Scottish Opera The Barber of Seville Festival Theatre Edinburgh 3rd November 2023 Review
Scottish Opera’s The Barber of Seville is at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh (Fri 3, Sun 5, Wed 8 & Sat 11 November) and if the amount of people in seats tonight is any indication to go by, then this two act comic opera by Gioachino Rossini is still as popular as ever.
The reasons for this popularity are of course Rossini’s endlessly playful score and the original Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini which was based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ French comedy The Barber of Seville (1775). Like all the very best stories and characters in them, there is room for endless changes of setting, variations and re-working to be told whilst still retaining the essence of the original subject matter.
This production follows in that tradition of constantly re-looking at this work and re-imagining it and revives the popular 2007 production of The Barber of Seville by Sir Thomas Allen which is full of humour, classic one-liners and is just a light breath of fresh air and fun that is happy to, when needed, have a laugh at the very institution of opera itself. Translation for this production is by Amanda Holden.
Figaro (Samuel Dale Johnson), the barber of Seville and match maker/wedding organiser, is a man motivated by one thing – money - and this sets the scene for everything that happens here as he comes to the aid of Count Almaviva (Anthony Gregory), in disguise of course, as he tries to both win the heart of the beautiful Rosina (Simone McIntosh) and save her from the clutches of her aged guardian, Doctor Bartolo (David Stout).
Samuel Dale Johnson was obviously having a lot of fun on stage here with his larger than life performance of the already larger than life character of Figaro and the highly inventive vocal score that Rossini gave this character. When Rossini at the time of this work’s creation demanded that singers break with their long held tradition of improvising over a musical score if they wanted to and insisted instead that they sang the notes exactly as written, he knew exactly what he was doing. This music is full of fun, full of many intricacies to test any vocalist’s talents, but still leaving enough room in the characters themselves for performers to expand upon their roles and make them their own. Samuel Dale Johnson made this Figaro his tonight.
By contrast to Figaro’s exuberance, Anthony Gregory has a far more subdued Count Almaviva to portray and the dynamics that this creates both vocally and performance wise between the two characters was fun to watch this evening.
Although we get glimpses of Rosina very early in this story, it is not until later when we actually get inside her home that Swiss-Canadian mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh (making her Scottish Opera debut) really gets the chance to breathe life and a lot of fun into her role, but when she does a combination of vocal talent and comedy timing make her Rosina shine on stage.
This opera is at its heart a stage comedy and David Stout as Doctor Bartolo is making perfect comedy timing look so natural and effortless here and that is always a very difficult thing to do.
Creating a world on stage full of bright Spanish colour and interior design sets that reflect better days in times gone by for Rosina’s home is designer Simon Higlett. This set design is augmented by lighting designer Mark Jonathan.
If you have never been to an opera because you think that it might be too serious in subject matter, then think about a visit to The Barber of Seville as it might just re-set what you think an opera can be on stage.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
The reasons for this popularity are of course Rossini’s endlessly playful score and the original Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini which was based on Pierre Beaumarchais’ French comedy The Barber of Seville (1775). Like all the very best stories and characters in them, there is room for endless changes of setting, variations and re-working to be told whilst still retaining the essence of the original subject matter.
This production follows in that tradition of constantly re-looking at this work and re-imagining it and revives the popular 2007 production of The Barber of Seville by Sir Thomas Allen which is full of humour, classic one-liners and is just a light breath of fresh air and fun that is happy to, when needed, have a laugh at the very institution of opera itself. Translation for this production is by Amanda Holden.
Figaro (Samuel Dale Johnson), the barber of Seville and match maker/wedding organiser, is a man motivated by one thing – money - and this sets the scene for everything that happens here as he comes to the aid of Count Almaviva (Anthony Gregory), in disguise of course, as he tries to both win the heart of the beautiful Rosina (Simone McIntosh) and save her from the clutches of her aged guardian, Doctor Bartolo (David Stout).
Samuel Dale Johnson was obviously having a lot of fun on stage here with his larger than life performance of the already larger than life character of Figaro and the highly inventive vocal score that Rossini gave this character. When Rossini at the time of this work’s creation demanded that singers break with their long held tradition of improvising over a musical score if they wanted to and insisted instead that they sang the notes exactly as written, he knew exactly what he was doing. This music is full of fun, full of many intricacies to test any vocalist’s talents, but still leaving enough room in the characters themselves for performers to expand upon their roles and make them their own. Samuel Dale Johnson made this Figaro his tonight.
By contrast to Figaro’s exuberance, Anthony Gregory has a far more subdued Count Almaviva to portray and the dynamics that this creates both vocally and performance wise between the two characters was fun to watch this evening.
Although we get glimpses of Rosina very early in this story, it is not until later when we actually get inside her home that Swiss-Canadian mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh (making her Scottish Opera debut) really gets the chance to breathe life and a lot of fun into her role, but when she does a combination of vocal talent and comedy timing make her Rosina shine on stage.
This opera is at its heart a stage comedy and David Stout as Doctor Bartolo is making perfect comedy timing look so natural and effortless here and that is always a very difficult thing to do.
Creating a world on stage full of bright Spanish colour and interior design sets that reflect better days in times gone by for Rosina’s home is designer Simon Higlett. This set design is augmented by lighting designer Mark Jonathan.
If you have never been to an opera because you think that it might be too serious in subject matter, then think about a visit to The Barber of Seville as it might just re-set what you think an opera can be on stage.
Review by Tom King © 2023
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com