The Marriage of Figaro review: Frisson and conviction to Mozart's comic opera

The chief attractions, on paper, of this sixth revival of David McVicar’s production of Figaro were Simon Keenlyside’s Count Almaviva and Christian Gerhaher’s Figaro – the first time he had essayed the role.

Keenlyside’s Count is a far cry from the imperious patrician of tradition. Rather he paces the stage restlessly, his emotional agitation never far from the surface. He’s aware of his status too, though, and displays an angry determination as he sees his droit de seigneur privileges slipping away. In both vocal command and dramatic conviction this was a fine performance by Keenlyside.

Though Gerhaher has recently illumined a number of operatic roles by bringing his matchless accomplishments as a lieder singer to bear, the rebellious servant Figaro operates largely in animated recitative. For all the precision of his articulation, this offers Gerhaher too little opportunity to deploy the tonal nuances that make him so special. There were flashes of the genuine article, but they were too rapidly swept away by the default petulance.

Making her Royal Opera debut, it was Julia Kleiter who touched the heart with her Countess. John Eliot Gardiner’s slimline, historically aware conducting whisked this well-rehearsed revival of McVicar’s keenly observed production along, yet found time to linger lovingly when required.

There was also the novelty of a male singer, Kangmin Justin Kim, taking the role of Cherubino, the first time this has happened at Covent Garden. We could hardly be expected to marvel at the convincing way Kim adopts a man’s gait, but he caught the breathless, impassioned character neatly. When the page dresses up as a servant girl this Cherubino is a man pretending to be a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman, which arguably adds a frisson.

Until July 21 (020 7304 4000, roh.org.uk)