There are many reasons Mozart’s come-uppance romantic comedy “The Marriage of Figaro” has stood the test of time, not the least of which is its social commentary.

A runaway success when it premiered in 1785, people couldn’t get enough of an opera about a huffy nobleman who is cleverly humbled by his wife and servants. It’s been one of the most popular operas in the repertoire ever since, and the current production at Kansas University shows why.

A co-production of KU’s theater and film department and its music and dance department, the opera is sung in English, directed by Tim Ocel and features the KU Symphony Orchestra.

On Thursday, conductor Andres Franco led a polished KU Symphony, from the lightning-fast overture through all the subtleties of the score. Franco knew when to pull back slightly for smaller voices, which wasn’t often necessary, and commanded a big, refined sound from the pit.

The strong cast was headed by Christian Elser as the philandering Count Almaviva, whose fine baritone rounded out a robust portrayal of pomp and indignation that this role requires. Gina Galati struck a soulful chord as the long-suffering Countess with a lovely lyric soprano that, although narrowed somewhat thin in the recitatives, remained captivating. Mezzo-soprano Joo-Hee Park took some time in bringing out the physicality of Cherubino’s urgent adolescent passions, but once she did she won the crowd. Jeffrey Beruan’s booming bass (Dr. Bartolo) had no problem cutting through the orchestra – no small feat for a young low voice – and Jedidiah Kruger was a hilarious personification of the giddy scandalmonger in the role of Don Basilio. Amy Cahill was a delightful Barbarina, infusing her brief aria with superb musicality.

Soprano Nancy Ruehle was in fine singer-actor form in her portrayal of Marcellina, the housekeeper of “a certain age” with romantic designs on Figaro. Her strong and vibrant voice animated the delightful comic character that she skillfully brought to life.

Standing out among this wonderful cast were the stars of the show, Tyler Simpson as Figaro and Lindsay Marie Ohse as Susanna, his bride-to-be. From the first bars of Act I, Simpson’s elegant, sonorous bass-baritone rang out to tell us we were in for a first-class evening. The attractiveness of his sound was matched only by his stylistic musicality, terrific acting and excellent English diction. Simpson’s overall ease on the stage made one imagine that he had performed this role for years. Equally comfortable on stage was Ohse, a soprano with a crystalline, agile voice that is tailor-made for this type of Mozart role. With a voice that projects as effectively as her acting, Ohse conveyed everything from girlish charm to jealous outrage with an intensity that carried to the back row.

Tim Ocel’s unfussy stage direction brought everything together in a smooth flow that never distracted from Mozart’s sublime music, and set designer Sandy Appleoff’s use of huge, projected photographs on the back curtain were a unique and interesting touch. The sumptuous costuming by Delores Ringer was at the forefront of the production’s entire professional look.