Updated Le Nozze di Figaro at the Manoel

An updated version of Mozart’s comic opera Le Nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) is being staged from tomorrow at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta. In a brand new production alongside the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Philip Walsh, director Jack Furness has based the opera in modern-day Europe, with a look to the future. Originally written in the 18th century, Figaro and Susanna’s story here takes place in the time of Trump, Brexit, protests and other familiar situations. The timeless opera is one of the favourite operatic works of all time. Nozze, as opera lovers affectionately call it, has stood the test of time with audiences always falling head over heels for the story of Figaro and Susanna. Le Nozze di Figaro tells of how a countess and her servant come together to chasten her philandering aristocrat husband. The count, in this version, is a CEO. The continent is on the brink of societal collapse and popular movements of all stripes are rallying people to their cause. Barriers are broken, structures soften and the inflexible bends. Revolutionary co-operation of women across class boundaries leads to the triumph of love and acceptance. Along the way, two...