Figaro Wraps Up Berkeley Rep’s 40th Season With Fireworks

Classic stays current in ever-changing times, but its effect can be ambivalent. Spectators either flood theatre floor craving the familiar, or flee fearing boredom. My posse of theatre lovers admittedly did not expect anything extraordinary from “The Miser,” presented by Berkeley Rep and Theatre de la Jeune Lune two years ago, but later regarded the production as “the best, the most memorable, the funniest ever seen.” Go figure. This time, Steven Epp (The Miser, now Old Figaro) and Dominique Serrand (Old Count Almaviva) adapted Beaumarchais’ classic play and Mozart’s classic opera for their own audacious “Figaro,” rich with contemporary references and presented in laconic yet expressive multimedia. The cast includes amazing opera singers who know their drama, like Bradley Greenwald (Young Count) and Momoko Tanno (Susanna). The core of the story, though, is delivered by twin gems—Christina Baldwin (Cherubino) and Jennifer Baldwin-Peden (Countess). The Countess, a victim of her possessive cheater of a husband, surrenders to temptation and, a lifetime later, remembers her Cherubino—the only straightforward character in the play, who openly demands love and goes for it. The couple shines in the most moving and profoundly poetic mourning scene. “We are not twins,” said Baldwin-Peden after the show, “although our parents treated us like twins while we were growing up with six brothers,” (and what could be more strengthening to a female character). As Cherubino, delicate Baldwin looks taller, stronger, moves and acts with skilled precision in her challenging role, and the chemistry between the two characters exceeds sisterly love in their superb acting and marvelous singing. A big part of the show’s success is live music from the Seventh Avenue String Quartet, not to mention the sets and projections designed by Serrand, and costumes, created by Sonya Berlovitz. 20 special events were programmed by Berkeley Rep for this production, which runs through June 8. Berkeley Rep’s book club at 6:30 PM on May 9. Please read The Days of the French Revolution by Christopher Hibbert before attending, and RSVP at 510.647.2916 or mailto:bookclub@berkeleyrep.org.Page to Stage on May 19 at 7:00 PM. David Gockley of the San Francisco Opera interviews Epp and Serrand for this free event. Donors at the Supporter level and above will have an exclusive reception with the artists.
Free 30-minute docent presentations about the show every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:00 PM Post-play discussions moderated by theatre professionals follow the 8:00 PM shows on May 15, May 27, and May 30. Berkeley Rep has also launched a new series of at 7:00 PM May 2: wines from Raymond Vineyards; May 3: champagne from Domaine Carneros; May 10: confections from Charles Chocolates; May 16: Hefeweizen from Pyramid Breweries;
May 17: organic produce from the Berkeley Farmers’ Market; May 23: small-batch spirits from Craft Distillers; May 24: organic produce from the Berkeley Farmers’ Market; May 31: organic produce from the Berkeley Farmers’ Market. The Roda Theatre is located at 2015 Addison Street. The box office is at 2025 Addison Street. For tickets or information, call 510.647.2949 or toll-free at 888-4-BRT-Tix – or berkeleyrep.org.