This is a rather good if not ground-breaking, note-complete Figaro, recorded live at the Sydney Opera House on July 29, 2010. Patrick Summers’ excellent leadership is a definite plus; he never rushes but keeps everything moving, indulges in some wonderful and surprising rubato (“Dove sono”), allows (or encourages) his singers to embellish vocal lines in their arias (even Marzellina’s and Basilio’s), and is sprightly in the recits. The entire fourth-act finale has a flow that is second to none–it seems as natural as real life–and he accents interestingly as well, with the tempo changes absolutely right.
Being a live performance, it takes our Figaro and Susanna–Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Taryn Fiebig–a few moments to warm up. She in particular sounds a bit gritty for Susanna but later shines. Indeed, her timing and sense of fun are superb (the numerous chuckles from the audience suggest that the stage action must have been a hoot), her “Deh vieni…”, with unexpected flair and decoration, is glorious, and she manages to giggle girlishly while singing. Her Italian enunciation, however, is not very good.
Teddy Tahu Rhodes sings big, if you know what I mean: this Figaro is easily outraged, but the emotion seems to come not from arrogance but from a certain uncertainty about himself. The voice has a fine, interesting grain in it and his portrayal overall is terrific. I wish I found something special in Sian Pendry’s Cherubino, but it’s merely good and I can think of a half-dozen better.
As half of the “upstairs” couple, Peter Coleman-Wright’s Count has an aristocratic lightness, and he sings right on the beat and right on the notes, spitting out the text as if he owns the place, which he does. Rachelle Durkin’s Countess is lovely and touching; the strong vibrato in her voice conveys great feeling. I’m not sure what went wrong, but the final moments of “Dove sono” are missing–the crucial coda is replaced by applause! Bad editing? A lousy piece of singing omitted on purpose? Whatever–it’s unacceptable.
Jacqueline Dark’s Marzellina is plummy and formidable, and her aria suits her well; Kanen Breen’s Basilio is overdone, with weird falsetto singing in his aria, but he certainly is picturesque. Warwick Fyfe, more baritone than bass, sings Bartolo’s music well but exaggerates in his first-act aria to make up for true strength.
As I said, this is not ground-breaking, and certainly can’t compare with Böhm’s old set (DG) or Gardiner’s HIP set (Archiv)–but it’s enjoyable and a treat for Tahu Rhodes.
