Hello Beautiful People,
On Friday I had the pleasure and privilege of attending a performance of Figaro! (90210) at The NSD Theater in the West Village.
And I cannot emphasize the words pleasure and privilege enough – it truly was a remarkable theatrical event.
Love, marriage, friendship, family, dreams, aspirations, and yes, immigration reform are at the heart of this new adaptation of the opera, The Marriage of Figaro. Presented by Morningside Opera, Figaro! (90210) recasts the opera’s title character as an undocumented worker on a Beverly Hills estate. The production showcases Mozart’s celebrated music note-for-note, but with an entirely new English (and Spanglish) libretto by writer Vid Guerrerio. It is funny, it is clever, it is poignant, it is a social and political commentary with class and intelligence. And, yes, you read that right – it is set in the country’s most luxurious zip code – Beverly Hills, 90210.
It’s fantastic.
The cast, crew, and creative team have truly reworked a classic piece and made it accessible for those who are not well versed in iconic works and not used to attending the opera. Even though the original opera was composed in 1786, there are core elements of the piece that very much still resonate with audiences today – and Morningside Opera re-staged this work so that the audience would be both engaged and entertained with this classic piece.
I applaud the cast, orchestra, crew, and creative team, but must also give special note to Carlos Monzón, (Figaro) and Donata Cucionotta, (Roxanne), for they both dazzled the audience with their vocal talents and skillful comedic timing.
While I wish I could tell you that there would be plenty of more opportunities to see this production of Figaro! (90210) at The NSD Theater in the West Village, unfortunately I must inform you that today is your last opportunity to see this delightful production. BUT, trust me when I say that it is a must see, and I do believe it’s a perfect outing for Father’s Day!
Live, Love, Learn,