indecent proposal

Houston Grand Opera weds saucy comedy with '60s retro vibe in Mozart masterpiece

HGO's Marriage of Figaro is a whole '60s vibe.

Photo by Lynn Lane

For non-opera fans, the seminal classic The Marriage of Figaro might just be the perfect starter show, replete with sexual politics, class warfare, lewd comedy — all set to memorable music.

And oh, what music. Mozart's iconic operatic work features unforgettable performances that are sure to be masterfully executed by the stars of Houston Grand Opera, which kicks off its winter repertoire with Figaro starting January 13, 2023.

For this Houston iteration (first staged in 2016), Tony Award-winning director Michael Grandage’s reimagines the setting in Francoist Spain. Grandage's production promises a vibrant set and costumes that hark to the Moroccan influence on the country, with sets, costumes, and even vehicles that evoke the 1960s.

A stellar collection makes up the headlining players: Bass Nahuel Di Pierro stars as the titular Figaro, soprano Elena Villalón plays Susanna, bass-baritone Adam Plachetka plays the Count, soprano Nicole Heaston plays the unforgettable Countess, and soprano Lauren Snouffer plays Cherubino.

This time around, Ian Rutherford will direct, while HGO's artistic and music director Patrick Summers will serve as conductor.

Based on the Beaumarchais play La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro, the opera is a classic day-in-the-life tale (hence the ‘A Day of Follies’ subtitle) – specifically, Figaro’s wedding day.

Working-class everyman Figaro is enraged when he discovers that his master the Count plans to bed his beautiful bride-to-be Susanna — which will reinstate the just-abolished ‘feudal right’ that permits a lord to have his way with a servant girl on her wedding night. Our fuming hero, Susanna, the abandoned Countess, and the page boy Cherubino set out to ensnare the Count, where, as one might guess, hilarity ensues.

Originally opening in 1784 in the midst of political revolution, the play theme of servants rising up and outwitting their masters so angered the aristocratic ruling class that the play La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro was banned in numerous European cities, including Vienna, where Mozart was based at the court of Emperor Joseph II.

Thankfully, modern audiences still love this charming, breezy Mozart masterpiece — especially this '60s-inspired, picturesque postcard by HGO.

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The Marriage of Figaro runs January 13- January 29 at Wortham Theater Center (501 Texas Ave.). Tickets range ($26 to $335) are available by calling 713-228-6737 or online.

taking center stage

Stage adaptation of iconic Black movie Jason's Lyric to debut in Houston

Courtesy of Jason's Lyric

Most of the movie's cast will appear in the play.

Next year, Houston writer/producer/director/promoter Je’Caryous Johnson will be bringing another beloved Black movie to the live stage.

Jason’s Lyric will join New Jack City and Set It Off in the lineup of ‘90s Black-movie favorites that Johnson has adapted for the stage. The 1994 made-in-Houston drama stars Allen Payne and a pre-Will Smith Jada Pinkett as young lovers trying to maintain a relationship as conflicts and obstacles keep getting in the way.

Jason’s Lyric Live will go on a nationwide, 22-city tour, premiering right here in H-Town on Thursday, February 13 — just in time for Valentine’s Day.

“Houston is my home, and bringing Jason’s Lyric Live to life here first is my way of paying homage to the city and its people who inspired this story,” Johnson said in a statement. “This is more than a play; it’s a love letter to the community.”

Payne will reprise his role as Jason, with actress/model Eva Marcille stepping in Pinkett’s role as Lyric. Naughty by Nature rapper Treach, who played Lyric’s criminal big brother Alonzo in the movie, will also return to the role for the stage production. Tyrin Turner (Menace II Society), K. Michelle (Love & Hip Hop), and Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Welcome Back, Kotter) will round out the cast.

"Jason’s Lyric is one of the films that defined my career as an actor,” Payne said. “To bring it to life on stage for audiences who loved the movie — and a new generation experiencing it for the first time — is an incredible honor."

Marcille is also psyched for the show, taking on the role that Pinkett memorably brought to life. "Lyric is a character who embodies resilience and hope, and I’m honored to bring her story to life on stage,” Marcille said.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, December 13, at 10 am. For a full list of dates and ticket information, visit the website.