The Marriage of Figaro (1960 film)

{{Infobox television

| image =

| caption =

| based_on = opera The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart

| writer =

| director = Alan Burke

| starring =

| music =

| country = Australia

| language = English

| producer =

| cinematography =

| editor =

| runtime = 120 mins

| budget =

| network = ABC

| released = {{Start date|1960|02|17|df=y}} (Sydney)

| released2 = {{Start date|1960|05|06|df=y}} (Melbourne){{cite news|newspaper=The Age|title=TV Strikes Blow for Opera|date=12 May 1960|page=27}}

}}

The Marriage of Figaro is a 1960 Australian TV film broadcast by ABC TV. It was a filmed version of Mozart's 1786 opera, sung in English.[http://www.abctvgorehill.com.au/assets/contributions/jim_wilkinson.htm "Interview with Jim Wilkinson"], by Bob Sitsky, February 2008{{dead link|date=April 2025}}

Cast

Valda Bagnall as Susanna
Geoffrey Chard as Figaro
Heather McMillan as Countess
Russell Smith as Count
Marie Tysoe as Cherubino
Margaret Winkler as Marcelina
Noel Melvin as Dr Bartolo
Ereach Riley as Basilio
John Probyn as Antonio

Georg Tintner conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Production

Marie Tyso had appeared in several other operas for the ABC. She was used to doing them live but this one involved pre-recorded music. "It was a much better way to do it", she said. "Of course, we now had to mime during the performance. We did the dialogue live. Alan Burke was the producer – he was wonderful to work with."[http://www.abctvgorehill.com.au/assets/contributions/marie-tysoe-remembers-2.htm "Interview with Marie Tysoe"] by Bob Sitsky, 29 September 2006{{dead link|date=April 2025}}

It was the sixth opera broadcast live from the ABC in Sydney and the first two-hour one done live in Australia. Settings for the four acts were devised in one unit to enable aimed at keeping the action moving continuously.{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|first=Val|last=Marshall|title=TV Merry Go Round|date=14 February 1960|page=94}}

Reception

The critic for The Sydney Morning Herald praised the singing and set, saying it was "a distinguished live telecast ... producer Alan Burke boldly moved his cast about through ... [the] elaborate and fanciful set with great zest and speed."{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|title=Opera on TV Sparkled|date=18 February 1960|page=7}}