Resounding applause and a lengthy standing ovation at the conclusion of Sunday’s encore presentation of Mozart’s operatic masterpiece, “The Marriage of Figaro,” signaled a triumphant conclusion to the opera workshop’s much anticipated spring presentation.
If talent truly lies in the ability to distinguish between what to leave in and what to take out, those of us in attendance witnessed a vast display of emerging talent at its very best. Through the combined efforts of students and faculty from area schools, the group brought forth a tour de force of artistry, virtuosity, and musicianship.
Under the direction of Maestro Brendan Townsend, Music Director for the Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, the combined college orchestra’s musical performance was simply splendid and divine, as was every other aspect of the ornate and intricate production. Costuming reflected a tasteful integration of function and design as did the supporting chorus work performed by the United High choir under the direction of Paul M. Foster.
Set lighting and design was, again, tastefully conceptualized and well orchestrated, seamlessly transitioning between daylight and nighttime settings, as at the end of the third act, when a certain sense of delight seemed to suddenly overcome the crowd as the stage magically transformed into a tranquil nighttime garden, complete with a full set of stars in the sky and a pleasant moonlight emanating from above.
Lastly, but most importantly, the triumphant role of the main character actors can simply not be overstated. In witnessing the tenacity and showmanship with which each and every one of them attacked their parts, one could not help but simply be drawn into the storyline, all the while wondering how such talents could have seemingly and inexplicably escaped the rest of us. Were it not for being keenly aware of the fact that we were witnessing a live performance, some of us could probably just as easily have sworn that we were watching and listening to a digital recording by some of the most accomplished operatic singers and classical musicians.
Rogelio Salazar, playing Count Almaviva, Erica Salinas, playing Countess Almaviva, Andrew Villarreal playing the lead role of Figaro, and Prof. Dana Crabtree playing Marcellina, were all brilliant and phenomenal in the outstandingly remarkable execution of their roles. Michael Guzman, playing double roles as, both, a judge and a music master, was key in his supporting roles, as was Marisol Munoz, a notable talent worthy of special mention in her own right. Lest not forget, however, that the ultimate success or failure of a performance normally rests on the lead character and veteran 20-year-old prodigy, Andrew Villarreal, in the title role of Figaro, simply nailed it. The accomplishment in and of itself would be impressive in its own right were it not for the fact that Villarreal isn’t even a musical performance major but, rather, an aspiring psychologist. Given Villarreal’s overwhelming artistic abilities and obvious flair for stage performance, Freud, himself, might have been curious to ask: why?