Music students burned the midnight oil in Crowell Hall over interterm, rehearsing Mozart’s three-hour opera, “The Marriage of Figaro.”

Full of quirky characters and predicaments, “Figaro” tells the story of a single day in the palace of Count Almaviva. The four-act opera presents comical scenes of love and mistaken identity in Figaro’s quest to embarrass the Count and expose his infidelity.

A very popular opera to perform at the college level, “The Marriage of Figaro” was performed at Biola in 2000 with a modernized setting. This time around, the production is being depicted in the original 18th century.
“Figaro” is a comic opera well known for its complicated and often confusing plot. The 15 characters and fast pace, as well as the assumed knowledge of Beaumarchais’ previous play, “La Folle Journée” provides a challenge for the modern viewer.

“The best thing that people can do is read a synopsis online before they come,” said Jeanne Robison, music professor and coordinator.

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Senior voice major Jordan Tolentino, who plays Bartolo, a 60-year old doctor from Seville, suggests paying particular attention to the way couples interact on stage in order to best follow the story.

“It is interesting to see the way performers interpret their characters throughout the performance,” he said.
Tolentino also suggested being familiar with the often-confusing plot before entering the theatre, in order to avoid being lost in the story and bored by its length.

This length and complexity of the opera meant an intense rehearsal schedule in order to be ready for opening night last Friday. Musical rehearsals started last semester and work began in earnest in January.
Approximately 30 students took part in the opera workshop class, rehearsing six hours a day to prepare for the performance.

Understudy sophomore Kirsten Johnson plays the character Cherubino, a boy who is dressed up as a girl. Johnson said that participating in Figaro has been, “the highlight of the year.”

But Johnson wasn’t the only one with the job of playing Cherubino; most of the major roles in the opera were double-cast in order to allow more students the ability to participate.

One of the most striking features of this year’s opera is the elaborate 18th-century costumes, rented from a professional costuming company. Some of the costumes cost upwards of $1000.

On all fronts, from performers to production design, this year’s opera has been meticulously practiced and prepared for months, with the final product hitting the stage this month. “The Marriage of Figaro” will continue its run through this weekend, showcasing the hard work and talent of the performers in one of Mozart’s most famous operas.