March 14, 17, 20 & 22, 2026
Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Atlanta, Georgia – USA
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro
Christopher Allen, conductor; Stephen Lawless, production director; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, composer; Lorenzo da Ponte, librettist; based on Pierre Beaumarchais play. Cast: Brandon Cedel (Figaro), Sydney Mancasola (Susanna), Patrick Carfizzi (Doctor Bartolo), Marianne Cornetti (Marcellina), Rihab Chaieb (Cherubino), Luke Sutliff (Count Almaviva), Wayd Odle* (Don Basilio / Don Curzio), Iulia Maria Dan* (Countess Almaviva), Kyle White* (Antonio), Amanda Sheriff* (Barbarina). Creative: Eric Sean Fogel, original production choreographer; Gwynn Root Wolford, associate choreographer; Stephanie Smith* & José Israel García*, assistant directors; Maura Tuffy, assistant conductor; Leslie Travers, set & costume designer; Thomas C. Hase, lighting designer; Melanie Steele, wig & makeup designer. [* Studio Artist]
Mark Gresham | 17 MaR 2026
The timeless appeal Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro lies in its perfect alchemy: a razor-sharp comedy of manners wrapped in music of breathtaking beauty and emotional depth. Premiered in 1786, based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ revolutionary play, the opera unfolds over one chaotic day in the household of Count Almaviva, where servants outwit their masters, disguises lead to hilarious revelations, and the old feudal order gets a gleeful shake-up. Hailed as the “perfect opera,” it blends fast-paced farce with profound insights into love, power, jealousy, forgiveness, and class struggle, its sparkling ensembles and arias capturing the full spectrum of human folly and vulnerability.
More than two centuries later, the opera still feels strikingly fresh. In today’s world of shifting hierarchies and questions of consent and equality, Figaro’s themes resonate with renewed urgency. The clever barber Figaro—once the Count’s equal in the earlier play The Barber of Seville—now navigates the Count’s attempts to exercise the outdated droit du seigneur. Figaro’s schemes, Susanna’s quick wit, the Countess’s poignant longing, and Cherubino’s hormonal whirlwind expose hypocrisy while celebrating resilience and mutual respect. Mozart’s score elevates every twist: the Act II finale remains a comic masterpiece, while arias like “Dove sono” offer glimpses into lost innocence and redemption.
Returning to the Atlanta Opera stage after more than a decade’s absence, Atlanta audiences have the chance to experience this masterpiece anew through The Atlanta Opera’s high-energy production at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Sung in Italian with English supertitles, this Figaro delivers wit, warmth, and vocal brilliance in a stylish production directed by Stephen Lawless.
Lawless’s approach emphasizes the opera’s mischievous charm and fast-paced comedy while highlighting its humanity. Set and costume designer Leslie Travers posits the world of 18th-century aristocracy against a totally white set (though I’m not sure what aesthetic inspired that, yet it is effective), with large structures moved around into different configurations to change scenes. Lighting by Thomas C. Hase adds flair to the disguises, overheard plots, and reconciliations. Choreography by Eric Sean Fogel (original) and Gwynn Root Wolford (associate) infuses the action with physical verve.
The orchestra, under Christopher Allen’s direction, was crisp and responsive from the start, delivering a vibrant rendering of the Overture that drew special attention to the high quality of their playing on opening night.
Then came an unscripted chaos that can happen with live performance: the orchestra began the music of Act I, and a supertitle appeared above the stage, but the curtain did not rise. A spoken voice was heard, and the house lights came up.
Soprano Sydney Mancasola (Susanna), making her company debut, fell while the cast was taking their places during the overture and cut her chin. EMTs quickly attended to the injury, but Mancasola insisted on continuing. The resulting delay lasted about 25 minutes, after which Allen, the orchestra, and the cast rebooted from the beginning of Act I. Once underway, Mozart’s luminous score sparkled with emotional sincerity. The orchestra demonstrated remarkable precision, with moments of intricate counterpoint—particularly in the Act II finale—executed with clarity and coordination, allowing the layered voices to shine without ever feeling cluttered. Allen’s pacing sustained the opera’s comedic tension while preserving its lyricism, ensuring that both humor and poignancy landed with full impact.
The cast is a standout ensemble of accomplished artists. Bass-baritone Brandon Cedel returns to Atlanta as Figaro, bringing his ample, agile voice and charismatic stage presence (fresh from his acclaimed Don Giovanni here in 2023). Sydney Mancasola as Susanna delivered a radiant, glittering soprano tone ideal for the quick-witted maid. Baritone Luke Sutliff portrays the entitled yet ultimately redeemable Count Almaviva, while Romanian soprano Iulia Maria Dan debuts as the Countess, her glowing, richly-colored sound perfect for the role’s poignant arias. Mezzo Rihab Chaieb takes on the trouser role of Cherubino, capturing the page’s adolescent ardor. Supporting roles feature veterans like Patrick Carfizzi as the bombastic Doctor Bartolo and Marianne Cornetti as Marcellina, alongside rising talents from the company’s studio artists.
In an age craving both entertainment and substance, this Figaro delivers both in spades. It’s a reminder that laughter can be revolutionary, that love triumphs over power when fueled by cleverness and compassion, and that even the mighty can learn humility. ■
Brandon Cedel as Figaro. (credit: Raftermen)
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- The Atlanta Opera: atlantaopera.org
Read more by Mark Gresham.
.png){kind=logo}