Welsh National Opera (WNO) The Marriage of Figaro
Reviews

I had never been to the opera before. There’s something very ‘Jane Austen’ about the thought, maybe even slightly intimidating at first. My friend and I were some of the youngest people in the theatre, only a smattering amongst the crowd. The music begins, the prelude to the first act, and it’s beautiful. It sets the scene and everyone applauds.

The show itself is stunning. The singing is awe-inspiring, the action a perfect balance between drama and comedy. The Marriage of Figaro is a perfect opera to see for your first time. It has wiped away all of my preconceptions and prejudices; what I had seen originally as an opportunity to try something new and daunting turned into something very enjoyable. The acts passed far too quickly for me, the actors were wonderful and played their parts so well, I wanted to stay there for longer.

My favourite costumes belonged to the Countess – her gowns and dresses were all of sumptuous material that stood out among the costumes onstage. The stage itself and the clever lighting was brilliant – so versatile and well suited to each scene, and every change to the scenery was incorporated into the action.

The superscript above the stage was very helpful, and not as distracting as I thought it might be, and the acting was so well done that I knew exactly what was happening all the way through despite the Italian it was sung in. Overall, I would heartily recommend the Welsh National Opera’s The Marriage of Figaro – it was wonderful.