Press Reviews

All credit to Swansea City Opera for producing a touring version of Figaro that is pure pleasure, a delight from start to finish.

Free from gimmicks but focusing on the elegance and merriment, with all its silly games of hide-and-seek, deception and mock disguise, Brendan Wheatley’s direction is detailed and fluent. He also enjoys himself in the comic cameo role of the yokel gardener.

It is beautifully staged, with white set and trappings and colourful 18th-century costumes, designed by Gabriella Ingram.

The all-round singing and characterisation of the nine-strong cast is of a high standard. And it is sung in English with refreshing clarity. In the role of Figaro, Iranian Aris Nadirian makes a convincing fixer and is nicely partnered by Helen Massey as Susanna, his bride-to-be, desired by the Count. There was a neat bit of casting between her and Cherubino, Boltonian Rebecca Goulden, in that their physical discrepancy, one tall and slim, the other short and plump, made their role-swapping ruse even more ridiculous.

Manchester-born Andrew Mayor has real present as Count Almaviva and Elin Pritchard, previously seen at Clonter, was more than a match for his philandering. Her eloquent Act 3 aria is a highlight.

John Beswick conducts with great spirit and alertness. The production won an enthusiastic reception from the knowing Buxton audience. Well done, Swansea.

By Philip Radcliffe – Manchester Theatre Reviews

Audience Reviews

Audience comments Marriage of Figaro 2014

Barnstaple
Just a quick line or two to congratulate you, the rest of the cast and orchestra on your performance of the Marriage of Figaro at Barnstaple’s Queens theatre last Saturday. I have only attended one opera before and that was in Beijing, a traditional Chinese Opera which was awful. However, I am very pleased to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of Figaro although I must confess as to not entirely having a grip on the plot at all times, the music and singing voices however needed no explanation being simply divine. I have a down loaded version of the duet from scene 3 from the sound track of the ‘Shawshank Redemption’ and I can honestly say I thought yours (Helen’s) and Elin’s rendition was equally as good if not better. Thanks to the Swansea City Opera for a wonderful experience and here’s to looking for more in the future!
Brendon Ankers

Love Mozart opera. Have been to productions by this company previously.

Lovely to have the show in English. Very hard working cast and musicians. Look forward to the next time they perform in Barnstaple.

High quality of the singing & expression. Very important to have opera at Barnstaple as other opera performances are 60 miles away in Plymouth or Taunton.

Bassoon a little too loud in parts, but generally an excellent performance, both from the cast and the orchestra.

The singers were fantastic and also acted well. The orchestra was also excellent. We felt privileged to get such a wonderful production to us here in Barnstaple.

Enjoyed it very much – BUT – a few times I did think the orchestra was too loud and overpowering the opera singers, and we couldn’t hear all the words.

This is only the second opera my husband and I have been to. The 1st was in the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Sicily! Great experience but not an everyday one. We enjoyed this performance as it was in English so all the nuances of the plot can be followed. Also the company appeared to enjoy doing it and that came across.

Prefer it in Italian but this was a good traditional performance. All good voices, Mozart’s wonderful music exceeds everything.

I am an 87 year old widower. All my life I have loved classical music/opera and ballet. It was a very enjoyable performance. I really enjoyed it. Could have fallen in love with Susanna. I first saw ‘Figaro’ in 1945 at the Handel Theatre in Valletta, Malta G.C. Enjoyed that as well.

1: Talk ——Excellent
2 Production——–Could hold its own anywhere!!
(PS and I don’t especially like Mozart’s comic operas!)
P Rigg

Love opera, we need more in Barnstaple! I am originally from Lancs so I have been to Liverpool, Manchester to see opera over the years. We need more in the S. West!

Lively – Particularly good performances by Aris Nadirian and Helen Massey.

Dear Bridgett,
We went to the performance at Barnstaple, and have enthused everyone about it. I thought it was just marvellous. The singers were great, wonderful voices, and good acting. Suzanna was superb
but there were no weak players. The orchestra was excellent, and just the right sound. We were absolutely thrilled with the whole performance. As I have some friends in Yeovil, I will recommend it to them. I wish you all great success on your tour and God’s blessing.
Yours Inger Denniston

We enjoyed the talk as it was so interesting to hear the background to the writing of the story & the history etc – v. entertaining & a new dimension of the story.
The performance – combination of technical excellence with lightheartedness. We got the impression that the performers enjoyed themselves!

The talk helped us to relate to the period during which the action depicted in the opera took place and was very useful.

Pwllheli
Pwllheli says thank you..
We very much enjoyed last evening’s performance of The Marriage of Figaro in Pwllheli. Wonderful playing and singing – a first-class show, hugely appreciated. Please come again soon!
Jan & Jim
I’ve enjoyed opera for many years, going mainly to the Welsh National in Liverpool and Opera North in Manchester. When we moved to Gwynedd I didn’t expect to see any more live performances. I was pleasantly surprised to see you were in reach in Pwllheli and 6 of us came to see the Marriage of Figaro. We all enjoyed the music and singing very much and we wanted to say thank you (and please come back).

Fascinating pre-show talk, awaiting Marriage of Figaro…….Thank you @SwanseaOpera for “Marriage of Figaro” tonight, I thoroughly enjoyed it and enjoyed your interpretation. Thank you! I enjoyed both the show and the interesting pre-show talk.
Bracknell
Just wanted to thank you and say how much we enjoyed your performance of Marriage of Figaro. We have enjoyed all your performances in the Wilde at Bracknell since The Pearl Fishers, but this was the best yet. Absolutely lovely singing and drama. Well done all.
Enjoyed it very much! Great music, great acting, great singing!
Superb singing & acting – excellent voices. Orchestra a bit loud at times. Pre-performance talk excellent & entertaining & very informative
a)The pre-show talk helped me understand the background & the plot.
b) much more intimate in a small theatre than a big one
c) sung in English & diction of singers was excellent, so easy to follow story.
d) the standard of singing/acting was brilliant & much better than expected!
All in all a wonderful evening of entertainment: congratulations to all concerned!
Sandra Butt

Figaro’s diction was exemplary.
The Countess’ ‘Dove Sono’ was magical.
The orchestra was clever!

Good singers, excellent settings, good orchestra true to the composer’s intention. No modernization. I was unable to go to the talk.

Winchester

Strong cast, brilliant direction, wonderful Susanna. The ‘budget’ orchestra, while not ideal, was surprisingly effective.

Easy opera to listen to, as our first. Glad it was in English. Excellent production & soloists. Great fun!

Enjoyed very much. Would have liked sub/surtitles but realise the impact this would have on costs.

Both the singing & acting were brilliant. It was a superb production. I have not seen it in English before – but it was a good libretto.

Great performances, excellent singing and music, stage and production. Thanks to all.
Mansfield

Superb small cast were a joy. They sustained 3 hrs with great credit. ‘Orchestra’ played & accompanied very well considering inadequate numbers!!

We come to all Welsh visits – all high quality in every way. Could you arrange more in local press or transport for 8mile radius of Mansfield via Mansfield press adverts. I will ask the theatre! Am involved with local Am Groups. Music/Vocal delightful throughout. Wouldn’t miss your intro talk – very good!

Enjoyed very much.
Clarity of singing & quality.
Excellent orchestra
Excellent venue (1st visit)
My wife sings in Derby New Opera

Enjoyed very much. Funny. Excellent music. Enjoy this venue.
Enjoyed very much. First class!

Enjoyed very much. Would have liked details on the musicians.

Ipswich

We enjoyed the opera as it was so well performed and was in English.

Opera sung in English – good singing & live music. Main characters convincing – good acting by most of the cast. Terrific! PLEASE COME AGAIN!

A fantastic production. Simple but effective set. Costumes superb. Wonderful singing. A very magical evening. The cast was excellent. Compliments to them.

@SwanseaOpera @NewWolsey thank you for a wonderful evening, my first ever opera & I think the beginnings of a new love affair.

“Great voices, music, all round entertainment and totally understandable!”
– Audience member at the @NewWolsey

“Strong cast, brilliant direction, wonderful Susanna” – Audience member at the @NewWolsey

“A fantastic production. Simple but effective set. Costumes superb. Wonderful singing. A very magical evening” – Audience member at the @NewWolsey
Aged 84 I am finding it increasingly difficult to travel out of Ipswich. Also due to time constraints I was unable to stay for the after-show talk. This is the first time I have seen ‘ Marriage of Figaro’. Many thanks to the cast – and musicians – for such a splendid introduction! Good luck – and many broken legs – for your long tour. Looking forward to your next visit to Ipswich – hopefully very soon!!

Enjoyed very much. I didn’t attend the show talk as it was getting rather late, which was a shame.

I wasn’t sure how a small orchestra would work, but it did and really well. Always much better to have a live band. Great cast – especially Susanna and Cherubino. Hope you’re coming to Ipswich again soon!

Rather tired, so did not stay for the post show talk. Had not heard of SCO before – thought the performance excellent – and the ‘orchestra’ of 6 ‘group maybe’ very good & ditto the musical director. Even some of the very elderly in the audience did not seem to have been asleep! I thought this an excellent production, all well cast with the possible exception of Cherubino who physically seemed an unlikely ‘page’ – all done with great style and a first class ensemble with harpsichord/piano machine that worked very well: instrumentalists all excellent too. Good luck for the future.

 

Buxton
Coming to Buxton…..
Dear Brendan and Bridgett,
Just to let you know there are 15 of us coming in April, Dress Circle. Some came last year and for many of those, it was their first opera, so that really, really says something for the impact you made on them at all levels – your de-bunking PPT, with your obvious love of opera, was a big factor!! but overall, they just thoroughly enjoyed the immediacy (being so close to the stage – I always get Dress Circle), the humour, the excellent diction, the whole entertainment. All the singers were superb, but Paul Hudson was brilliant, so happy. One said he didn’t like it, but is coming again all the same! Some are students, some are parents of students, and some are themselves musicians (either peri or schoolteaching).
Valerie

Last year’s was pretty damned good but tonight was simply stunning. Please would you email that feedback leaflet – I’ll email it to all my people to make sure they send you feedback. I know how important it is to you. I’ve already said they need to do this because it’s vital that you are able to add the real words from audiences, to help with your funding applications. You heard the cheers from the audience at the final curtain.
The diction knocks spots off Opera North – you clearly work really hard on that – it shows – and IT MATTERS (my lot commented favourably) – and it ties in with all that you said, Brendan, about Lilian Baylis. She was Emma Cons’ niece, by the way. Your talk was spot on. Most of the 15 I brought were there, but 4 couldn’t, alas. There was something for everyone! THANK YOU !

Enjoyed very much, we were recommended to come. Susanna was utterly captivating!

Enjoyed very much. Good acting and particularly enjoyed performance of Figaro and Susanna.

Singers were all excellent (particularly Susanna & Figaro), quality of the acting was superb. A fine production, lovely costumes, set basic but effective, orchestra good but a bit small. Very impressed with Buxton Opera House – a lovely venue.

Like a little culture? Don’t miss @SwanseaOpera performing the Marriage of Figaro. It was stunning @BuxtonOpHouse

Have seen The Marriage of Figaro before as well as other operas, and this performance is up with the best.

The excellent performance by Helen Massey, well supported by a competent cast and orchestra. All seemed to be enjoying themselves, as did the audience.

Gravesend

@SwanseaOpera @TheWoodville Well that was sheer delight from start to finish
Hello, Along with three friends I went to your production last night at the
Woodville Halls in Gravesend. I thought it was wonderful – such
beautiful singing and playing and great humour.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i pawb.
Ros Wakeman

Enjoyed very much and I have never been to an opera before. Being in English helped me to understand the story – also the explanation of ACTS in the programme. The talk was particularly helpful.

Beautiful singing – if anything quite a long opera. Enjoyed very much.

Enjoyed very much and close to home.
We came with a family of 4 – Mum, Dad, two sons 17 & 15. Both study music, but have varying tastes. The 17 year old loved it – a great result!! Pre-performance talk is always excellent, especially for opera novices like us. Bravo!!

Enjoyed very much, a breath of fresh air for Gravesend!

Enjoyed very much. It was well sung and acted and was in traditional dress and scenery, as the composer intended.

Croydon
Excellent singing and production. Orchestra could have had more strings to balance the woodwind.

The opera singers were on the note the whole time, they kept all the audience captivated in the opera. Mozart has always been a favourite composer of mine and they performed the opera to perfection.

Enjoyed it more as it was sung in English. Have seen it at Covent Garden – much preferred this version!

It would be good to have a short break (1 minute) with the lights on between Act 1 & 11 and between Act 111 & 1V in order to be able to have a quick glance through the synopsis.

Brava for @HelenMassey starring as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro @SwanseaOpera

My wheelchair – bound daughter and I attended your company’s performance of Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro”. We enjoyed it so much and, along with the audience, clapped and cheered the artistes. However, we fell that is insufficient so we want to actually write and thank the team for giving us such a wonderful and memorable evening. Please ensure that our appreciation is personally conveyed to them. A performance of the highest calibre and total bliss for three hours. Thank you all.

Abergavenny

This performance ranks with the VERY best that we have experienced. Figaro and Susanna were “fantastic”.

Thoroughly enjoyed @SwanseaOpera #MarriageofFigaro at @YFenniBorough this week 🙂

Witty, musical. High standard overall. I’ve been to most of your productions in Abergavenny over the years. You always put on a great show. Please accept the enclosed offering for your great little company.

Dear Sir/ Madam,
A couple of years ago I saw your company’s production of The Barber of Seville at Abergavenny’s Borough Theatre and thoroughly enjoyed it. The evening stays in my memory far more clearly than many other operatic productions I have enjoyed over the years at various locations by well known companies.
At the time I meant to write to you to congratulate you on such an excellent performance, but never got round to it. Having recently seen your version of Marriage of Figaro at the same venue I felt that this time I really must write and congratulate you. This is my favourite opera which I never tire of watching and listening to, and once again you managed to make it memorable. The whole production was highly enjoyable and of a first class standard. All the performers were excellent but perhaps the small orchestra deserves special mention. How so few players could keep up that level of rich sound for so long amazes me.
Well done, I can’t wait for your later offerings.

Harrogate

Good singing – Good acting. Very well performed, we were delighted with the performance and the pre-performance talk!

I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of The Marriage of Figaro, I shall certainly attend any future productions in Harrogate. I hope you manage to continue to give enjoyment to all the towns that cannot support their own opera company

Enjoyed very much and my enjoyment of the show was enhanced by the programme, which helped me to understand what was going on.

Go if there are any tickets available. Well worth it! (Face book comment)

Yeovil

Enjoyed very much. Very good singers and musicians.

I listen to classical music including operatic – it was lovely to see a live performance. Introductory talk very helpful.

Excellent voices and acting and musicians who played beautifully.

I saw Swansea City Opera’s production of Marriage of Figaro at Yeovil last Thursday and wanted to say just how very much I enjoyed it. This was the first time I’d seen this opera and I thought it was full of the most beautiful music (well, it is Mozart) and despite the small scale of the production it was admirably staged and even the tiny orchestra blended perfectly with the cast of singers. For me the stars of the show were Susanna and Figaro. They bounced off each other admirably and both have wonderful voices and can do the acting too. Helen Massey’s soprano voice is so beautiful I would love to here her again so please come back in the future. Is there a recording of her anywhere? I also really enjoyed Don Pasquale a year ago in which she also had a starring role. I especially remember the wonderful comic scenes with her and the magnificent Paul Hudson. As well as having lovely voices Paul Hudson and Helen Massey and Figaro can act as well which adds so much to the enjoyment. I also thought Cherubino was brilliant. I wasn’t sure at first about a woman playing a man, especially one who is a Don Juan, but she was brilliant, especially when it came to being a woman playing a man playing a woman. Whoever could have made that up?!! (I presume Mozart wrote the part for a soprano). And I loved the gardener singing in a Somerset accent. He sounded like the Wurzels and it was great, especially with us being in Somerset here in Yeovil.

Holyhead

As I’m a music student, and with singing being my 1st instrument, I learnt so much from the performance itself. I’d like to be as good as you guys one day!
Newport

The standard of performance and production generally was exceptional.
Thoroughly enjoyed your performance of Figaro at Newport’s Riverfront Theatre on the 21st May .
You did justice to this wonderful work and there was a clear sense of the cast having a great time on stage .Well done too , the members of the orchestra .
Best wishes for the rest of the season . Can’t wait for your next production .

Wonderful, vivacious singing well supported by musicians in orchestra pit. Lovely costumes, very good acting too.
We saw Marriage of Figaro in Newport last night. Great performance, great orchestra, everyone making the most of the somewhat diminished numbers.
HOWEVER
We walked out at the end of the first act. AS did several other people. Quite simply, the plot was incomprehensible I would say that we, and many others, walked out of a live stream cinema showing of the Royal Opera House performance of La Boheme, because of no subtitles. And I would suggest La Boheme is almost certainly somewhat easier to follow than Marriage of Figaro. Perhaps you don’t agree.
Whatever, you may as well sing in Welsh, for all the good that singing in English did. We picked up maybe one word in five, sometimes on word in ten.
Whatever your reason for not using subtitles, artistic, or whatever, it wrecked the performance for my wife and I. As it did for several others.
Personally, I’d prefer the opera in the original German, but that’s only my choice. What I am saying is that it is impossible to follow the plot, the characters, the nuances without subtitles. Perhaps that why the ROH, the Met and most companies use them? I doubt they’re all wrong. There is a move to bring opera to more people who currently are not fans. Subtitles is surely one way to help this happen.
I would ask you to consider this. And perhaps put me on a list to let me know when you produce an opera with subtitles. I’d love to see your company again, but only if the performance was comprehensible.

Milford Haven

I saw Swansea City Opera for the first time last year and loved it so much that I couldn’t miss this year. I’m already looking forward to next year.

• Beautiful voices especially during duets and multiple parts
• Ages fitted characters!
• Sung in English
• Not having to travel far for a quality performance

Enjoyed it very much. Live performance. Film and records not as good.

Shrewsbury

Had a fantastic evening in Shrewsbury watching the marriage of Figaro. We have seen several performances by different companies and this was by far the best. We appreciated the superb singing, acting and the playing of the orchestra. It was so well done that I could actually understand what was happening in the last scene! I will look out for future tours.

Superbly acted and sung with great humour

Fabulous Figaro from @swanseaopera

Superb singing, wonderful costumes, altogether a performance that Mozart would have been proud of!!

Such good diction, for once I could hear every word, and what fun, quite the best production I have ever seen! Beautiful voices, lovely costumes, fantastic orchestra. WHAT A GOOD NIGHT OUT. THANK YOU!

Very good singing and music.

Enjoyed it very much. Orchestra a bit thin? A traditional setting – no stupid up dating etc.

Fabulous costumes. Marvellous singing (Orchestra a bit overpowering at times)

Great to see it live. Like the sets, costumes. Particularly like the sound of the Countess.

Lichfield

Attended last nights performance (30/05/14) of Marriage of Figaro at the Garrick Theatre in Lichfield. EXCELLENT! Thoroughly enjoyed a superb performance. Thank you to all involved. Look forward to the Swansea City Opera coming again.

Brilliantly executed with superb cast. Pity the auditorium wasn’t full. Looking forward to the next.

Excellent production on ALL counts. Thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you.

I have nothing but praise for the music and the production. I know the opera very well in Italian, but this was the first time I had seen it in English. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We had a fantastic time in Lichfield. The performance was brilliant. Please keep coming to us!

Bridlington

Good afternoon from a warm and damp Driffield
I am John Jepson, 65 and a quarter, married, retired, disabled, lover of nearly everything on a stage.
The lovely and accomplished Mrs Jepson and I drove through the Yorkshire Wolds on a dampish and mildish May evening to see your production of “The Marriage of Figaro” at the Spa in Bridlington. As a choice of Saturday evening entertainment, you will be pleased, I am sure, to know that you trumped both Britain’s Got Talent on t’ telly and a production of ”Birdsong” in Doncaster.
We made the right choice. Jeannine completed and handed in the questionnaire at the venue, but I lost mine. I found in the programme when we got home a little baby questionnaire, but you deserve more than that so here it is. We saw the show in Brid, we’ve been to an opera before, we travelled more than ten miles, we chose to support the venue, and enjoy opera, we enjoyed the performance very much, we are very likely to attend another opera (strange choice of word, “attend”; I used to “attend” lectures, or be made to “attend” church; makes it sound like a duty not a pleasure) and I am a tad over 25.
Jen described it as a whole eighteenth century experience. The Art Deco venue, locals putting on what Alan Bennett would describe as their posh frocks, me wearing a jacket on a Saturday evening for the first time in ten years, the vista from our seats in the circle of the front few rows of the stalls, the orchestra pit, the whole of the stage, the rustle and bubble of anticipation as the house lights went down, the orchestra tuning up, the first notes of the overture, colour, lights, costume, musicality, singing, drama, tableaux, it was all just a whole beautiful package.
I have done am-dram, dahlings, and I tend to notice, or as Jen would say, be very pretentious about, staging and acting and techniques. For not one moment was anyone on stage not acting, responding, reacting, making us believe in the reality of the the action, and the emotions of the protagonists, but at the same time joining with the audience in the huge joke that this was all just fun and froth and make-believe which they were enjoying as much as we were.
Please make sure cast and crew and musicians are made aware of our pleasure and how they all enriched our evening. This may sustain them through the times when bastard politicians say the only value the arts have is that they can be monetised and thus contribute to the profit and loss.
Bollocks, say I. Come and see us again.

We attended last performance of company in Bridlington which was also excellent. We knew what to expect and were not disappointed. THANK YOU.

We (husband and wife) consider Swansea City Opera to be a very good little company. We also enjoy particularly Brendan Wheatley’s pre-performance talks. Excellent performance all round.

The talk was very informative, an added bonus for us novices. Thanks! The standard of tonight’s performance was excellent!

Enjoyed very much. Always enjoy live music and opera.

It was very well performed & put together.

Enjoyed very much. 1 adult came with 2 teenagers and I answer for the younger one.

Hereford

It was a giggle from start to finish! Just what I needed after a difficult time.

Everything was pleasing – costumes, sets, but most of all the singing & acting – superb!

Enjoyed very much. Singers excellent, both voice & facial expressions. Costumes of that period

Enjoyed very much. Quality singing and acting largely speaking. Had greater understanding of the action, it being sung in English.

Fantastic – first opera I have ever been to – totally converted
great idea to give a talk before hand explaining about the opera – really eye opening. Sshame about the fire alarm in the interval buy gave everybody a good laugh at the start of act two. Now want more!

Swansea

The production was slightly pantomime which made the story intelligible. The singing was a delight. The English words were clean with most of the singers. It was a lusty performance which did not detract from the social issues underlying.

It’s a wonderful opera & this was a good production: costumes, singing, orchestra, set, acting (in that order!) All very good!

A fantastic Marriage of Figaro to a full house. Wonderful music, acting, costumes and sets – we could hear every word. Thanks for a great performance. Really lifts the spirits.

A group of us friends enjoyed Figaro in the Taliesin, Swansea. Ingenious sets, good singing and acting and spot-on chamber orchestra playing with verve and subtlety. Lovely musicianship, good English translation – completely delightful!