THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
CENTRAL CITY OPERA: THROUGH AUGUST 3
Music by GIOACHINO ROSSINI
LIBRETTO BY CESARE STERBINI
Central City Opera’s production of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE is a triumph in every sense of the word.
Since this production of Rossini’s famous comic opera is set in the 1930’s Lynly Saunders costume’ design and Andrew Boyce’s scenic design conspire to stylistically evoke an homage to the paintings of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali! The chroma-key for these aspects of the show is vibrant and bright, with colors that appear to have been poured right out of the can.
The story is well known. Two young lovers, Count Almaviva and Rosina, long to wed. The obstacle is her guardian, Dr. Bartolo, who is constantly monitoring the young woman, and hoping to marry her himself. Figaro, the jack -of-all-trades in Bartolo’s house, aids Almaviva by telling him to disguise himself to get into Rosina’s presence. Luke Sutliff’s famous well-known aria, “Figaro, Figaro,” (known as Largo Factotum) starts the musical fireworks superbly. Dr. Bartolo is aided by his friend, Don Basilio, who is Rosina’s music teacher. Lisa Marie Rogali is the fetching Rosina. This artist’s mezzo-soprano and divine coloratura enchant. Andrew Morstein’s tenor as Count Almaviva is superb. Ashraf Sewailam lends a magnificent bass-baritone to his portrayal of Bartolo. Stefan Egerstrom delivers an excellent bass as Don Basilio.
Stage director Eric Sean Fogel has cast the show with an eye to great comedic actors and an ear to world class operatic voices. These singers have backgrounds ranging from the Met and Santa Fe Opera to LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera and the Salzburg Festival. Director Fogel has paced the show with the breathtaking speed of a racing locomotive, making the evening fly by.
Louis Lohraseb brings out all the joyous exuberance of Rossini’s score with his conducting of the delicious Central City Opera Orchestra, while brilliantly keeping the musicians in the pit in sinch with the singers onstage.
(Central City Opera has added another performance due to popular demand!)
This opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles.
NOT TO BE MISSED!!!
For tickets go online to centralcityopera.org or call the box office at: 303-292-6700
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