The Marriage of Figaro Glyndebourne at the BBC Proms Review

"bringing with it the weight of tradition: a reminder that opera at the Proms has always been about making the grand feel accessible, and the intimate feel expansive. In the vast space of the Royal Albert Hall, the familiar overture races ahead with its restless wit, and suddenly an opera written for the intimacy of late-18th-century Vienna came alive again for thousands of listeners under a single domed roof and for many, many more live on Radio 3."

"The Proms and Glyndebourne have a long-standing relationship. It was Glyndebourne that brought the very first complete opera to the Proms in 1961 Mozart's Don Giovanni. That established a precedent: the idea that opera, usually sequestered in theatres and houses of its own, could thrive in the looser, more democratic arena of the Proms. Their Marriage of Figaro continues that tradition."

"Stripped of elaborate sets, the performance pivots instead on musical clarity, ensemble precision and the vitality of characterisation. For the Proms, The Marriage of Figaro represents more than just another entry in the season's operatic calendar. It is a case study in what the festival does best: taking works from the traditional canon and presenting them in ways that are at once ambitious, democratic and revealing."

"Having been lucky enough to see the first night of this new production at Glyndebourne, I was hesitant about what to expect from the Proms version. Part of the show's success at Glyndebourne was the stunning design by Julia Hansen. Would a semi-staged version work? The answer was a resounding yes, as Talia Stern's creative direction deftly adapted the original Glyndebourne production to an open stage, with the orchestra playing visibly behind the action."

Glyndebourne's The Marriage of Figaro was presented at the BBC Proms in a semi-staged format that emphasized musical clarity, ensemble precision and vivid characterisation. The Proms transformed an opera written for intimate 18th-century Vienna into a large-scale experience for thousands in the Royal Albert Hall and many more on Radio 3. Glyndebourne's historic relationship with the Proms dates back to 1961 when it brought Mozart's Don Giovanni, establishing opera's place in a more democratic festival setting. Design elements from Glyndebourne were adapted for an open stage, with the orchestra visible behind the action, preserving theatrical energy without elaborate sets.

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