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The Marriage of Figaro

6.5 181 mins Comedy   Music   1975
Deutsche Grammophon   Unitel Classics   Universal Pictures  
Director(s): Jean-Pierre Ponnelle

Mozart's Marriage of Figaro is a comedy whose dark undertones explore the blurred boundaries between dying feudalism and emerging Enlightenment. Herman Prey's Figaro is admirably sung in a firm baritone and aptly characterized. So too, is his antagonist, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as the Count perpetually frustrated by the scheming wiles of Figaro and Susanna, here the perky Mirella Freni, who sings and acts like a dream. The Countess is creamy-voiced Kiri Te Kanawa, and the Cherubino, Maria Ewing, looks just like the horny, teenaged page she's supposed to be. The all-star leads are complemented by worthy supporting singers, the Vienna Philharmonic at the top of its form, and the experienced Mozartian, Karl Böhm conducting a stylishly fleet performance.

Casts of The Marriage of Figaro

Hermann Prey

as Figaro

Mirella Freni

as Susanna

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

as Il Conte di Almaviva

Kiri Te Kanawa

as La Contessa di Almaviva

Maria Ewing

as Cherubino

Heather Begg

as Marcellina

Paolo Montarsolo

as Bartolo

John van Kesteren

as Basilio

Willy Caron

as Don Curzio

Hans Kraemmer

as Antonio

Janet Perry

as Barbarina

Karl Böhm

as Self - Conductor

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