Secret Opera

''Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro is a recognisable masterpiece of the operatic canon, a domestic comedy about a couple starting their married life together, the trappings of power, the challenges of longer relationships, power and status, youthful coming of age, deception, intrigue, disguise and the follies of ego.

It starts with a couple measuring a new bed and finishes in a garden. I’ve thought for years it would be perfect to reframe in IKEA and here we are. Many thanks to the brilliant creative team, singers, musicians and crew all around WAO that made it happen.''

Chris van Tuinen
Artistic Director

This adventure took place inside the IKEA store in Innaloo - a place usually reserved for flat-pack dilemmas, meatballs, and arguments about cushions. Wandering through the showrooms and the market hall, the familiar retail maze became an unexpected operatic playground, where everyday surroundings were reimagined through music, drama, and surprise. Thank you IKEA!

Director Humphrey Bower
Music Director Chris van Tuinen
Designer Fiona Bruce
Lighting Designer Mark Haslam
Special Projects Ginny van Tuinen
Production Manager Mandy Farmer
Orchestral Reduction Bayden Adams

Countess Jessica Blunt *
Count Benjamin Del Borrello *
Figaro Sam Claxton
Susanna Claire Condipodero
Cherubino Ruth Burke *

Keyboard Lydia Lai
Cello Melinda Forsythe
Clarinet Ashley Smith

Front of House Narrator Cal Silberstein
Stage Manager Holly Ballam
Head of Wardrobe Nora Stelter, Rose Finlay
Hair and Make Up Virginia Vona

Set Up Crew Michelle Bain, Karen Farmer, Aidan Massie-Taylor, Matt Nankivell, Damien Tan, Daniel Tan

IKEA Management Simba Mashanyare, Michael Pascoe

* Supported by The Roberts Emerging Artist Program

The Marriage of Figaro continues the plot of The Barber of Seville several years later, and recounts a single "day of madness" (la folle journée) in the palace of Count Almaviva (here Mr Conti) near Seville, Spain – updated here to IKEA in Innaloo. Mr Conti has designs on his floor staff member Susanna, who is an assistant to his wife Rosina (Mrs Conti, the Head of Visual Merchandising).

Also involved in the madness is the young warehouse team member Cherubino, who loves all women and finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time throughout the opera.

We begin in the bedding section as the couple prepare to marry, after much confusion and misdirection we move to the café when the plot to deceive has to begin again, finally allowing the final act to take place in the Plants and Outdoor Furniture department.

Ultimately, Figaro, Susanna, and Mrs Conti conspire to embarrass Mr Conti and expose his scheming. Through the clever manipulations of Susanna and Mrs Conti, Figaro and Susanna are finally able to marry.