Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is an energized Italian comedic opera. The music will be recognizable even to opera newbies thanks to Looney Tune's pairing, “Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!” with the antics of Bugs Bunny as Elmer Fudd’s Barber. Pittsburgh Opera's The Barber of Seville, despite some unnecessary modern additions, is a block buster that will have you tapping your toes and laughing out loud.
Reflection
The Barber is a jack-
of- all trades: barber, doctor, lawyer, matchmaker and in this production, supplier
of “white powder.” The Barber, John Moore, arrived from NYC just two days before
opening night to replace someone who became ill. He did not miss a beat with
his cartoon like animated facial expressions and baritone staccato opening, “Figaro!
Figaro! Figaro!..Tralalalalalalalalà.”
The story is silly. Simply put, it’s about two men who have a crush on Rosina, Count Almaviva and her guardian, Doctor Bartolo. The Barber, for a price, devises a plan to disguise Almaviva as a drunken solder and later a music instructor so that he can have access to Rosina. After a lot of rigmarole, Almaviva and Rosina eventually end up together (ahh), Bartolo is jolted (rats) and everyone is surprised then when the Count reveals his identity (tada).
At the end of the first
half, Rosina (Stephanie Doche) is amazing as she rapidly fires her verses. It’s a fun musical
mad cap. Unfortunately, Berta the maid (Emily Richter) who is the partier of the gang,
partakes in sniffing the white powder, overdoses and is revived with an injection
to the heart. (Yes, it’s a flashback to the scene in the movie Pulp Fiction). I was revived in the
second half when Emily Richter who is one of the Pittsburgh Resident Artists (see Day 385), beautifully climbs to heights in her aria.
Opera companies sometimes make changes in order to update an opera or attract a younger audience (see Day 328 where the changes to Don Giovanni enhanced the show). No joint rolling Barber or overdose makes The Barber of Seville more relevant. In fact, it added little to Pittsburgh Opera’s wonderful cast, the comedy and overall production. Why mess with Rossin's masterpiece in this manner. In my opinion, if you scrub out the drugs, you get a block buster Pittsburgh Opera production of The Barber of Seville.
(For tickets to The Barber of Seville and other Pittsburgh Opera shows go to Pittsburgh Opera tickets).
Other sources
https://www.pittsburghopera.org/season/the-barber-of-seville
https://www.pittsburghopera.org/tickets/
https://www.pittsburghopera.org/resident-artists/
