SU’s Pulse and community partner Syracuse Opera offer free preview of ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ April 20

SU’s Pulse and community partner Syracuse Opera offer free preview of ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ April 20April 13, 2006Jaime Winne Alvarezjlwinne@syr.edu

Syracuse University’s Pulse and Pulse community partner Syracuse Opera will sponsor a free preview of “The Marriage of Figaro” April 20 at 12:30 p.m. in the Rose and Jules R. Setnor Auditorium at SU’s Crouse College. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. Parking is available in Irving Garage and patrons should alert the attendant that they are attending the opera preview.

Syracuse Opera artistic director Richard McKee will discuss the opera and introduce members of the cast, who will perform highlights. An opera in four acts, Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” is set at the end of the 18th century in Count Almaviva’s chateau Aguas Frescas, near Seville. It will be sung in English with projected titles.

Based on a Beaumarchais play, the story continues where “The Barber of Seville” left off. Figaro is working for Almaviva and engaged to lovely maid Susanna. The opera begins on the eve of their marriage. Plagued by Susanna’s proximity to the lustful Almaviva and his debts to Marcellina and Doctor Bartolo, Figaro joins forces with the countess to ensure everything turns out satisfactorily.

“The Marriage of Figaro” is scheduled to run at the John H. Mulroy Civic Center’s Crouse-Hinds Concert Theater April 28 and 30. Founded in 1974, Syracuse Opera is the only year-round professional opera company serving Central New York. For more information, call 476-7372 or visit http://www.syracuseopera.com.

SU’s Pulse was developed nearly 10 years ago as a joint initiative between the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Division of Student Affairs to influence student culture in positive ways by positioning arts and cultural events more prominently as part of the student experience. For more information and a downloadable PDF of its spring 2006 cultural calendar, visit http://students.syr.edu/pulse.