Barber on the bike in Monte Carlo

Rossini’s Figaro survives as a movie star in spite of the production

Amaviva: Dimitry Korchag, and Figaro – Mario Cassi as movie stars in Il Barbiere. Photo Alain Hanel.

Review by Torkil Baden

Monte Carlo March 30th 2017:

Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Opera by Gioachino Rossini. Rome 1816

Text: Cesare Sterbini after Beaumarchais

Production L’Opéra de Lausanne 2009

Opéra Monte Carlo March 23rd-30th 2017

MONTE CARLO/MONACO: The Lausanne 2009-production has finally reached Monte Carlo. It has also been seen in Vichy, France, but there are few reasons to export it further. Though with the excellent soloist cast of Monte Carlo it does survive.

Director Sinivia makes a movie recording out of Il Barbiere. Photo Joëlle Dollé

The modernizing idea of Italian director Adriano Sinivia is to present the opera as a cinecittà, the making of an Italian movie in recent years including bike and car. At the end of the first part and in the finale this idea comes out sucessfully with chaotic and hilarious results.

After all Il Barbiere is a lightweighted comedy that opens up for whatever might be imagined on stage.

But during most of the three hours the projectors and stage people rather disturb than add to the comedy
. The movie-making idea is only half-hearted integrated. And a lot of comic potential in the plot is not exploited and with static results.

24 year old Rossini composed a demanding score. Anonymous portrait.

The collection of singers in the Monte Carlo production rescues the evening. Rosina, Italian Annalisa Stroppa, Almaviva, Russian Dmitry Korchak, and Figaro, Italian Mario Cassi, impress from their very first moments with their high-level international voices, intensity and coloratura.

The evergreen score by the 24 year old Rossini score is demanding, and also the minor roles lived up to top quality in voice as well as acting
.

Barbiere-studio. Photo: Alain Hanel

The orchestra pit was equipped with Italian expertise. Musical director Corrado Rovaris produced precision, nuances and colours with the male choir and orchestra.

The Monte Carlo schedule allowed four performances during the end of March. The last was dedicated to the youth, jeune public, and they responded to the show as to pop stars like Justin Bieber – a promising hope of opera dedication for a new generation.

Standing ovation by the young people of Monaco while credits are running on the screen. Photo: Torkil Baden

CAST

Rosina: Annalisa Stroppa

Count Almaviva: Dmitry Korchak

Figaro: Mario Cassi

Bartolo: Bruno de Simone