Manitoba Opera closes season with Mozart masterpiece

Fun, fast and full of heart!

Manitoba Opera’s upcoming production of The Marriage of Figaro will feature a set inspired by the surrealist artist Joan Miró designed by Ken MacDonald for Pacific Opera Victoria and costumes depicting the 1950s and 60s.

Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, a masterful blend of wit and romance, takes to the stage on April 18, 22, and 24 at the Centennial Concert Hall, for the final production of Manitoba Opera’s 2025/26 season.

This great ensemble comedy takes place in just one summer’s day and is lauded as one of the greatest operas ever written. It features a colourful cast of characters and a whirlwind of tricks, disguises, and mistaken identities.

From the famous overture to the finale, this social commentary on class and love unfolds with brilliant music, memorable melodies, and heart-breaking tenderness as the characters ponder young love, lost love, and forgiveness.

Figaro was the first comic opera that allowed audiences to relate to the characters on stage. It is this sense of honest connection that has made The Marriage of Figaro the most frequently performed opera in the world.

However, at its debut in 1786, this opera was hugely controversial due to its subject matter. The idea of servants revolting against their masters caused outrage among the aristocracy. The play was even banned in Vienna for a period.

The somewhat complex story follows the schemes of Figaro and his master, the Count, on Figaro’s wedding day. With the help of the Countess, Figaro and Susanna plot against the count and his adulterous ways. In the meantime, Cherubino, the page, has a crush on the countess and Marcellina, the governess, is keen for Figaro. Will true love have its day?

Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is considered to be the most comprehensively gifted musician who has ever lived. Despite his relatively short life of 36 years, he made a tremendous impact on music, composing over 600 works.

The production’s setting is the 1950s/60s and the colourful set design by Ken MacDonald is heavily influenced by the work of Catalan surrealist Joan Miró.

For tickets, go to www.mbopera.ca or call 204-944-8824.