2011 – The Marriage of Figaro

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO BY MOZART IN CONCERT: JUNE 3-4, 2011

“Withdrawing value from the experiences that do not lead to love is the action of forgiveness.”
- Paramahansa Yogananda

A message from the Director, Heidi Klassen:

The world is in transition and requires us to awaken. Mozart’s message of Love and Forgiveness is a universal and timeless one. Mozart was a Master of the Heart as well as Music and aligns with our own deep knowing. Written with lightness and humor, The Marriage of Figaro is more than a revolution of equality and love between men and women, more than a revolution of social and political equalizing. Mozart’s music seems always to open our hearts to Truth.

Please join us for an experience of beautiful music, wonderful singing and an opportunity for a communion with each other.

Sincerely,
Heidi Klassen
Director, The Marriage of Figaro

We invite you to come and enjoy an evening of music at The Opera Project’s concert performance of Mozart’s masterpiece,

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

June 3rd and 4th, 2011
Canadian Memorial United Church
15th at Burrard, Vancouver BC
Doors 7:00pm, Curtain 7:30pm
Tickets: $20 at the door.

Reservations: 778.885.5525 or theoperaproject.tickets@gmail.com

FEATURING

Figaro ………………………. Peter Alexander
Susanna ………………. Robin Eder-Warren
& Chelsea Callaghan
Count ……………………… Riley McMitchell
Countess ………………………… Sarah Vardy
Cherubino ……………………… Fabiana Katz
Barbarina ……………………… Jacqueline Ko
Marcellina ………………….. Jennifer Ashley
Bartolo ……………………… Nickolas Meyer
Basilio ………………………… Jacqueline Ko
Don Curzio ………………….. Jacqueline Ko
Antonio ……………………….. Alex Crabtree
Peasant woman ………. Heidimarie Guggi
Peasant woman …….. Sandra Dawn Nash

Conductor ………………….. John Arsenault
Pianist …………………….. David Boothroyd
Director & Narrator ……….. Heidi Klassen
Producer & House Manager . Beverly Wu
Props …………….. Jacqueline & Sandra Ko
Lighting ………………………Matthew Bissett

Thank you to our lighting sponsor, Long & McQuade

At the Castle of Count Almaviva, about three leagues from Seville: Figaro, steward of the castle, has borrowed 10,000 francs from Marcellina and has given her a note promising to repay her by a certain time or marry her if he should default. Very much in love with Susanna, the Countess’ chambermaid, Figaro is preparing to marry her but the Count himself is enamored of the young Susanna. The Count has favored the marriage in hopes that the dowry he has promised the couple would enable him to obtain from Susanna in secret her yielding to the droit du seigneur, a right to bed his female servants that he had renounced when he married. This little domestic intrigue is conducted on behalf of the Count by the rather unscrupulous Basilio, music master of the castle. But the virtuous Susanna believes herself obliged to appraise her mistress and her betrothed of the Count’s gallant intentions, and the Countess, Susanna and Figaro band together to foil the plans of the lord of the manor. The young page, Cherubino, beloved by everyone at the castle but mischievous and over heated more than once involuntarily places obstacles in the way of the Count’s progress, at the same time getting himself into hot water. The Count finally perceiving that he is being made the victim, but unable to imagine how it is being done, resolves upon vengeance by favoring Marcellina’s claims. Desperate because he cannot make the young Susanna his mistress, he tries to marry the old one to Figaro. But at the moment of revenge, it is revealed that Marcellina is Figaro’s unknown mother which ruins all of the Count’s plans. The Countess who has not given up hope of winning back her unfaithful husband by catching him at fault, has arranged that Susanna pretend to grant the Count a rendezvous at last in the garden and that the wife appear there in the place of the mistress. But an unforeseen incident appraises Figaro of the rendezvous granted by his fiancée. Furious because he believes himself deceived Figaro hides at the appointed spot in order to surprise the Count with Susanna. While he is still raging he is pleasantly surprised to discover that the whole affair is only a game between the Countess and her chambermaid for the purpose of fooling the Count and in good humor Figaro joins in. The Count, convicted of unfaithfulness by his wife begs her forgiveness, which she lovingly grants him and the wedding celebrations commence.