Guest Post: 'It's Hard To Imagine A Higher Level of Genius!': Soprano Ellie Neate On Mozart, Danielle de Niese And Wild Arts' THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
'Danni has an incredible gift for sculpting away what is muddying the story, and letting go of handed-down conventions to find the real emotions of the characters'
Why bother doing another Marriage of Figaro? There are four more happening in 2026, from traditional powerhouse companies Royal Ballet and Opera, Glyndebourne, Opera North and Scottish Opera. So why are Wild Arts putting on another one?
Photo Credit: Anastasia Tikhonova
The earnest answer is that it’s hard to imagine a world with too many productions of Figaro. It might be cliche to call a work ‘enduringly relevant’, but with many people in positions of power today being accused of sexual misconduct, a farce comedy about a female servant outwitting her lecherous lord to marry the man she truly loves has a certain up-to-date appeal.
The original Beaumarchais play would have had the same provocative frisson (indeed it did, hence being banned by Emperor Joseph II), but this is where Mozart takes over, his incomparable music giving an incredible insight into the emotions of the characters. My character Susanna sings some of opera’s most famous tunes, but it’s an uncelebrated moment that resonates most with me: when she arrives to pay off Figaro’s debts. From the fluttering heartbeat quavers in the upper strings, to the hopeful rising cellos and the breathless, elated appoggiaturas in my vocal line, it is hard to imagine a higher level of genius!
Photo Credit: Anastasia Tikhonova
It has been hugely exciting and inspiring to be directed in my first portrayal of Susanna by Danielle De Niese, for whom it is a signature role. She is unleashing thirty years of highest-level experience and thoughts about how best to tell stories to all of us lucky enough to be in that rehearsal room. As a debutante Susanna, I can be anxious not to miss anything, trying to pack in intention, text and subtext - but Danni has an incredible gift for sculpting away what is muddying the story, and letting go of handed-down conventions to find the real emotions of the characters.
Her knowledge of the technique of comedy, timing detailed beats and total clarity of movement, has been a privilege (and hilarious fun!) to learn from. When you are watching the show, we will be trying to guide your eye around the stage so that you don’t miss anything, which I find such a generous, heart-warming place from which to build a performance and I feel so proud to be a part of that ethos.
Photo Credit: Anastasia Tikhonova
In service of this clarity, Danni and our music director Orlando Jopling have even created a new translation, aiming for simplicity and immediacy. On day one, they told us that they did not want the audience to have any inkling that this show had not been written in English in the first place, so we have spent a lot of time as a cast workshopping the text, not singing, but speaking through scenes to make sure we are landing every thought.
It is this directness that makes Wild Arts as a company so special, helping their artists to perform with the truthfulness that can make a small-scale touring opera production so compelling. We will not be travelling with a large set, nor will we be swept along by a big chorus in the wedding scene, but we will be up close and personal (and in gorgeous costumes) in venues all over the country telling this timeless story with as much heart and honesty as we can.
Wild Arts's The Marriage of Figaro will tour the country until 27 September
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