As the antidote to the borscht of the play “Boris Godunov,” the second work in Houston Grand Opera’s winter repertory, Mozart’s “Marriage of Figaro,” provides a welcome reprieve to Russian doom and gloom.

Instead, we are given opera filled with lightness and humor.

The best marriage here is made by Mozart’s music and the witty drama that serves it. The late 18th century work is interesting in that it was an operatic sequel.

Previous to “Figaro” Neapolitan composer Giovanni Paisiello composed “The Barber of Seville” based on the Beaumachais play. This opera was such a success that Mozart jumped at the chance to set the playwright’s subsequent work, “Figaro,” to music with the help of librettist Lorenzo da Ponte.

Mozart and da Ponte collaborated on three of the most famous works in the repertoire, “Don Giovanni,” “Cosi fan tutti,” and “Figaro”—the “da Ponte trilogy.”

In “Barber,” the Beaumachais literary set up, a lecherous count Almaviva enlisted Figaro’s help in prying Rosine (now his wife) from the clutches of her then betrothed-to-be, the elderly Dr. Bartolo.

Now in “Figaro,” the fickle count has grown bored of his wife setting his sights on Figaro’s betrothed-to-be, Susanna. Another entanglement: Figaro is employed by the count and Susanna is maid to the countess… oh, one more: all of their bedrooms are adjacent to one another.

One more ingredient makes this scenario even more delightful. A ubiquitous household page, the aptly named Cherubino, inhabits the opera as a scampy libido that sings. He ardently declares his love for the countess and, to the count’s dismay, pops up at every inopportune moment. This his/hers role is a “pants” part in which a female sings the role of a young man, who in this opera is sometimes disguised as a woman.

The clashes in “Figaro” are obvious. Servants pitted against their masters, the powerful versus the powerless, draconian feudal law versus enlightenment. Mozart takes full musical advantage of every circuitous situation.

THE PRODUCTION, SEEN with regularity by Houston audiences since the old Jones Hall days, was created by Swedish director Goran Jarvefelt and designer Carl Oberle. The set is supposed to resemble Stockholm’s Drottningholm Court Theater, used during Mozart’s lifetime. It’s a lovely production that doesn’t interfere with the action.

Musically this “United Nations” cast presents a solid rendition and a few surprises.

THE DELIGHT OF THE EVENING was naturalized American mezzo- soprano Zheng Cao.

Last seen here in 2000 and 2004, “Figaro” enables us to see and hear a great deal from this talented singer. Cao and her limber companions give us action that makes this production one of the most amusing in recent history. Director Harry Silverstein stages Mozart operas worldwide and his intricate comprehension of the composer is apparent.

The surprise here is, even though you’ve seen the gag before and you know it’s about to happen, Silverstein and this cast can still make you chuckle. Fortunately, he is working with actors who can respond to what the story and its director demand. How these singers jump about and still manage to produce such beautiful noise is a testament to fitness training.

This production of “Figaro” has plenty of spark; solid music, a traditional production and an excellent cast.

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