Central City Opera

“The Barber of Seville”

Central City Opera: 6/29 – 7/27

     Central City Opera’s production of Rossini’s comic masterpiece “The Barber of Seville” is a feast for the ear and the eye!

                     Daniel Belcher as Figaro

     2010 Grammy Award Winner Daniel Belcher portrays Figaro, the matchmaking barber of Seville. You may remember Mr. Belcher from his superlative performances as the sly “Gianni Schicci” (2011) and Henry Cuffe in “Gloriana”(2001).

         Jennifer Rivera as Rosina

     Jennifer Rivera is a fetching and silver throated Rosina. Her singing of the coloratura passages in Rossini’s gloriously melodic score is intoxicating.

     The role of Rosina’s guardian, Doctor Bartolo is hilariously acted and thoroughly well sung by bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi. You may remember Mr. Carfizzi from his astounding work as Bottom in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”(2002), Pandolfe in Cendrillon (2007) and the Doctor in “Vanessa” (2005). 

     David Portillo is a memorable Count Almaviva. Alexandra Loutsion igives a strong vocal portrayal of Berte. One hopes to see and hear more of her work in future.

     John Baril conducts the Central City Opera orchestra with a baton that keeps the musicians in the pit and the singers onstage in perfect sync.

     Suggestive of  a festive 17^th century Spain, Sara Jean Tosetti’s outrageously well-designed costumes are eye-popping throughout. David Martin Jacques’ lighting design dazzles. Scenic Designer Arnulfo Maldonado has created a magnificent set that has the songbird Rosina residing in a huge gilded birdcage.

       The opera is performed in Italian with English supertitles.

Central City Opera 2013 Festival - Tickets on Sale Now! Central City Opera House - June 29 to July 28 The Barber of Seville opens the Festival in Central City on June 29 and runs through July 27. Ned Rorem's operatic adaptation of Thornton Wilder's play Our Town about not-so-ordinary life in small town America is the second offering opening July 6 and running at the Opera House through July 28. Show Boat at Denver's Buell Theatre - August 6 to 11 Central City Opera comes to Denver for seven consecutive performances of Show Boat, Kern and Hammerstein II's Broadway classic slice-of-life musical of workers on a Mississippi showboat at the Buell Theatre in the Denver Performing Arts Complex from Tuesday, Aug. 6 to Sunday, Aug. 11. In addition to its slate of operas for 2013, CCO will continue to present innovative initiatives that will engage a broader audience with exciting enhancements to the Festival experience. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.centralcityopera.org or call 303-292-6700. Celebrating its 81st year, Central City Opera is the nation's fifth-oldest opera company, located just 35 miles west of Denver in one of Colorado's official National Landmark Historic Districts. The company continues to present artistically excellent professional opera in its annual summer festival; to offer career-entry training to young singers; to produce education and community service programs; and to preserve and maintain the Opera House and 30 other Victorian-era properties. ###

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