URBANA — Lyric Theatre @ Illinois brings Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” to the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana for three shows, starting Tuesday at 7:30pm.
Lyric Theatre co-director Nathan Gunn is the stage director for this production, with Andrew Megill as conductor.
Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with three actors performing this week. Thereza Lituma is playing the role of Cherubino, Jason Pandelidis is portraying Basilio, and Jamille Lea Brewster is the Countess.
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“I feel like the Countess is by far the most serious character in the opera,” Brewster said. “But that doesn’t take away from the fun-ness of the opera. It’s a very interesting character to be in this opera, this opera that’s just full of silliness and fun, and to be this one serious person.”
Lituma says she’s learned a lot from Nathan Gunn, who draws from his own experience performing “The Marriage of Figaro” professionally on stage.
“I’ve just been very profoundly grateful to have the experience to do this show with Nathan Gunn,” Lituma said. “So, when he’s on stage with us, and he’s sometimes modeling a gesture or move, I can’t help but think of the many artists that he’s done this show with and the variety of productions.”
Pandelidus says audiences will be dazzled by the costumes in this production, and they should notice a pattern.
“There’s a really great progression for a lot of characters,” he said. “I wear black the entire show. Even at the end, when everything comes to a close, and everyone’s happy, everyone is mostly in light colors, but Don Basilio is still in all black.”
In addition to Tuesday night’s opening performance, “The Marriage of Figaro” will also be performed Thursday at 7:30pm and Saturday at 2:00pm at Krannert’s Tryon Festival Theatre.