Audition Request – Figaro 2027

ANNOUNCING AUDITIONS FOR MOZART’S LE NOZZE DI FIGARO

Figaro — Bass-baritone
The Count’s valet and Susanna’s fiancé. Clever, spirited, and resourceful, Figaro is determined to outmaneuver his employer, though jealousy occasionally undermines his judgment. Requires an engaging actor with strong comic timing and the ability to reveal vulnerability beneath his confidence.
Vocal demands: A resonant lower register, an easy upper extension, rhythmic precision, and clear, energetic Italian diction. The role combines lyrical singing, brisk articulation, extensive recitative, and substantial ensemble work. Principal arias include “Se vuol ballare,” “Non più andrai,” and “Aprite un po’ quegli occhi.”

Susanna — Soprano
The Countess’s maid and Figaro’s fiancée. Intelligent, perceptive, affectionate, and quick-witted, Susanna drives much of the action while navigating the Count’s advances and Figaro’s suspicions. Requires warmth, theatrical agility, and exceptional rapport with fellow performers.
Vocal demands: A flexible lyric soprano or soubrette voice with a clear, expressive middle register, secure upper notes, and graceful legato. Extensive singing and stage time require stamina and efficient vocal production. Excellent recitative skills, ensemble precision, and the ability to move naturally between comedy and intimate lyricism are essential. Principal arias include “Venite, inginocchiatevi” and “Deh vieni, non tardar.”

Count Almaviva — Baritone
An aristocrat accustomed to getting his way. Charming, proud, possessive, and increasingly frustrated as his household turns his schemes against him. Requires commanding stage presence and the ability to shift rapidly between seduction, suspicion, anger, and humiliation.
Vocal demands: A full, flexible baritone with a secure upper register, strong rhythmic attack, and articulate Italian. “Vedrò, mentr’io sospiro” demands agility, breath control, and authority through its changing moods. Extensive recitative and ensembles require dramatic specificity and musical responsiveness.

Countess Almaviva — Lyric soprano
Rosina, the Count’s wife. Wounded by her husband’s infidelity, she retains dignity, intelligence, humor, and the courage to act. Requires emotional depth and the ability to balance aristocratic bearing with intimacy and vulnerability.
Vocal demands: Sustained legato, excellent breath management, even registration, secure upper notes, and finely controlled soft singing. “Porgi, amor” and “Dove sono” expose the voice through long phrases and transparent accompaniment; the latter also requires flexibility in its faster concluding section.

Cherubino — Mezzo-soprano; trouser role
The Count’s adolescent page, overwhelmed by romantic feelings and perpetually caught in compromising situations. Impulsive, charming, awkward, and sincere. Requires physical expressiveness, youthful energy, and an instinct for comedy grounded in believable emotion.
Vocal demands: A supple lyric mezzo-soprano with an easy upper register, warm middle voice, and clear diction. “Non so più” requires buoyancy and breath control through quick, restless phrases; “Voi che sapete” calls for poised legato, simplicity, and expressive phrasing.

Marcellina — Mezzo-soprano or soprano
Bartolo’s housekeeper, initially determined to enforce Figaro’s promise of marriage. Her rivalry with Susanna gives way to a discovery that reveals unexpected warmth and generosity. Requires pointed comic delivery and the ability to make a convincing emotional transition.
Vocal demands: A clear, characterful voice with a dependable middle register, flexibility, and strong Italian diction. Important duet and ensemble writing requires rhythmic security and balance. If included, “Il capro e la capretta” adds a more substantial demand for agility.

Doctor Bartolo — Bass
A pompous doctor with a longstanding grudge against Figaro. Blustering and self-important, he eventually finds himself drawn into an unexpected family reunion. Requires authoritative comic presence and precise verbal delivery.
Vocal demands: A firm, resonant bass with clear low notes and considerable agility. “La vendetta” requires rapid patter, crisp consonants, rhythmic accuracy, and sustained breath support.

Don Basilio — Character tenor
The household’s music master, an observant gossip who uses information to his advantage. Requires a sharply drawn characterization, quick reactions, and excellent comic timing.
Vocal demands: A flexible tenor with clear projection, incisive diction, and secure ensemble skills. If included, “In quegli anni” requires sustained solo singing, agility, and expressive storytelling.

Don Curzio — Character tenor
The legal official overseeing Marcellina’s claim against Figaro. A brief but distinctive comic role requiring clear characterization and precise interaction with the ensemble.
Vocal demands: A focused tenor voice, clear Italian, and rhythmic confidence in recitative and the Act III sextet.

Antonio — Bass or bass-baritone
The estate’s gardener, Susanna’s uncle, and Barbarina’s father. His complaints and inconvenient observations threaten to unravel the other characters’ plans. Requires earthy humor and confident comic delivery.
Vocal demands: A well-projected lower voice, articulate recitative, and secure timing in the complex Act II finale. Character should emerge through text and phrasing while maintaining vocal clarity.

Barbarina — Light soprano
Antonio’s daughter and Cherubino’s sweetheart. Youthful and direct, she possesses more confidence and practical understanding than the adults expect.
Vocal demands: A fresh, clear soprano with steady intonation and sensitive phrasing. “L’ho perduta, me meschina” requires expressive simplicity, supported soft singing, and control in an exposed musical setting.