2008 Woodie Awards
SectionsOpera with a happy end
Kathleen Musgrave
Issue date: 11/27/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
The Teatro Lirico d'Europa, the touring opera company, performed The Barber of Seville (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts last Monday.
The Barber of Seville is a simple comedic tale of a boy, Count Almaviva, who sees a girl, Rosina, and falls in love. The plot centers on trying to get the two to marry.
Rosina, the beloved heroine, played by Viara Zhelezova, had a colorful and powerful voice that stood alone amongst the other cast members.
Her admirer, Count Almaviva, performed by David Adams, sang similarly but with a smoother tone that made you want to listen intently to every word.
James Bobick, who played the infamous Figaro, also the Barber, was stiff through the eternal aria, Largo al Factotum, which has been remade by every male vocalist. He did well with the vocal dynamics, but was too stiff, similar to a concert performer's stance.
Other than singing Largo al Factotum, Bobick was vivacious and lively in movement and song.
The characters had a lot of chemistry and made for perfect timing with humor. The audience laughed out loud several times throughout the first half alone.
Colorful and full of life, the set and lighting added to the production as a whole. The costumes were beautiful and fun to look at. Throughout the show, the lighting painted the characters in a happy and engaging scene.
Overall, the production was laugh-out-loud hysterical and full of fantastic scenes, followed by a happy ending, not normal to operas.
The Barber of Seville is a simple comedic tale of a boy, Count Almaviva, who sees a girl, Rosina, and falls in love. The plot centers on trying to get the two to marry.
Rosina, the beloved heroine, played by Viara Zhelezova, had a colorful and powerful voice that stood alone amongst the other cast members.
Her admirer, Count Almaviva, performed by David Adams, sang similarly but with a smoother tone that made you want to listen intently to every word.
James Bobick, who played the infamous Figaro, also the Barber, was stiff through the eternal aria, Largo al Factotum, which has been remade by every male vocalist. He did well with the vocal dynamics, but was too stiff, similar to a concert performer's stance.
Other than singing Largo al Factotum, Bobick was vivacious and lively in movement and song.
The characters had a lot of chemistry and made for perfect timing with humor. The audience laughed out loud several times throughout the first half alone.
Colorful and full of life, the set and lighting added to the production as a whole. The costumes were beautiful and fun to look at. Throughout the show, the lighting painted the characters in a happy and engaging scene.
Overall, the production was laugh-out-loud hysterical and full of fantastic scenes, followed by a happy ending, not normal to operas.
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