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2mo ago

Glyndebourne’s Figaro Embraces Tradition While Critics Split on Conductor’s Tempo

Mariame Clément’s staging pairs Julia Hansen’s curved sets with a star lineup of singers whose acclaim is tempered by Riccardo Minasi’s stop-start conducting.

Louise Alder and Huw Montague Rendall in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne
Countess Almaviva (Louise Alder) and Count Almaviva (Huw Montague Rendall) in Le Nozze di Figaro (Photo: Richard Hubert Smith/Glyndebourne)

Overview

  • Mariame Clément’s direction is praised for its clear, classic narrative but draws comments on its absence of fresh interpretive insight.
  • Julia Hansen’s interlocking curved sets and Paule Constable’s lighting establish an elegant, post-baroque chateau backdrop that grounds the comedy.
  • The principal cast led by Louise Alder, Michael Nagl, Johanna Wallroth, Huw Montague Rendall and Adèle Charvet earns unanimous acclaim for vocal precision and emotional nuance.
  • Riccardo Minasi’s historically informed approach with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment features abrupt tempo shifts that some critics find disruptive to musical flow.
  • A revolving stage glitch delayed Act IV on opening night but has since been resolved, and the production continues at Glyndebourne through August 21.