Last Updated on June 16, 2026
The Triumph of Wit and Womanhood
4.0 out of 5.0 starsGlyndebourne’s 2025 staging of Le Nozze di Figaro marks a historic moment for the opera house, deepening its long-standing connection to Mozart’s comic masterpiece. First performed at the inaugural Glyndebourne Festival in 1934 and revived countless times since, Figaro returns in a new production helmed by French director Mariame Clément, the first woman to direct the opera at Glyndebourne.
Clément’s interpretation honours the opera’s classical roots, highlighting its timeless wit and biting social commentary. With elegantly designed revolving sets that guide the audience from chamber to garden, the production offers a visually rich, room-by-room journey that stays true to tradition. In an era of constant reinvention, this faithful approach feels surprisingly fresh.
In the pit, the music of Le Nozze di Figaro was brought to life by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, complementing the singers, a young stellar cast, all under the baton of Riccardo Minasi. Playing on period instruments, the band had a lighter, more transparent sound with distinct instrumental colours and textures, a perfect complement for the delicate sets designed by Julia Hansen, which, we learn from the programme, were inspired by the works of 18th-century painter Louis Carrogis Carmontelle, a contemporary of Mozart. Both, in turn, were heavily influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment, with Carmontelle creating art that was more accessible to the salon-going public and works that entertained and educated, while The Marriage of Figaro (based on the play by Beaumarchais) itself openly questions social order and satirises the Count’s abuse of power. Just a few years before the French Revolution, this was a time of change across Europe.
The principal quartet in last night’s performance of Le Nozze di Figaro, Michael Nagl in the title role, Johanna Wallroth as Susanna, Louise Alder as Countess Almaviva, and Huw Montague Rendall as Count Almaviva, all produced brilliant moments. Johanna Wallroth as Susanna had a fine, light, lyrical soprano, ideally suited to “Venite, Inginocchiatevi”. At the same time, Louise Alder’s mellifluous and powerful voice was tear-jerking perfection for “Dove Sono i bei Momenti”, a poignant and tender aria that demonstrates the Countess’ inner strength and which demands excellent phrasing and breath control. Of the two male principals, Huw Montague Rendall played the Count with a fine voice, charm and charisma. His “Hai già vinta la causa!…Vedrò mentr’io sospiro” had all the fire and passion required, and he was particularly convincing in seduction scenes with Susanna. Michael Nagl’s somewhat buffoon like Figaro came to life in Act IV, with “Aprite un po’ quegli occhi”, though overall I would have prefered a more ingenious and charismatic interpretation.
Cherubino plays a crucial role in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Adèle Chavet’s performance and Glyndebourne debut were exceptional – a stunning, velvety voice with perfect classical stylisation. It was easy to imagine the hot-blooded but naive youth making a name for themself in the Count’s home while harbouring unrequited love and a deep passion for the Countess. “Non so più cosa son” was convincingly delivered, as was “Voi che sapete”.
Madeleine Shaw, reprising her role as Marcellina from the Michael Grandage production of Marriage of Figaro in 2022, was spot on, owning the role and transitioning brilliantly from prospective wife to Figaro’s mother. The diminutive Elisabeth Boudreault seemed perfectly cast as Barbarina, and her brief moment in the spotlight, with “L’ho perduta, me meschina” was beautifully sung and convincingly acted.
While censors initially banned Beaumarchais’ play from 1778 until 1784, Mozart’s opera, written in 1786, with its tone softened to remove some of the political edge and pass the Viennese censors, focused more on personal relationships than class revolution. But the subversive message remained: servants outwit masters, and women unite to defeat male arrogance. Perhaps appropriately for Glydebourne’s first Figaro directed by a woman, this production seemed to focus on the latter. That was partly due to the strength of Huw Montague Rendall’s Count – he seemed a little more convincing in his attempt to revive the droit du seigneur than Nagl’s Figaro was in trying to quash him.
It in no way detracted from the entertainment of the evening. However, unfortunate issues with the revolving set may have taken something away from Act IV, as the London-based part of the audience started to panic about the prospect of travelling home via Brighton on a Sunday evening slow train. The final set, featuring a swing, pavilion, statue, and ornamental gardens, was worth the wait; it could almost have been a corner of Glyndebourne brought to life on stage.
Set against the idyllic Sussex countryside, this production of Le Nozze di Figaro blends tradition and innovation in a celebration of both Glyndebourne’s heritage and Mozart’s timeless genius. It’s a beautiful production with some astonishingly good vocals from both soloists and chorus. Worth catching if you can!
29 June – 21 August 2025
Le Nozze di Figaro
Glyndebourne
Lewes
East Sussex
United Kingdom
BN8 5UU
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