THERE are few roles sillier and more sought-after in opera than that of the adolescent Cherubino in “The Marriage of Figaro” and Agnes Sarkis is over the moon at getting the part, describing it as a dream role.

It’s quite a coup for the Iranian-born mezzo-soprano to get this featured role in the touring production for Opera Australia by Michael Gow that’s being billed the “Downton Abbey” of opera, coming to the Canberra Theatre soon.

Cherubino is, we agree, the most ridiculous “pants” role of all, in an opera full of thwarted seductions, mistaken identities and upstairs-downstairs intrigue.

He’s the adolescent page to the philandering Count Almaviva. With hormones zipping through his teenage body, Cherubino has a huge crush on the mistreated Countess, so he jumps in and out of disguise, windows and people’s arms until the masterly Figaro and his wily girl Susannah unravel all the threads.

So why is it so usual for mezzos to play roles like Cherubino and the other big one, Octavian in Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier”?

Simple, Sarkis tells me, a 16-year-old boy’s voice is not manly and a man can’t play a 16-year-old, but physically, a mezzo soprano can.”

It’s the most nonsensical role in the opera but, as she says, “I’m having such great fun with this… I can’t get enough of him”.

But there’s depth in this character, too, who represents a youthful version of the lecherous Count who finds that you can’t have your way in everything.

It’s a big career boost for Sarkis, who moved to Sydney in 2009 to further her operatic studies with Barry Ryan at Sydney Conservatorium, later winning the Joan Carden Award. She has since performed in the OA choruses of “Carmen” and “Madama Butterfly” on Sydney Harbour and in “La Bohème” and “Faust” at the Opera House.

Of mixed Armenian and Russian heritage, Sarkis went to Tehran to study engineering, then joined a classical choir, singing under the late maestro Mohammad Nouri. Encouraged by a former Austrian ambassador to Iran, who picked 10 top singers from 60 and told them, “you need to get out”, she sent tapes around the world and got a reply from Sydney.

“Barry Ryan wanted to be my teacher, everything worked out perfectly… Barry helped me a lot.”

Without her supportive parents, she says, she would never have been able to accept the offer. They miss her, she misses them but says: “I can see how happy they are for me”.

It wasn’t easy at first, but she made good friends at the Con. After graduating, she endured a mainstage audition and was offered two roles – The Third Lady in “The Magic Flute” and Cherubino.

In 2018, Sarkis tells me, there’s a new production of “Madama Butterfly” coming up and she’ll give it her best shot to play Cio Cio San’s faithful servant Suzuki, a prime mezzo role.

Meantime she’s having the time of her life.

“It’s amazing touring in Australia, to 39 different towns,” she says “Audiences are very supportive and they all want your autograph… I feel I’m on the right path.”

“The Marriage of Figaro”, Canberra Theatre, August 25-27. Bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

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