Music Reviews : An Updated ‘Figaro’ at Cal State Long Beach

Garbed in military fatigues and toting a belt of bullets across his chest, Count Almaviva pulls out an automatic, freezes into a drop-dead-sucker pose and aims at the head of Susanna. Such is Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro” as staged by Mark Ringer over the weekend at Cal State Long Beach.

Fortunately, Ringer’s update of the plot to a 1950s Latin-American military dictatorship didn’t seem thoroughly realized when seen Thursday. Except for this scene and Almaviva’s packing some heat later, Ringer moved his characters about the minimal set units in traditional patterns, revealing no awareness of the emotional complexities of the work.

Almaviva was detestable, cartoon-like and unworthy of Mozart’s radiant music in the forgiveness scene. Beyond that, it was astonishing that Ringer would present Don Basilio as a limp-wristed, henna-haired stereotype.

Ringer’s military gambit was supported by nothing--and undermined by much--in Barbara Silverstein’s English translation. Her version, ostensibly receiving its first West Coast hearing, always refers to Almaviva as “Count” and “his Lordship,” not “ Comandante. “

Silverstein is general director of Pennsylvania Opera Theater and apparently knows how to create a serviceable translation. But her lines don’t always match Mozart’s melodic contours.

Promising in the cast were Kyung Ai (Rose) Chu (Susanna), Sarah Agler (the Countess), Karen Anacker (Cherubino) and Linda Linnebach (Barbarina).

Michael Carson conducted the small, hard-working orchestra--on stage behind the singers--with vigor and lyric sensibility. Susanna Timoc provided the attractive, traditional costumes.