island
1 hour, 40 minutes (without an intermission)
Through September 22

Categories: Music, Opera, Other Music

Leave a Reply