The NSU Opera Theatre and the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Chamber Orchestra will perform selections from “Le Nozze di Figaro” (The Marriage of Figaro) Oct. 22-23 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public.

Dr. Marcy McKee directs the NSU Opera Theatre and Dr. Douglas Bakenhus will conduct the NSU Chamber Orchestra.

A profoundly humane comedy, “Le Nozze di Figaro” is a remarkable marriage of Mozart’s music at the height of his genius and one of the best librettos ever set. In adapting a play that caused a scandal with its revolutionary take on 18th-century society, librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte focused less on the original topical references and more on the timeless issues embedded in the frothy drawing-room comedy.

“It has been a fun and interesting semester learning this show and each other, since this is my first semester at NSU. I have found the students willing and eager to learn the show and their characters,” said McKee. “We decided since this is rather early in the semester to perform such a large work that we would rather concentrate on the music and do the best singing possible. We have been collaborating with the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Chamber Orchestra. The students are excited to work with an orchestra.”

Most of the characters will be double cast. The cast is Rayshaughn Armant of New Orleans and Michael Martin of Pineville as Figaro, Amanda Charles of Shreveport and Nadya Cesario of Fort Smith, Arkansas, as Susanna, Braxton Hogan of Natchitoches and Aaron Rogers of Dayton, Texas, as the Count, Rachael Bryant of Alexandria and Michelle Moline of as the Countess.

The cast also includes Daniela Salas of Cartagena, Colombia as Cherubino, Noel Johnson of Bossier City and Ashley Pope of Nederland, Texas, as Marcelina, Mark Peyton of West Monroe as Bartolo, Morgan McCrory of Deville and Yoon Li of Seoul, South Korea, as Barbarina, Matthew Armand of Plaucheville as Basilio and Orlando Gonzales of Cartegena, Colombia, as Curzio.