IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA Rossini – Garsington Opera

A passionate count enlists a local barber and jack-of-all-trades to help him woo and wed a quick-witted woman. But it will take all their cunning - as well as some disguises and bribes - to ensure love wins the day. Rossini’s joyously inventive music makes this a deftly-paced triumph of comic timing. But woe betide anyone taking too many liberties. Adelina Patti, the great 19th century diva, once sang the aria ‘Una voce poco fa’ to Rossini, adding numerous florid embellishments. The composer responded: ‘Very nice, my dear, and who wrote the piece you have just performed?’ Garsington Opera’s production is directed by Christopher Luscombe, who sets the action in a 1929 Seville, and conducted by Douglas Boyd with The English Concert playing on period instruments. Simon Higlett’s stunning set shows a Seville that is booming; first, in an exuberantly coloured street scene and then, as the exterior of the Bartolo residence rotates, we see the treasures inside - a riot of gold and marble, an ode to luxury and fashion. A feast for the eyes and ears, streamed on OperaVision to mark World Opera Day. Full performance streamed on OperaVision from 24 October 2023 at 19:00 CET to 24 April 2024 at 12:00 CET: CAST Count Almaviva Andrew Stenson Figaro Johannes Kammler Rosina Katie Bray Doctor Bartolo Richard Burkhard Don Basilio Callum Thorpe Fiorello Matthew Palmer Berta Josephine Goddard Ambrogio Frazer Scott Officer William Searle Notary Daniel Vening Fortepiano Ashok Gupta Cello Joseph Crouch Orchestra The English Concert Chorus Garsington Opera Chorus Music Gioachino Rossini Text Cesare Sterbini Conductor Douglas Boyd Director Christopher Luscombe Sets and Costumes Simon Higlett Lighting Howard Hudson Movement Director Ewan Jones Assistant Conductor Ashok Gupta Assistant Director Ruth Knight Fight Director Kevin McCurdy Chorus Master Jonathon Cole-Swinard Music staff Chad Vindin Language Coach Patrizia Dina OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme. Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision. WEBSITE: FACEBOOK: TWITTER: INSTAGRAM: TIKTOK: @operavision