Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini)
Rossini completed all the music for Il Barbiere di Siviglia in less than three weeks. This "Opera Buffa," hated at its first performance only to become a hit within a week, is one of the most performed operas worldwide, and certainly Rossini's most famous and beloved one. It features numerous Arias that have reached such a status of fame to sound familiar to anyone's ears (i.e. Figaro's signature Aria Largo al factotum and Rosina's final Aria Una voce poco fa) along with some of Rossini's most brilliant sextets involving the entire company.
In the form of comedy, Il Barbiere di Siviglia tells the story of Rosina who refuses to marry Doctor Bartolo, her guardian, as she is in love with Lindoro (the Count Almaviva in disguise). After many twists and tricks, and thanks to the strategic help of Figaro, Lindoro (the Count of Almaviva) and Rosina finally succeed in getting married.
This production from Venice's Teatro La Fenice was an immediate hit when it was staged in Spring 2008.
"I think Antonino Fogliani is the new Rossinian conductor" Il Gazzettino (April 2008)
"We loved the voice of Rinat Shaham: homogeneous in all her registers". La Nuova Venezia (April 2008)