Open Opera presents free performances of Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro" in Berkeley park

Ellen St. Thomas/soprano/Open Opera/Photo: Oakland Lyric Opera

Berkeley Soprano Ellen St. Thomas

Berkeley soprano and producer Ellen St. Thomas announces a free production of Mozart this weekend in Berkeley under a beautiful summer sky.

The Marriage of Figaro
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
3 PM
John Hinkel Park (off the Alameda)
41 Somerset Avenue
Northeast Berkeley, California

(Map on OpenOpera website)

Here is the overature, which sounds ebullient, a minuet with mischief and cavalcading high spirits.

Charming, lighthearted and endlessly enjoyable, The Marriage of Figaro is Mozart’s most popular opera. Vivid characters, glowing wit, dizzying ensembles, mistaken identities, and carefully constructed intrigue make for a miraculous marriage of music and drama in this sublime comedy of manners as touching as it is funny. Gourmet food, great setting and grand music at John Hinkel Park - be there!

Bring a blanket or folding chairs for your comfort!

Ellen told me her favorite singer is Te Kanawa, and here she is performing "The Marriage of Figaro", specifically, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Ileana Cotrubas sing "Sull'aria" from Mozart's "Le Nozze di Figaro".

Cast Members

Role Name

Figaro: Julian Arsenault
Susanna: Aimee Puentes
Count Almaviva: Nicolai Janitsky
Countess Almaviva: Adrien Roberts
Cherubino: Elizabeth Baker

Here's Frederica von Stade again in the pants role.

Marcellina: Heather McFadden
Basilio: Michael Foreman
Don Curzio: Taylor Thompson*
Bartolo: Christopher Remmel
Antonio: Elliot Nguyen
Barbarina: Shauna Fallihee

Music Director: Jonathan Khuner**
Stage Director: Olivia Stapp

**Note Jonathan Khuner is fresh off of Berkeley Opera's production of Baby Doe in which his wife Jillian Khuner sang Baby Doe with heart-breaking beauty, earnest and with plain old fashioned honesty.

*Taylor Thompson performed with other gifted young singers at Cafe d'Melanio in Balboa Park recently.

For more information please contact:
Open Opera - (510) 547-2471 - info@openopera.net
www.openopera.net

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