Barbiere de Sevilla in Vilnius

Review by Henning Høholt, fotos Martynas Aleksa.

– Please note: As there are different singers in the leading roles, and I couldnt attend the premiere evening. Please accept these premiere photos as illustration photos. 

The premiere cast, 28th January, in the photos are:

Count Almaviva – Mindaugas Jankauskas, Figaro – Laimonas Pautienius, Rosina – Joana Gedmintaitė, Doctor Bartolo – Liudas Mikalauskas, Don Basilio – Egidijus Dauskurdis, Berta – Laima Jonutytė, Fiorelo – Tomas Tuskenis, Sergeant – Rokas Šveisteris, Ambrogio – Edgaras Davidovičius. ( I hope this finally is correct. Please excuse me for any mistake)

VILNIUS/LITHUANIA: I got special permission to attend the last musical stage rehersal before the premiere, only Figaro was in his performance costumes, but that didn’t spoil the good impression of a great entertaining and amusing Barbiere of Sevilla, with an outstanding cast headed by a true Figaro with great stage presence, it became a performance full of joy, wonderful singing from all the soloists.

A great male choire, a very well prepared orchestra under the musically conductor.

Furthermore the eight dancers in good functioning choreography made it all even better and added the real Spanish feeling, well arranged around the central dancer Martynas Kavaliauskas.

For me as being used to see operas and ballets also during rehersal periodes, and still with corrections during the way, it was an extraordinary experience to follow these small details, made by the clever assistent director Jurate Sodyte . Who clearly inspired the whole staff on stage.

Cast:

Almaviva – Tomas Pavilionis
Rosina – Joana Gedmintaite
Figaro – Laimonas Pautienius
Bartolo – Liudas Mikalauskas
Berta – Laima Jonutyte
Don Basilio – Egidijus Dauskurdis
Fiorello – Tomas Tuskenis
Sergeant – Rokas Sveisteris

Ambrogio – Edgaras Davidovičius

Dancer – Martynas Kavaliauskas

Conductor –  Julius Geniušas

Production team:

Director Emilio Sagi (Spain)
Stage Director and Choreographer Nuria Castejon (Spain)

Assistant director – Jurate Sodyte
Set Designer Llorenç Corbella (Spain)
Costune Designer Pepa Ojanguren (Spain)
Light Designer Eric Watkins (USA) after Gary Marder (USA)

FIGARO

The titelrole Figaro well taken care of by Laimonas Pautienius. Rosinas – Joana Gedmintaite, presented a well sounding soprano with brilliant floating coloratura and safe and flirting stage presence to big irritation for Don Bartolo – Liudas Mikalauskas who was a hit, not only musically, but also very physically on stage, in addition with great small details, who made that you trust in his figure.

COUNT ALMAVIVA

However, for me, the highlight was the handsome, young, tall, slim tenor Tomas Pavilionis as count Almaviva, his voice, coloratura, stage presence and appearance , joy and happiness, lifted all the production to a higher niveau.

This role he can present every where. And it didn’t seem that he was being tired. Bravo.

As Don Basillio we enjoyed Egidijus Dauskurdis who is doing a very good job, however, his vocal expression would be even better, if he could ad a little vibrato here and there, and specially at his great powerfull ending tunes, this would give the experience of his good voice even more beautiful.

SCENOGRAPHY

The well functioning scenography starts with a nearly empty stage, with only a large bust of Rossini, where behind him during the well known ouverture, the moon is rising and the eight musically dancers are entering the houses to the square in front of Dr. Bartolos house, in Sevilla style with nice iron ports and window covers, atmosphaeric well lighten up.

The fun starts, count Almaviva is entering in a Spanish Richshaw bicycle. Starting his entrance aria on that in joyfull combination with the “musicians” choire and dancers on stage. Then Figaro enters, he too at a transport bicycle with all his shop hanging after.

The scenography buildings is changing character, after the opening being changef to a flowerfull backyard in the Bartolo house, with linen roof details, to protect against the sun, deliciouse lightning.

To Almavivas first entrance as drunk soldier the interior is keept as the yard. After the break the scenography with small details is changed to an interior room, with big heavy lamps, which in the sleeping parts where “Don Alonso” (Almaviva) flirts with Rossina when Bartolo nearly is falling a sleep

.

The lamps are changing to romantic colours. A good detail that helps to change the usual bohring scenography in this performance, but not bohring in this case in Vilnius.

During all the performance it is a pleasure to follow Marcellina – Laima Jonutyte (and her well choreographed artistic boyfriend). Her role here is a carricature of how Marcellina can be, with so many joyfull details.

It all ends after signing the marriage protocol with looking like that the dancers with good choreograph with.

As the dancing figures are moving away the houses from center. (but, of course moved by the invisibel technical staff as when the houses entered the stage in the opening).

So we in the finale are having all 38 male choire and dancers entering with large balloons, candy floss and flowersticks to celebrate the newlh wed couple, and with a small elegant sport car on stage that they depart in. Furthermore the Rossini bust returns to the stage in the other corner.

I was so happy to see that there were no reclame on stage for the firm who have delivered (sponsored) the sport car
.

 

– I still remember a very good The Merry Widow at the English National Opera, Colosseum in London. Martini was the Sponsor, and that did that at the garden party by Hanna Glavary, tasteless ordinary parasols from Martini spoiled that beautiful and importent act.

This great Barbiere in Sevilla is a coproduction with the San Francisco Opera House. Review by Henning Høholt. Photos Martynas Aleksa and Henning Høholt.