In the garden scene, with characters landing misplaced kisses and punches, Figaro, Susanna and the Countess pause to remark how fantasy can blind our senses and cloud our judgment.

        It is truisms like this that make Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro as perceptive about human nature today as it was in 1786.

        The genius of Mozart and Da Ponte came alive in Cincinnati Opera's production of the Marriage of Figaro Thursday in Music Hall. In an opera that is very much about ensemble, a strong cast and fine direction made the characters believable and turned a mirror on the audience, which many times laughed out loud.

        It was a lighthearted evening for the crowd of 3,224. But the real joy of this production started in the pit, where conductor Jane Glover, making her Cincinnati debut, seamlessly propelled the music, pacing it perfectly and reflecting each characterization with nuance and wit. She conducted entirely from memory: The overture was brisk and scintillating, a scampering piece bursting with energy and good humor, that built excitement for this opera of mistaken identities and intrigue.

        Its plot is an impossible entanglement that begins with servants Figaro (Gidon Saks) and Susanna (Nathalie Paulin) preparing for their wedding. The philandering Count Almaviva (Johannes Mannov) has designs on Susanna. The distressed Countess (Wendy Nielsen) enlists the help of the servants and the page Cherubino (Jennifer Rivera) to hatch a plot to restore the Count's faithfulness to his wife.

        As Cherubino, Ms. Rivera was a lanky adolescent with a stunning voice. She projected a velvety, rich tone and beautiful expression in ""Voi che sapete,” one of the evening's highlights.

        In their company debuts, sopranos Ms. Paulin and Ms. Nielsen were perfectly matched in their Letter Duet, a cameo bathed in soft light (Thomas C. Hase, lighting). Ms. Paulin was a warm Susanna, with a light, lyric voice and charming demeanor, whose Act IV aria, “Deh vieni, non tardar” was beautifully felt. Ms. Nielsen was best when not forcing her sound (“Porgi amor” went a bit sharp) but she projected a poignant Countess.

        The men complemented each other well. As the Count, Danish baritone Mr. Mannov was dashing and imposing, his voice elegant, firm and a bit cold. As his clever servant Figaro, Israeli-born Mr. Saks inhabited his role fully and projected an appealing bass-baritone, from his playful opening scene with Susanna to his expressive Act IV aria warning men about women (“Aprite un po' quegl' occhi”).

        The ensemble was rounded out with strong performances in the smaller roles: Susan Nicely as Marcellina, Fernand Bernadi as Dr. Bartolo, Daniel Weeks as Basilio, Andrew Wilkowske as the gardener and Megan Managhan as a winsome Barbarina.

        Mike Ashman's staging was traditional, with a few nice theatrical touches (such as leaving the Countess onstage to overhear her husband's opening Act III duet with Susanna). Only Act IV was a bit of a letdown, as the momentum didn't quite build to the Count's request for forgiveness.

        The production, from Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, included period costumes and a pretty, intimate set with a raked stage (more suggestive of Sweden than Seville) by Susan Benson.

        In the end, it was all about Mozart's music: The profound arias such as “Dove sono,” the great ensemble finales, the sparkling overture. In the pit, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra sounded magical, and the conductor supported the singers unfailingly.

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