8 June 2026
Few operas have endured quite like Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro. More than 240 years after its premiere, the comedy of love, marriage, class and human folly continues to captivate audiences around the world.
Acclaimed Australian director Lindy Hume is in Wellington in June to restage NZ Opera's production of the classic work and for Lindy, its longevity is no mystery. We talk to her about how the opera is still relevant today.
It's unlike any other opera I've ever directed," Lindy says. "The construction of both Beaumarchais' play and Mozart's opera across all four acts is so intricate and brilliant and full of tricky plot twists and turns."
She describes the work as a unique directorial challenge, requiring her to keep multiple storylines in motion while making characters and themes from 1786 resonate with contemporary audiences.
The opera was created during a period of enormous social change, with Europe on the brink of the French Revolution. Yet Lindy believes its themes remain remarkably relevant.
"Two hundred and forty years later this work is socially relevant and full of life, humanity and truth," she says.
The Wellington season marks a return to a production first staged in Auckland and Christchurch in 2021. While the sets and overall staging remain familiar, Lindy says audiences can expect a fresh experience thanks to a new cast bringing different perspectives to the characters.
At the heart of the opera are two contrasting relationships: Figaro and Susanna, poised on the threshold of married life, and Count and Countess Almaviva, whose marriage is already under strain.
"It's such a delight to meet these characters again through the eyes of new Kiwi singers," Lindy says. “Some are performing the roles for the first time, while others are revisiting them with greater life experience.
"The singers bring their own perspectives, physicality and life experience to these roles."
She describes the opera as a blend of comedy, human drama and chaos — "like many wedding days are."
Lindy says the cast of The Marriage of Figaro reflects the depth of talent among New Zealand singers. "New Zealand singers are everywhere you go in the opera world. I've encountered Kiwis in every country I've worked in.
“In this production, some performers are emerging artists poised for international careers, while others are established singers based in Europe who relish the opportunity to return home and perform for New Zealand audiences.”
The Marriage of Figaro season in Wellington is on the brink of this year’s Kiri Te Kanawa Song Quest, and the cast includes alumni from the competition with 2022 runner-up Felicity Tomkins singing the role of Countess Almaviva, 2018 winner Joel Amosa as Antonio, 2009 finalist Kristin Darragh as Marcellina, and 2026 semi-finalist Sarah Mileham as Barbarina.
The production also showcases designer Tracy Grant Lord's elegant and imaginative set, which evokes the many rooms and gardens of a grand estate without relying on literal scenery. Lindy says she has loved returning to the "beautiful flexible environment", while making a handful of changes, including a new approach to staging the overture.
Lindy's connection with NZ Opera stretches back more than three decades. Her first production for the company was The Pearlfishers in 1992, and The Marriage of Figaro marks her ninth production for the company.
"I always love coming here, the company is so special, and it feels like family, Kiwi artists are great and the landscapes of Aotearoa are magnificent. We always try and add a few days of New Zealand getaway after opening to make the most of being in this special country.”
The future of opera has been a topic of debate recently after actor Timothée Chalamet described it as a dying art form that "no one cares about anymore" — comments that sparked widespread criticism.
"Opera does need to look to its future and make sure people care," Lindy says, acknowledging there have been times when even she has questioned the art form's sustainability.
But she rejects broad dismissals of opera as uninformed.
"I thought his general caricature of opera was pretty arrogant and mindless," she says. "It just showed a wilful ignorance of artforms and disciplines beyond his own."
For evidence that opera still matters, Lindy points to audiences returning after the disruption of Covid-19. She vividly recalls the opening of The Marriage of Figaro in Auckland in 2021.
"The audience in a packed Aotea Centre was sitting forward in their seats, thirstily drinking it in like water," she says. "It does matter to people and it's vital that opera connects to hearts and minds in New Zealand."
NZ Opera’s The Marriage of Figaro with Wellington Orchestra has a strictly limited season of three performances at St James Theatre, Wellington from 17-21 June. Book tickets here
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