Le Nozze di Figaro

at Stowe Opera @ Winslow Hall 2012

Click here to view a brand-new, short video describing Yvonne's work as stage director.

Click here to watch and listen to Yvonne singing La Contessa's aria 'Dove sono'.

In 2012, Yvonne returned to Stowe Opera at Winslow Hall in Buckinghamshire to direct Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s comic masterpiece, Le Nozze di Figaro. Musical Director was Robert Secret, set and lighting designer was Charlie Camm and the cast included Marc Callahan (Figaro), Helen Massey (Susanna), Michael Davis (Conte), Yvonne Fontane (Contessa), Alan Fairs (Bartolo) and Catrin Johnsson (Cherubino).

Le Nozze Di Figaro 2012 Act II (M. Davis, Y. Fontane, H. Massey, M. Callahan)

Mozart is the unrivalled genius in dealing with the various traits of human nature subtly and clearly. The music of Le Nozze di Figaro and da Ponte's libretto, which is all about constantly shifting, entangled relationships resonates deeply with me. Da Ponte and his contemporary Casanova both traveled Europe with a sharp critical, enlightened view of society and sought to master and change their fate by means of their talents and inventiveness. Both were rebellious, passionate about theatre, full of life and love for women. When da Ponte found himself in the changing situation in Vienna after Empress Maria Theresa's death, he was in luck. The consequent reign of her son, Joseph II opened up the theatres and got rid of some of the rigid censorship. Joseph, who lay in dispute with the feudal masters himself and thus saw a parallel to the story of Le Nozze di Figaro, had somewhat found an outlet of his frustration through da Ponte's libretto. When Mozart and da Ponte started creating theatre together, the stage was set to allow criticism at society as it was through sharp, observant satire wrapped in disarming beauty and perfection.

Le Nozze Act III  (M. Callahan, A. Fairs, H. Massey, M. Ashman)

 Briefly focusing on one small aspect of the story, Rosina Almaviva's pain is so palpable, so intense. Between the joyful end of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, where she is being rescued by her lover and future husband Il Conte Almaviva to “Porgi amor”, when we see her for the first time in Figaro, lies a tragic journey of passion increasingly turning to resentment http://storecialis.net/female-cialis/. Hopeful, exuberant love was transformed into feeling utterly betrayed, trapped, disillusioned, embarrassed and wary of one another. On top of that, the Conte and Contessa have not managed to produce a child which would surely have given her comfort and a sense of belonging. 

Le Nozze di Figaro 2012 Act III (Y. Fontane, H. Massey)

Stowe Opera at Winslow Hall is the perfect setting for such a piece which is both biting satire on aristocracy as well as a comedy and a tender love story. The stunning Winslow Hall was described by Marcus Binney in The Times as “the finest surviving house built by England’s greatest architect, Sir Christopher Wren, and is a trophy almost without rival.”

The combination of this production of Le Nozze di Figaro and the strong character of Winslow Hall produced a hugely exciting new start for Stowe Opera.