Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Cambreling, Ewing, Rawnsley, Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Starring:Maria Ewing, John Rawnsley, Max RenÃ© Cossotti, Claudio Desderi, Catherine McCord (II), Ferruccio Furlanetto, Robert Dean (VI), Hugh Davies
Director: Dave Heather
Studio: Kultur Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
All the ingredients for Rossini's prime comedy are present and expertly mixed in this 1987 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production: a Figaro (John Rawnsley) extroverted, ingenious, energetic, and vocally resplendent; a Rosina (Maria Ewing) fresh and sweet but steel-sinewed in her determination to have her own way; a Count Almaviva (Max-Rene Cosotti) who has not only the vocal lightness and agility his bel canto music requires, but a fine sense of humor and the ability to perform a good drunk scene. Ferruccio Furlanetto and Claudio Desderi are equally adept in their supporting buffo roles.

Description

Rossini was 24 years old when in 1816 he wrote his seventeenth opera and most renowned "buffa", The Barber of Seville, in barely three weeks. The accompanying recording is from the 1988 Schwetzinger Festspiele. The production by Michael Hampe, director of the Cologne Opera at that time, is distinguished by humorous direction of movement which never degenerated into slapstick. It aimed for a high tempo and abandoned the alienation effect to allow for an increasing exuberance in performance by the protagonists. Ezio Frigerios's stage settings are equally as appealing to the eye as Mauro Pagano's costumes, whose design consciously strengthens the comic impact of the characters. Resounding from the orchestra pit is an exceptionally defined, coherent and graceful performance of Rossini's composition. Gabriele Ferro appreciates how to effect subtle differentiations and in so doing strikes an ideal balance between the orchestra and the stage. The choir ensemble is first class, led by an irresistible Cecilia Bartoli.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing..........2007-01-24

This is the best opera recording I've seen (though I haven't seen many). A small house makes for an intimate setting;not one note was lost. This is perfect first opera for non-operaphiles, with masterful acting and interation between the actors (not to mention supurb musicality), this puts all the myths about opera to shame, thus this would be the perfect "first time" for your family and friends who can't understand why you listen to opera. A great Bravo to Quilico as Figaro, a voice in perfect harmony with the music of Rossini...

A Joyous, Wonderful Barber.......2006-05-25

I hate to sound arrogant myself by saying this, but I think you should ignore the arrogant comments of the previous reviewer. If this production is "pretty disappointing," then I'm Kirsten Flagstad. The previous reviewer's comments are a perfect illustration of why opera fans have the reputation of being the most staid, humorless fault-finders around: for being almost impossible to please. I agree that one can always quibble about a few things in any production. In this case, yes, Carlos Feller's performance is not flawless: his enunciation does slip a bit in "A un dottor." But he makes the number so enjoyable overall, overall he is so terrifically pompous and irascible, and he sings with such gusto (for an old man, I think his voice is deep and strong, hardly "hollow") that to call him the "horror" of the whole production is, in my opinion, puzzlingly spiteful. And the same goes for any major criticism of the rest of the cast.

In fact, I think this is one of the better casts I've seen in this opera. David Kuebler is a hilarious and wildly determined Count (his turn as the drunken soldier looking for lodgings is a riot); I don't see how anyone in their right mind could consider him a "dull, stern presence" and "charmless." True, it's fair to say that Bartoli has gone on to do even better work than she does here, but, after all, this "Barber" was filmed in 1988, early in her career, and one can at least see why her career took off after this. Her Rosina is spirited and absolutely irresistible, her voice is beautiful, and her big coloratura number ("Una voce poco fa") pretty spectacular. Gino Quilco is a great Figaro, very funny, sharp, and energetic, with an excellent rendition of "Largo al factotum." Also deserving praise is Robert Lloyd's wryly sinister Don Basilio. Lloyd earns the loudest applause in the whole performance, including many shouts of "Bravo," for a terrific "La calunnia."

And who could forget the conductor Gabriele Ferro, leaing the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Stuttgart down in the pit. Just watching him conduct the overture is almost worth the price of the DVD. Talk about chewing the scenery! His intensity and wild shaking and gesturing (reminding one of a Middle American snake-handler feeling the spirit) will leave your jaw hanging open and may make you laugh more than anything in the opera. Ferro is so caught up in the music that his beat doesn't seem the most precise and his cues to the orchestra members don't look all that helpful, but you can't call him dull. Even if you can imagine why his career hasn't exactly skyrocketed, you have to like him here.

All in all, this is the best of the five versions of "The Barber of Seville" that I've seen on DVD. Any review that does not recommend this production ought to be dismissed. I just grabbed my copy of classical-music connoisseur Phil Goulding's book "Ticket to the Opera," and I was looking to see which video version of "Barber" Goulding recommends. Can you guess? This one.

Interesting moments, but not a reference video.......2004-12-31

This Barbiere di Siviglia was filmed in 1988 in Cologne. The raison d'etre for this performance is of course Cecilia Bartoli's Rosina. David Kuebler, Gino Quilico, Carlos Feller, and Robert Lloyd also star. I think this Barber has some interesting features but isn't in any way a reference video. The theater seems to be absolutely pint-sized, which is fine. Strangely though, the production is rather austere, serious, spartan, and remote. Clowning is kept to a minimum, and Rosina is locked up with what look like prison bars. The edition has the usual stage cuts, including Almaviva's Act II aria "Cessa ...".

David Kuebler doesnt have a bad voice, but with a long craggly face and a stern dull stage presence this Almaviva is pretty charmless. (I've seen Juan Diego Florez and needless to say Kuebler is nowhere near Florez's league.) Kuebler is also so mature looking that the Figaro, Gino Quilico, looks considerably younger and studlier than the Almaviva. In fact, there's more sexual tension between Figaro and Rosina than Rosina and Almaviva. Quilico is an unexpected bright spot in this video. The horror is Carlos Feller (Bartolo), who butchers "A un dottor." He acts well enough (alternately lachrymose and pathetic) but his voice is so hollow, especially in the lower ranges, that at some points he seems to just drop out of singing altogether. He also needed to practice the fast patter more, as somewhere in the middle of "A un dottor" he seems to forget what the words are supposed to be, and decides to sing a weird combo of "blahblahughugh" gibberish.

As for Bartoli, I dont think that in 1988 her voice was fully formed. There are a lot of plusses to her performance -- her voice is of course very rich and warm, almost contralto-like. Her pointed phrasing and diction is a joy to hear, and her arias are creatively and musically ornamented. And she already has a very earthy, intense stage presence which is fun to watch. (She also has her trademark curly long hair.) But strangely she seems to have some major register breaks. Her voice is rich and resonant in the lower ranges and secure and bright above the staff, but in between she occasionally becomes pretty inaudible. Her scales are riddled with so many aspirates that it becomes distracting ("Si, Lindo-ho-ho-ho-ro"). But while Bartoli's Rosina shows a lot of "promise" I've heard much better, more mature work from her in later years.

Overall a pretty disappointing dvd. It has some interesting moments but unlike some recent opera dvd releases (the wonderful Glyndebourne Nozze di Figaro from 1973, a Lucie di Lammermoor from Lyon) it didn't satisfy my wishes for an all-around good cast and good production.

My Favorite Barber of Seville.......2004-10-13

This DVD contains some great singers, but sadly few are widly known. Cecilia Bartoli is a young, beautiful Rosina. Her highlight was "Una voce poco fa". One of my favorites was Count Almaviva, played by David Kuebler. His acting was as good as his singing. "Ecco ridente in cielo" is a must hear aria. My other favorite was Gino Quilico as Figaro. His comic acting was outstanding, espically in Act II. His best piece was, of course, "Largo al factotum". As Doctor Bartolo, Carlos Feller was excellent, espically toward the end in Act II. Robert Lloyd was a deep, powerful Don Basilio. The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra was conducted by a great conductor in Gabriele Ferro. I highly reccomended this DVD to anyone who likes The Barber of Seville.

IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA.......2004-04-06

IS THE BEST... ***** STARS

Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera

Average customer rating:

again not the best possible
Has it all: creative sets, costumes, and lighting; spirited performances; Juan Diego Florez
Could have been higher rated but for Bayo and Spagnoli.
Innovative and impressive production
ALMAVIVA'S SHOW

Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera
Starring: Juan Diego Florez , Ruggero Raimond , Maria Bayo , Pietro Spagnoli , and Gianluigi Gelmetti
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Juan Diego Florez ~ Rossini Arias

ASIN: B000BAQ8A0
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Description

â€¢ Acclaimed tenor, Juan Diego FlÃ³rez in one of his greatest stage roles.

â€¢ Two disc set of the critically praised new production from Madridâ€™s Teatro Real.

â€¢ A top international cast including soprano MarÃa Bayo and the great bass baritone Ruggiero Raimondi.

â€¢ Includes a bonus disc featuring a fascinating look into the creation of Rossini's comic masterpiece.

Cast List
MarÃa Bayo (Rosina)
Juan Diego FlÃ³rez (Count Almaviva)
Pietro Spagnoli (Figaro)
Bruno PraticÃ² (Doctor Bartolo)
Ruggiero Raimondi (Don Basilio)
Marco Moncloa (Fiorello)
Susana CordÃ³n (Berta)
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Madrid
Gianluigi Gelmetti, conductor
Directed by Emilio Sagi

Customer Reviews:

again not the best possible.......2007-04-09

Anything with Florez is great because of him, but his performances are better if the staging is superb and the rest of the cast too. Madrid falls down in these categories. His performance at the Met recently with DiDonato was better overall and the staging much better. It is a pity that Decca will not bring out his best performances. See my comments re his Daughter of the Regiment.

Has it all: creative sets, costumes, and lighting; spirited performances; Juan Diego Florez.......2007-02-18

Not surprisingly, the performance of Juan Diego Florez makes this "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" special. I think of the role of Count Almaviva as third in importance behind that of Figaro and Rosina. But Florez has such a compelling stage presence and is such a spectacular Rossini tenor, that, like me, you may find yourself just waiting for him to come back onstage. (We are rewarded for our patience when he performs the difficult and usually omitted aria, "Cessa di piu resistere," shortly before the curtain falls.) Throughout the opera, Florez's voice rings out with precision and crystal clarity. His vibrato gives the vocal lines an electric sound as if they're pulsating with energy. And he knows just how and when to embellish Rossini's score. It's simply bel canto and coloratura at its best.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I wasn't disappointed with any of the other performers, particularly because their voices blend so well in the ensemble pieces. Pietro Spagnoli as Figaro may not command the stage as we're used to (after all, the opera is named after him), but he has a rich, flexible baritone voice (flexible enough to match Rosina's fast running couplets in their famous duet, "Dunque io son," a feat few Figaro baritones can pull off). Yes, Maria Bayo as Rosina omits a high note here and there, but her soprano voice has a lovely lyrical flow to it and she gives a spirited performance. She is having a great time onstage and it's infectious. It mattered not a bit to me that she's somewhat older than Florez, her love interest. Why shouldn't she be?

I particularly enjoyed Bruno Practico's interpretation of Dr. Bartolo as a rather dim-witted buffa character rather than portraying him in the usual way as stuffy and pompous. Practico's approach integrates Dr. Bartolo into the stage action better and makes his "patter" music (the Act I aria, "A un dottor" and the Act II duet with Almavira, "Pace e gioia") more in line with the comic feel of the opera. He does a great job performing this difficult music. It's a treat to see the veteran Ruggero Raimondi as the amoral Don Basilio, booming out "La calunnia" in Act I and adding to the comic lunacy of Act II. Even Susana Cordon makes the most of her small role, giving us a wonderfully disheveled and quirky Berta but one who is shrewdly aware of exactly what's going on at every moment in Bartolo's household. Cordon gives an animated and funny rendition of her short Act II aria, a piece that often feels as if it's interrupting the action; but here it brings "bravas" from the audience.

The sets, lighting, and costumes are inventive and show up well on the TV screen (opera DVD's are often so dark). I love the black and white motif, made comic with stripes, polka dots, and other assorted odd designs. The lighting designer was able to make black and white look as vivid as if he'd worked with a full palette. Then, at just the right moment, the black and white sets, costumes, and lighting give way to vivid colors and carry us to the end of this sparkling production.

The bonus DVD contains informative interviews with the director, conductor, and performers. One example: Florez describes how he carefully writes out his "ornamentations" (as he calls them) ahead of time.

Could have been higher rated but for Bayo and Spagnoli........2007-02-05

This is a Madrid performance of Rossini's much performed opera.
I have been given to understand that this is the complete version. Credit goes to the stage production and to those singers who gave the 'completeness' to the production, especially Florez.
It could have been a perfect production if the Figaro and Rosina were not casted to singers who are much too mature for the role, compared with Juan's Count Almaviva.
Spagnoli's Figaro lacked the mischievous light-heartedness required of the role, while Bayo is a strain both on the ears and the eyes with her dry and gritty tone and slightly over-aged appearance.
Much more fun to watch the old DVD with Erika Koeth as Rosina, Hermann Prey as Figaro. Their duet at Act II were so funny and entertaining, as compared to what was presented here.
This production is otherwise recommended, especially for those beginning to watch operas.

Innovative and impressive production.......2006-10-08

This is the tenor's show and Florez shows why. The staging is colourful, innovative and impressive and made me fall in love with this opera all over again.

ALMAVIVA'S SHOW.......2006-06-13

Juan Diego Florez as Count Almaviva is the main reason for my purchase of yet another "Il Barbiere Di Siviglia" by Rossini. Although he seemed to be slightly detached from his surroundings in this production, (I guess he's an Opera Super Star!) he does indeed deliver the vocal "goods". In possession of a very light flexible and sweet tenor, he very adequately meets all of the vocal challenges of his role. In addition, he is easy on the eye with a gleaming smile.

Figaro is sung by small voiced baritone Pietro Spagnoli. He is a very young and a very nimble Figaro--no standing and delivering but exhibiting much energy by bouncing and hoping around the stage a lot--it was fun to watch!

My only real "vocal disappoint" was the Rossina as sung by the extremely tiny voiced Maria Bayo; however, she was sadly without high notes. To me, if a high voiced (as opposed to a mezzo) is used in the role of Rossina that voice should possess loads of high notes otherwise give me a good flexible Mezzo Soprano as the role was originally written for. Otherwise, it's sleep inducing.

Bruno Pratico makes a rotund but lively Bartolo. Again his voice is on the light side but well able to negotiate the ornamentations. Ruggiero Raimondi is large voiced and very funny making for a very weird Basilio; however he was very amusing indeed.

The production was very busy with all of the characters moving around the stage a lot--very feisty! The basic colors that are used are black and white which were wonderful.

The sound and picture quality of the DVD is superb.

Buy this disc manly to see one of today's brightest operatic stars do his thing-- Juan Diego Florez as Count Almaviva.

Average customer rating:

I never get tired of it!
Figaro, Figaro, Figaro...
Pleasing, pleasant, but dull Ponnelle film
Excellent!!!
I love it

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Starring: Hermann Prey , Teresa Berganza , Luigi Alva , Enzo Dara , and Paolo Montarsolo
Director: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle , and Claudio Abbado
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007P0LOS
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Amazon.com

Like all successfully filmed operas, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's 1974 film of his 1972 La Scala production of The Barber of Seville weaves its magic on multiple levels: naturalistic lighting and camera work that take the viewer to the heart of the action; wonderful casting and magnificent singing; singers who can act; and conducting (by Claudio Abbado) that simply revels in the richness of an extraordinarily vibrant and much-loved score.

Rossini's 1816 work, based on Beaumarchais's Figaro characters, is one of the great joys of comic opera, crammed with familiar arias and duets, all of which drive the galloping pace of the book without ever interrupting the plot. At the heart of the tale is Figaro (Hermann Prey, making the most of his trademark theme "Largo al factotum") and the love triangle of Count Almaviva (a lusty Luigi Alva), the willful Rosina (Teresa Berganza at the peak of her mezzo-soprano powers), and her guardian with an ulterior motive Bartolo (Enzo Dara). --Piers Ford

Customer Reviews:

I never get tired of it!.......2007-02-13

I had it on VHS, I have it on DVD, it's mandatory! And of course I have the same version in CD (some slight differences, some singers are not the same).

I find the overture, with Abbado conducting, absolutely mesmerizing. You can actually see his eyes guiding the orchestra.

The singers? Well, Hermann Prey is my favourite Figaro ever, and it's really a pitty there isn't any film of his wonderful Papageno in Mozart's Magic Flute. Teresa Berganza and her voice are perfect for the role. Enzo Dara is hilarious. I just love Luigi Alva's voice (he's Don Ottavio in the most amazing Don Giovanni ever recorded, the one by Giulini - how I wish we could have it on film!), I could go on forever.

Figaro, Figaro, Figaro..........2006-09-10

Okay, I am biased. I adore this opera, and it this production is my second favorite ever. That may sound like a backhanded compliment since I refer, of course, to the marvelous RCA recording made in the late 1950's with Fernando Corelli as the definative Bartolo and many other superb portrayals that left so much to the imagination and was like being treated to a Chuck Jones cartoon in Italian. But then, that production was never made into a movie on DVD or otherwise.

This film is fun, funny, clever, and oozing with the accurate look and feel of Spain somewhere at the turn of the 18th century, rather than the pre-French revolution era of Beaumarchais original story. Figaro's resemblance to Zorro at the end of the film seems more than coincidental, and that gave it an even greater charm. It works because despite the fact that it was conceived by a Frenchman, written as an opera by an Italian a generation later, and a German (Mozart) did the sequel long before rossini came onto the scene, Jean-Pierre Ponnelle never forgot that this is essentially has a Spanish setting, and as a grand touch, the portrait of Dr.Bartolo (featured prominently in the comedy business of Act I) bears more than a striking resemblance to Salvador Dali's self-portrait, adding a further touch of lunacy to the proceedings.

Production values aside, the singing was wonderful. I found myself singing along through many of the scenes, and the two-plus hours seemed to merrily dance away.

This is a great "Barber of Seville", better than even the sequel film, which is also worth getting. They compliment each other beautifully, and are a must-have for the collections of opera lovers, Mozart/Rossini lovers, or fans of the Beaumarchais comedies. Worth every penny.

Pleasing, pleasant, but dull Ponnelle film.......2006-05-03

In today's age, when almost every operatic director has a mind-boggling "concept" for an opera, there's something comforting about popping this Ponnelle film. It's unambitious, inoffensive, aesthetically pleasing, and generally well-sung. Although there are some quirky touches (like Figaro sings "Largo al factotum" with Ponnelle panning to various mannequins and wigs in his shop), mostly this is your good old-fashioned Barber of Seville, with the good old-fashioned stage business and even the good old-fashioned musical cuts. Too bad this good old-fashioned Barber of Seville is also so dreadfully dull.

Despite Ponnelle's attempt to "open up" the opera, the film remains essentially stagey. The sets are both realistic and artificial-looking -- Seville being pretty terra-cotta land that only the characters of the opera seem to inhabit. Even the casting is predictable. Luigi Alva sings essentially the same performance as his studio recordings of the 1950's. He can't really hold a candle to Juan Diego Florez of today and Fritz Wunderlich of yesteryear (in that magical stage telecast of 1959). Ditto Teresa Berganza, whose pretty mezzo voice almost makes up for the fact that she's the most predictable of Rosinas, without a trace of either musical or thespian originality. Her "Una voce poco fa" actually made me yawn. Would it kill her to embellish Rossini's musical line just a little bit? She sings the whole opera almost absolutely "come scritto" which kind of kills half the fun of a Rossini opera -- hearing the unique embellishments of every singer. Would it kill her to seem like she's having a bit of fun? Ponnelle's fondness of closeups only reveal Berganza's advanced age and her facial dullness -- you can practically hear Ponnelle shouting "Smile! Frown! Smile again!" Most of the time she just looks sullen though.

As is often the case with this opera, it's up to the supporting characters to provide the fun. They sort of do, with the emphasis on the sort of. Hermann Prey makes a charmingly conceited Figaro. Enzo Dara, ridiculously coiffed in a long curly brown wig is a hammy, funny Bartolo. There's nothing original about his performance either, but Bartolo's antics are so engraved in stone, that it's fun to see those same old antics performed with relish. Paolo Montosarlo is Basilio, and Ponnelle underlines "La calunnia" with loud bursts of thunder. Bertha constantly sneezes, so much so that you want to shove her some Claritin. Basically they are fun, but this is the same kind of fun you'd see basically at any Barber performance.

I would be more satisfied with this film, if I didn't have another Ponnelle film to compare this with -- his 1981 film of Cenerentola. That film is more stylized, but it has a warmth, charm and beauty that is sorely absent here. I cared about the characters in the Cenerentola film, even the screechy stepsisters, because Ponnelle seemed to care about them. It also is a truly unique experience, employing special effects that turned Rossini's earthy opera into a real fairy tale. I watched that film and thought that it provided something special, something a staged performance could not achieve. However, with this Barbiere film, I think that essentially, I could go to any opera house and have the same experience, except with maybe less detailed costumes, scenery, and less closeups (which usually don't flatter the singers anyway).

If an operatic film doesn't provide any original ideas, then I expect it to preserve a special, memorable operatic portrayal. For instance, I happily sat through a grainy RAI film of Madama Butterfly because of the tenderness and beauty of Anna Moffo's Cio Cio San. I sat through a grainy B&W film of Otello because Mario del Monaco's Otello was a force of nature. But I don't get that feeling here. None of the performances are so note-worthy that they needed to be preserved permanently on celluloid. Certainly not Teresa Berganza, whose Rosina was dull the first time around and only got duller through the years. Or Luigi Alva. Hermann Prey, Enzo Dara, and Paolo Montosarli are the only performers who are trying. But still, they aren't so special that they *need* to be preserved for posterity in a lavish opera-film. Plus, Hermann Prey could be seen in better form in the German-language telecast that's now on dvd.

So my conclusion? Buy the German Barber of Seville with Fritz Wunderlich, Hermann Prey, Hans Hotter, and Erika Koth, if you want a fun, beautiful performance. Buy the recent dvd from Madrid with Juan Diego Florez if you want a more note-complete, vocally dazzling show. This is an inoffensive, fairly pleasant film, but I personally don't think it's anything special.

Excellent!!!.......2006-03-21

The opera is made of singers from high quality and very hillarious
Teresa berganza is excellent artist!

I love it.......2006-02-06

I love everything about this production. It is really very funny and very enjoyable.

Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Dario Fo, Zedda, Larmore, Croft, Netherlands Opera

Average customer rating:

Just Great!
Hack work
Marvelously Sung - a Little Busy: A lot of fun!
Bad VHS Sound Quality Ruins an Excellent Production
Excellent performance and production

Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Dario Fo, Zedda, Larmore, Croft, Netherlands Opera
Starring: Richard Croft (II) , Renato Capecchi , Jennifer Larmore , David Malis , and Simone Alaimo
Director: Hans Hulscher
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri
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Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Cambreling, Ewing, Rawnsley, Glyndebourne Festival Opera

ASIN: B00001O2G9
Release Date: 1999-10-26

Amazon.com

In an audio recording, the distinctive quality of this Netherlands Opera production would go unnoticed, and a lot of people might like it better without pictures. The singing is first-class, with a pert, smart, visually appealing Rosina (Jennifer Larmore), a Count Almaviva who can spin out bel canto melodies and also do a good drunk scene (Richard Croft), a Figaro with lots of personality (David Malis). And conductor Alberto Zedda is an expert in the music of Rossini. But video brings out the fact that, for better or for worse, this Barber of Seville differs radically from other treatments of Rossini's comic masterpiece.

Usually The Barber of Seville is an intimate little comedy with a half-dozen solo roles and a small, all-male chorus. Except for a few ensemble numbers, there are usually only two or three people on stage at any given moment, often conversing in stage whispers. Sometimes, in a plot full of secrets and deceptions, supernumeraries are out of place.

Dario Fo's staging ignores this stylistic tradition. He gives the solo singers a crowd of artfully choreographed silent partners (including acrobats, dancers, and two men rigged to imitate a donkey), who scamper around the stage carrying ladders and sheets, pushing platforms, waving banners, and making sure that there is always something to amuse the eyes as well as the ears. This staging gives a solid visual embodiment to the comic spirit of the words and music, but it wipes out any pretense of dramatic realism. The Barber of Seville does not pretend to be "a slice of life" and many patrons will find that the energy of these added participants is its own justification. But those who treasure traditional staging and the conventions of realism should be ready for a lively but unconventional production. Perhaps they can listen with their eyes closed and enjoy a first-class sound recording. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Just Great!.......2006-06-09

The singers in this production are not only wonderful but they are miracle-workers as well, with all the perpetual "Comedia del Arte" action going on as they overcome the frenzy and deliver top-notch performances in spite of it. The constant manipulation of drapery in every scene was a bit distracting, but the singing and acting were so good that I still thoroughly enjoyed the opera. The orchestra is great, too, and the filming is excellent. Buy this DVD. It's worth the price.

Hack work.......2005-02-23

This production very disappointing -- vastly inferior to to the Nucci-Battle-Dara performance!
Bring in a "famous director" and you ruin the work.

Marvelously Sung - a Little Busy: A lot of fun!.......2004-09-25

While Dario Fo has gone overboard - populating every square inch of the set with extras and stage business - this remains, overall, a "fun" Barbiere.

Richard Croft should win an award for execution of all his stage pranks and physical demands while having to sing Almaviva's difficult music. "All'idea di quel metall" is one of the most eye-popping messes I've seen a tenor have to go through; racing up and down a flight of steps that is being wheeled around the stage in constant motion as houses appear and disappear around him, it really is a bit much. Croft never misses a beat and looks to enjoy the athletic aspects of the role Fo has laid out for him. This Almaviva is a perfect blend of arrogant machismo, comic timing, physical agility - like Errol Flynn with high notes.

Beautiful Jennifer Larmore is not given particularly exciting costuming here, but she too exercises all of the business Fo foists on her as well. Una voce poca fa is thrilling singing but the sideshow with her ladies in waiting is a bit much.

I wanted to like David Malis more as Figaro: a terrific actor, lithe and willing to risk life and limb, but the voice isn't quite right for Figaro: his coloratura work is all delivered in an aspirated manner, most noticeable in the Rosina/Figaro "Dunque il son" where Larmore's ability to sing it smoothly makes his aspirated runs sound choppy and out of tune.

After repeated viewings I've found fewer problems with this production and the Act I finale is absolutely mind boggling - impossible to top and produces a riotous ovation from the audience who have all been lathered up into a frenzy. Great fun!!!

Bad VHS Sound Quality Ruins an Excellent Production.......2004-07-14

The visually stunning and aurally magnificent production of this classic opera is impeded horrendously by the sound quality on this video, due, I suppose, to poor microphone placement and bad editing. Footsteps (and especially leaps or backflips or other acrobatics) on stage become massive, booming cannon blasts that jar the music. The orchestra often drowns out the singers, especially during the second act. I would recommend purchasing this production if you can find a good price, and especially if you have a predilection for good stage direction and excellent singing.

Excellent performance and production.......2004-04-04

This is the fifth opera I've seen on DVD, all of which I rented. This one, however, is the first to so enthrall me that I immediately purchased a copy of my own. I, like other reviewers, found the simple set but constant activity exciting, greatly entertaining, and a wonderful addition to the opera itself. The Barber of Seville is a comic opera, and Dario Fo emphasizes this with action, costumes, and even subtle slapstick. I agree it's not a traditional opera production, but the magnificent performaces by all make it wonderfully entertaining and worth seeing many times.

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia / Joyce DiDonato, Roberto Sacca, Dalibor Jenis, Carlos Chausson, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Bruno Campanella, Paris Opera

Average customer rating:

Barber of Seville
Hmmmm.......
Il barbiere di Kabul
Superb Musically, But a Distracting Mise en Scène

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia / Joyce DiDonato, Roberto Sacca, Dalibor Jenis, Carlos Chausson, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Bruno Campanella, Paris Opera
Starring: Nicholas Garrett , and Coline Serreau
Manufacturer: Tdk DVD Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Rossini - La Cenerentola / Ruxandra Donose, Maxim Mironov, Simone Alberghini, Luciano Di Pasquale, Nathan Berg, Vladimir Jurowski, Glyndebourne Opera
Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Fiorenza Cedolins, Marcello Giordani, Juan Pons, Francesca Franci, Carlo Bosi, Daniel Oren, Verona Opera
Rossini - La Scala di Seta / Luciana Serra, David Kuebler, Alessandro Corbelli, Alberto Rinaldi, Jane Bunnell, David Griffith, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Schwetzingen Opera
Mozart - Don Giovanni / Veronique Gens, Wojtek Drabowicz, Regina Schorg, Kwanchul Youn, Felipe Bou, Marisa Martins, Anatoli Kotxerga, Bertrand de Billy, Barcelona Opera
Rossini - Il Signor Bruschino / Alessandro Corbelli, Amelia Felle, David Kuebler, Alberto Rinaldi, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Schwetzingen Opera

ASIN: B000EBEH2W
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Customer Reviews:

Barber of Seville.......2007-05-13

I purchased this DVD because I wanted to see and hear Joyce DiDonato again after seeing and hearing her sing the role with the New York Metropolitan. I found this production to be different in staging, but with equally delightful singing. It will be an ongoing enjoyment.

Hmmmm..............2006-12-28

I so wanted to completely bond to this production. In many ways, I loved it. Musically, this is a 5-star production. The costumes and staging are worth 3 stars at best.

Fundamentally, I don't mind this opera being set somewhere in the Middle East. In fact, I actually liked Rosina's entrance being sung initially behind the grating. It was a nice, albeit obvious, metaphor for her virtual imprisonment with Bartolo. Bartolo looked disturbingly like Osama Bin Laden. Figaro's costume was outlandish. In addition to the umbrella hat and glasses mentioned by Mr. Morrison below, he also sported cell phones that somehow adhered to his garment. Pastel greens and pinks abound.

Then there is the staging. Maybe the director of this production was simply trying too hard. "Barbiere" is opera buffa, a legitimate style important in the history of opera. Opera companies all over the world will always do some opera buffa. The reason is simple: opera buffa is fun. You can definitely sell more tickets to "Barbiere" than you can to "Moses und Aaron". That being said, I think we can all agree that Rossini was one of the greatest exponents of the opera buffa style. The point is that this style can stand on its own through the music and libretto. We don't need melodrama-style takes, and random choreography for the opera to be funny. In the end, the costumes and staging have to be handmaidens to the music and libretto. In the case of this production, the costumes and staging took center stage.

In the end though, it has to be about the music. These were some grand performances by top-tier singers. For that reason alone, I am very happy to own this DVD. The weakest link in this tremendous cast was Roberto Sacca as Almaviva. This man is an outstanding tenor who was just not having his best night. He was a little iffy, sometimes great and sometimes not so great. The brilliant American mezzo Joyce DiDonato shines in the role of Rosina, which has quickly become a signature role for her. She handled the Rossini intricacies with panache. Carlos Chausson as Bartolo was marvelous. There's nothing quite like a great Rossini bass. Kristin Sigmundson was very good as Basilio. My singing highlight was baritone Dalibor Jenis as Figaro. His arias were great, his ensemble singing superb. His "Largo al factotum" was so fast that it made me laugh out loud. Now, had he not sung it so cleanly and in tune at that tempo, I would have been complaining. But hey, when you've got it, flaunt it.

I recommend this DVD. Despite the somewhat strange costumes and bizarre staging, the performances are very strong.

Il barbiere di Kabul.......2006-06-25

Medieval Spain may be a place where women were kept behind closed doors and high walls - the Paris production moves the scene to contemporary Kabul ! A fabulous arabic palace and true to life veiled women give this production by Colline Serreau a unique flavour ... she usually directs and plays in ecology - friendly movies and her approach fully underscores the fun this opera can communicate. The DVD is visually excellent, the singing is good with the sole exception of the COunt Almaviva (Roberto Sacca) who is not fit for this part. I have seen this opera several times on scene, including this production in Paris, and none was as enjoyable as this one !

Superb Musically, But a Distracting Mise en Scène.......2006-04-11

This Paris Opera production of 'The Barber of Seville' from 2002 has some problems, in spite of its superb musical qualities. For starters, it is set in Moorish Spain and all the characters look like they might have wandered in from 'The Abduction from the Seraglio' or 'The Italian Girl in Algiers.' The sets are absolutely stunning in their detail of Moorish architecture. But it is distracting to find that Rosina is in purdah, behind an elaborate system of screens (which fall away, of course, when we are allowed to see and hear her). Bartolo, sung gloriously by Spanish basso Carlos Chausson, looks rather more like Fagin from 'Oliver' than a Spanish doctor. Don Basilio, sung by the tall and stately Icelandic basso Kristinn Sigmundsson, kept reminding me of Sarastro. The costume that Figaro (sung adequately by Czech baritone Dalibor Jenis) wears in the first act almost defies description. He wears a little umbrella hat (for American baseball fans with long memories, it reminds one of Maury Wills) and, anachronistically, a pair of spectacles that look for all the world like Blue Blockers. Joyce DiDonato, as Rosina, is in a Turkish pajama outfit with her face covered by a burqa -- she of course removes it when she sings. Roberto Saccà is in a generic Arab outfit. I'm sorry to spend so much time and space on the setting, but it is as if the set and costume designers deliberately wanted to upstage Rossini and his music, and they succeeded. As for the acting, it would not have been out of place in either a silent movie or a high school play. It is hokey-funny, with large gestures and meaningless stage movement. The chorus is given quasi-choreography for no apparent reason except to keep things moving onstage.

However, when we consider the production from a strictly musical perspective, this is an outstanding performance. All the singers are excellent and the ensemble work is really marvelous. Rising mezzo DiDonato makes a delightful Rosina. She is not quite warmed up for her big number early in Act I, 'Una voce poco fa,' and her coloratura there is a bit approximate, but later she is superb. She has a luscious, rich sound. With the exception of Saccà, a fine Rossini tenor, all the rest of the singers are new to me. Outstanding, for me, is the Bartolo of Chausson; what a gorgeous bass voice, handled expertly and with great attention to the text; the villain you love to hate. Jeannette Fischer makes a wonderful Berta, normally a forgettable character, as does Nicholas Garrett as Fiorello, in spite of his ham acting which still manages to be funny most of the time. Conductor Bruno Campanella keeps things moving, has excellent playing in the pit, and is very in tune with his singers. He must be a joy for the singers to work with.

The bottom line, though, is that the set and stage direction are too distracting (for me, at least) for this to be a solid choice. If you are looking for a fresh look at Rossini's evergreen comic opera, this might be for you. But I wouldn't advise anyone to buy this as their only DVD of the work.

Sound is DD 5.1 and LPCM stereo and is quite good. Picture format 16:9. Subtitles: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish. No extras. TT+152 mins.

Scott Morrison

Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Cambreling, Ewing, Rawnsley, Glyndebourne Festival Opera

Average customer rating:

The worst Barbiere I've heard
Vivace et con spirito!
unbearable
Great actors
Rossini's Il Barbiere d Siviglia

Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Cambreling, Ewing, Rawnsley, Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Starring: Maria Ewing , John Rawnsley , Max René Cossotti , Claudio Desderi , and Catherine McCord (II)
Director: Dave Heather
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
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Mozart - Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro) / Haitink, Finley, Hagley, Fleming, Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Mozart - Le Nozze di Figaro / Te Kanawa, Cotrubas, von Stade, Luxon, Skram, Fryatt; Pritchard, Glyndebourne Opera
Verdi - Rigoletto / Domingo, MacNeil, Cotrubas, Diaz, Levine, Metropolitan Opera
Verdi - Aida / Levine, Domingo, Millo, Metropolitan Opera
Carmen

ASIN: B00019G8EW
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Amazon.com

All the ingredients for Rossini's prime comedy are present and expertly mixed in this 1987 Glyndebourne Festival Opera production: a Figaro (John Rawnsley) extroverted, ingenious, energetic, and vocally resplendent; a Rosina (Maria Ewing) fresh and sweet but steel-sinewed in her determination to have her own way; a Count Almaviva (Max-Rene Cosotti) who has not only the vocal lightness and agility his bel canto music requires, but a fine sense of humor and the ability to perform a good drunk scene. Ferruccio Furlanetto and Claudio Desderi are equally adept in their supporting buffo roles.

Description

Glyndebourne Festival Opera production of Rossini's classic opera. Starring Robert Dean, Max-René Cosotti, John Rawnsley, and Maria Ewing. London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sylvain Cambreling.

Customer Reviews:

The worst Barbiere I've heard.......2007-05-08

I checked the reviews before I bought this DVD and am wondering if we're talking about the same item. I've seen this opera live several times as well as on VHS, and this is the worst version. Even with an excellent sound system, the sound of this DVD is awful and the staging and costumes annoying. Once the lovely overture was over, my husband and I could stand to watch it for about 15-20 more minutes and gave up. What a waste of money.

Vivace et con spirito! .......2007-04-09

Firstly, I can understand that some people may not like this production. It is "live", raw and different. But I love it because of the energy and verve of the singers, the sheer exurberance of the acting and the obvious enjoyment of the whole cast (even when they have to work very hard).

Technicaly this may not be the best production on disk, but in the end it doesn't matter. If you let-go and just roll with the punches you will enjoy it as much as I.

For me, the highligh of the work is Claudio Desderi's "A un dottore della mia sorte", an incredibly difficult piece to sing well (and he does!). I am also quite biased by Maria Ewing, who is one of the joys of our times in whatever role she choses to appear in

unbearable.......2007-01-24

I had to sell my copy for one dollar on Ebay - I couldn't stand to own it. The Marriage of Figaro DVD from the same production company/Glyndebourne Festival is wonderful so I hoped this production would be as well but it wasn't.

Great actors.......2007-01-22

I can only agree with all the other positive reviews of this work.

The singing is excellent, the set likewise and John Rawnsley is the Figaro I have always had in my mind's eye.

But what I liked best about this production is that not only are the singers excellent (which is what one expects anyway) but that they are (by and large) excellent actors as well. Contrary to many operatic productions where the acting is wooden at best, here the acting is expressive (without being excessive) and suits the music and the situation. Perhaps my favorite is the Buena sera scene where Basilio is being chivied out of the room by Bartolo, Figaro, Rossina and Almaviva. The expressions of resignation and exasperation on Basilio's face are superb.

My only quibble is about Maria Ewing as Rossina. Somehow I just couldn't warm up to her. She sings very well, but as a tempestous Spanish maiden who will attract the dashing Count Almaviva she just isn't convincing.

If you like Rossini and Figaro, this is for you.

Rossini's Il Barbiere d Siviglia.......2006-11-04

Thak yo very much

Your service is all right! Amazon is serious.
For me that is "amazing" because I live in a non serious country.It is a pleasure to know there is serious people outside my country

Best regards

André Schwarz ,

from Sao Paulo / Brazil

Rossini Opera Collection - Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Cenerentola, Semiramide

Average customer rating:

Rossini Opera Collection - Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Cenerentola, Semiramide
Starring: Marilyn Horne , Jennifer Larmore , Francisco Araiza , Richard Croft , and Samuel Ramey
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Offenbach - Les contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) / Pretre, Domingo, Royal Opera Covent Garden
Montserrat Cabale & Marilyn Horne Concert / Philharmonie Hall, Munich
Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Joan Sutherland, Alfredo Kraus, Pablo Elvira, Paul Plishka, Richard Bonynge, Metropolitan Opera
Rossini - Bianca e Falliero / Daniela Barcellona, Maria Bayo, Francesco Meli, Dario Benini, Renato Palumbo, Rossini Opera Festival, Pesaro
Gounod - Romeo et Juliette / Mackerras, Alagna, Vaduva, Royal Opera Covent Garden

ASIN: B000EOTWN8
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Description

"Rossini is the musician of eating and love. He composes music rich in herbs and aromas, in which you find olives, tomatoes, fish, grapes, roses and rosemary, sheets and tablecloths, dry wine and the laughter of girls." Dario Fo, director of Il Barbiere di Siviglia Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville): With director Dario Fo's inventive staging, Rossini's beloved comic opera performed by the Netherlands Opera spins a web of enchantment. There is always something to amuse the eyes as well as the ears in this unconventional, delightfully theatrical production.

Customer Reviews:

Der Barbier von Sevella / Fritz Wunderlich et al.......2007-02-12

None since has the talent nor used it as it was meant to be used. Fine recording cast.

If it has color, then 10 stars wouldn't be enough........2007-02-09

I love this DVD to death.
I've got Florez's Madrid version, and love that one too, but ever since I've this one, I just couldn't forget the scenes from this black-and-white version, sung and acted to such liveliness and freshness that it is at once enjoyable and heartbreaking.
The opening duet between Figaro and Almaviva already tells more than enough of the standard for the rest of the show. Hermann Prey at his prime, plus the legendary Fritz Wunderlich in oil-painting attire and postures, sung to utmost perfection of tone and beauty of expression. I almost cried when I saw this scene on Youtube, having seen earlier the DVD of Madrid's performance. I rushed out to get this German DVD, and am so glad that I got it!
Erika Koeth sung a brilliant soprano version Rosina. Her coloraturas virtually blow you off. Her duet with Prey is so vivid and funny.
With these two great duets, I need not say one more word about the ultra-high level of performance by Prey in this DVD.
Wunderlich, not much seen in DVD, was a wonderful singing-actor, not just a first-class lyrical tenor. His Almaviva is totally convincing - aristocratic, lovesick, generous...any young girl would fall in love with.

I am not derogating from Juan's great Madrid performance. But there, he doesn't have any strong supporting cast.

Believe me, this German version is an out-and-out killer!

BUY IT!.......2006-12-09

This performance of Rossini's opera is superb. One couldn't ask for a more talented cast than Prey (dramatic madman that he is), Koeth (her Rosina will blow you away), Wunderlich (does he even need an explanation?), Hotter, et al.

The recording quality is very good overall - just one or two hints of old technology creep in, and they are easily overlooked.

This is one of the best recordings of comic opera that you will see/hear. Get it!

Delightful German-language version of Rossini's comedy.......2006-02-04

Back in the day, there were "traditions" about The Barber of Seville, Rossini's comedy. The recitatives were severely cut. Rosina was usually sung by a soprano, who often transposed much of the music up. In the Lesson Scene, most Rosinas substituted an aria of their choice instead of singing Rossini's "Contro un cor." And the long, fiendishly difficult aria "Cessa di piu resistere" was always cut.

Today, most of these traditions are gone. Rosina is usually sung by a mezzo, although soprano Rosinas remain popular. However, "Una voce poco fa" even when sung by sopranos is nowadays sung in its original key of E. (Although singing it in its original key was not uncommon even back in the day -- Luisa Tetrazzini made a remarkable version of the aria, sung in its original key.) "Contro un cor" has been restored in the Lesson Scene. And with tenors like Juan Diego Florez, it's considered a requirement to sing "Cessa di piu resistere."

This 1959 telecast of Der Barbier von Sevilla (sung in German) shows what fun a "traditional" Barber could be. It was telecast from Munich on Christmas. What a great Christmas present! The cast is uniformly excellent. Fritz Wunderlich, before his tragic death in 1966, had probably the most beautiful lyric tenor voice of his generation. It was pure, it was bell-like, it was just sheer beauty. He's a fun actor too, making Almaviva a real charmer. Hans Hotter takes a break from his usual heavy Wagnerian roles like Wotan or the Dutchman and is a very funny Don Basilio. He uses his enormous height to much comic effect. Hermann Prey would later make an Italian-language film of Barber with Teresa Berganza, but personally I like him better here. His voice is fresher, and the Ponnelle film is a complete recording dubbed into a lip-synched performance. This is a live performance, and thus has a feeling of real spontaneity. Max Proebstl, donning a hilarious looking wig, is a delightfully dumb Bartolo. Erika Koth has a very beautiful soprano voice, with an enchanting fast vibrato that feels like a gentle wind breeze. But her voice can turn very wiry on high notes. And in this performance she's the most content to simply stand and sing. In the Lesson Scene she interpolates Norina's aria "Quel guardo il cavaliere" from Donizetti's Don Pasquale. But this is a minor complaint. Overall, this performance is a beautiful example of ensemble singing.

For a modern, complete Il Barbiere di Siviglia, I heartily recommend the new release on Decca, taken from a performance in Madrid. The video stars the uber-Rossini tenor Juan Diego Florez, who really lives up to his reputation. But if you want to have a lot of fun, get this video too.

If you like Fritz Wunderlich or Rossini's "Barber" in German, this is for you.......2006-01-24

If you are a purist about opera or Classical music, believing operas should be performed only in their native language, or seeing Rossini's "Barber" as a Spanish opera, then you should avoid this DVD. But if you like great singing by the likes of Fritz Wunderlich (1930-1966) and Hermann Prey (1929-1998): they have terrific teamwork here - then grab this, by all means! At first the German words for Rossini's "Barber" were disconcerting, but the ear adjusts quickly, and with such wonderful singing and acting, any reservations are swept aside. Hans Hotter is seen as Basilio, in a comic role I didn't know he was capable of; Erika Koth is an excellent Rosina, as seen through the aural lens of Vienese operetta. The Black and white picture is fine, but there are relatively few closeups, and using the "Zoom" function produces some fuzzy looking film. Still, video technology in 1959 was limited, compared with what we have today, and we are fortuneate to have this in DVD form, for the ages.

Joseph Keilberth (1908-1968) leads Rossini in a very Italianate style, the orchestra never being heavy or too serious. The Bavarian State Orchestra made many recordings, but this is my first exposure to them in a Rossini opera.

For a contrast, try Rossini's "Barber" in Jean Pierre Ponelle's film, with Luigi Alva, Teresa Berganza, Hermann Prey, Enzo Dara, and Paolo Montarsolo, with Claudio Abbado/La Scala (DG), sung in Italian, with no audience present. I learned "Barber" from Abbado's recording, and it is very fine, too.

Recommended then, for fans of great singing, of Fritz Wunderlich, Hermann Prey or Joseph Keilberth. I will be watching this repeatedly with much pleasure.

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia / Santi, Kasarova, Lanza, Macias, Ghiaurov, Chausson, Zurich Opera

Average customer rating:

An Abomination
Beautifully staged and well acted, an outstanding production
Y una vez más... Un gran Barbiere
Vesselina Kasarova creates a new Rosina

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia / Santi, Kasarova, Lanza, Macias, Ghiaurov, Chausson, Zurich Opera
Starring: Reinaldo Macias , Vesselina Kasarova , and Manuel Lanza
Manufacturer: Euroarts
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera
Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri
Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) / Cambreling, Ewing, Rawnsley, Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Donizetti - La Fille du Regiment / Frizza, Florez, Ciofi, Teatro Carlo Felice
Bizet - Carmen / Levine, Baltsa, Carreras, Metropolitan Opera

ASIN: B0000TWMOI
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Description

A "firework display of exhilarating comedy" was how one newspaper described this Barber of Seville from the Zurich Opera, enthusing about the "unforced liveliness" of the cast. But it also praised the efforts of Grischa Asagaroff, director of this new production, to avoid routine slapstick and to give special attention to the characters' psychological situations. His idea of transporting the action to Spain in the early 20th century proved a remarkably effective basis for this undertaking, purging the work of all rococo quaintness while retaining its Mediterranean flair and the charms of a subtle patina. This performance was conducted by Nello Santi, who animated his orchestra to play with both precision and verve, and who missed not a single point or dab of color in the score. The cast was led by Manuel Lanza as Figaro, Reinaldo Macias as the Count, Carlos Chausson as Bartolo and Nicolai Ghiaurov as Basilio. However, the show really belongs to Vesselina Kasarova's colorful Rosina who, according to the Neue Zurcher Zeitung, "turned this Barber into a major event."

Customer Reviews:

An Abomination.......2005-06-08

I have seen Rossini's work a dozen times all over the world. This production is a disgrace. The sets and costumes and props have absolutely nothing to do with the opera. Mostly to blame is the production director, who clearly was paying more attention to his ego than Rossini. I pity the poor singers who had to parade around the stage fondling a Rossini bust, playing with test tubes, riding on scooters, and lots of other nonsense which adds nothing to the genuine comedy in the original story as it is traditionally presented. Don't waste your time on this version if you love opera or respect Rossini.

Beautifully staged and well acted, an outstanding production.......2004-07-21

Everything about this production is outstanding--the photography, the creative set design, the use of color, the quality of the music and singing, the costumes, the attention to detail, and especially the acting. The cast is believable and obviously having a great time with it. I'd use this DVD to introduce someone to opera. I've seen other productions, and none can compare to this. My only complaint is the lack of extras which we've come to expect with our DVDs. I also have the Dutch version with all the extra comic pantomime, which is creative, but is a bit distracting from telling the story. I buy a lot of opera DVDs (much cheaper than buying a ticket) and this is one of the best I've seen.

Y una vez más... Un gran Barbiere.......2004-02-23

Esta es una version de 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' de gran nivel, tanto en lo vocal como en lo visual.
El reparto lo encabeza una VESSELINA KASAROVA que traza una Rosina plena de medios vocales y coqueta de actuacion. Bien secundada está la Kasarova por el divertido y bien cantado Figaro de MANUEL LANZA y por el sobresaliente Doctor Bartolo del siempre genial CARLOS CHAUSSON y el gran Don Basilio del ya veterano NICOLAI GHIAUROV. El equipo de secundarios rinde a un gran nivel, especialmente la soprano que interpreta a Berta.
Pero ¿Y Almaviva, el protagonista masculino de la obra? Cae en manos de REINALDO MACIAS, que no tiene su mejor dia y realiza una interpretacion vocal muy discreta, con los agudos forzados y la coloratura no apta.
Muy bien la orquesta dirigida por el tambien veterano NELLO SANTI, que impone su larga experiencia una vez mas, ahora en Rossini.
La version que se presenta es la habitual (con los cortes habituales) es decir: falta el recitativo de Fiorello que cierra el cuadro 1 del acto I (pocos lo echaran en falta) y el aria para Almaviva 'Cessa di piu resistere en el acto II (visto el estado de Macias lo mejor es que falte la pagina). Falta tambien el aria para Rosina 'Ah se e ver che in tal momento' en el acto II, pero no es de extrañar, siendo la Kasarova una mezzosoprano. En fin, no hay ninguna falta especialmente grave.
¿Y la puesta en escena? Actual e ingeniosa nos presenta una serie de abanicos giratorios que presentan calles y distintas habitaciones de la casa del Doctor Bartolo, acertadamente situada aqui en el siglo XX. Una puesta en escena francamente divertida que termina de redondear una muy interesante version del 'Barbiere'.

Vesselina Kasarova creates a new Rosina.......2003-12-23

I most certainly agree with the Editorial comments above, Vesselina Kasarova is truly amazing in this work. Having been impressed by her performances in La Belle Helene and The Damnation of Faust I was eagerly awaiting her next work on DVD. Not only can she easily accomplish all the vocal demands of the role (her high notes are truly thrilling) but she also has great acting ability. Her timing, so necessary when working on a revolving stage, whose movement is not restricted to `between scenes' but is actually a completely integrated part of the choreography for the whole work, is accurate and assured. Her ability to perform complex acts of manual dexterity while singing a complicated aria is wonderful to see. While there is always plenty of movement on stage, it is never as distracting as the version directed by Dario Fo for the Netherlands Opera.
The updating of the opera to the beginning of the twentieth century seems entirely appropriate, though the first appearance of Count Almaviva riding a scooter is a little disconcerting at the start of the first act. There are no disappointments after that. The hero Figaro entering the stage on an antique motorcycle and sidecar is much better. Almaviva's two disguises seem quite believable. I enjoyed all of the supporting performances, none more so than Elizabeth Rae Magnuson as the Berta the maid. Her brief time on stage was memorable.
This is the best version of this popular work that I have heard. I was tempted to buy the Cecilia Bartoli version until I saw that it was stereo and not Surround Sound. I am glad I waited, as this is a wonderfully recorded opera, only occasionally are the noises of singers running across the stage more noticeable than one would really like. The orchestra conducted by Nello Santi reveals every small nuance of the music.
I enjoyed this opera very much and would put it on a par, musically and entertainment-wise, with that of another work by Rossini, `La Cenerentola' (Cecilia Bartoli version).

Average customer rating:

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Starring: Leo Nucci , Raul Gimenez , Anna Bonitatibus , Alfonso Antoniozzi , and Maurizio Barbacini
Manufacturer: Hardy Classics DVD
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000JLQT0K
Release Date: 2006-10-31

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