Image: David Hibbard plays Basilio, Andrew Collis plays Dr Bartolo, Katie Stenzel plays Rosina and Virgilio Marino plays Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville photograph by Steve Henry.
Rossini’s tongue-in-cheek, evergreen operatic comedy celebrates its 200th Anniversary this year and continues to be a darling of opera companies globally. Years ago, Opera surrendered to the charge of irrelevance, a terminal inclination towards the ‘stuffy’ and visually, the unrealistic casting of heroes and heroines. Globally, it is now routine for companies as far and wide as Covent Garden, La Scala and the Lincoln Centre to be adventurous, to rework, contemporise and localise classics like Aida, Carmen, The Magic Flute, Rigoletto and Tosca. Nowadays, audiences expect a remake and Opera Queensland delivered this.
Tracy Grand Lord’s set and costume design was arresting. Hurrah for her off the wall, colourful costumes and blazing set of multiple hues which featured ‘hundreds’, well it looked like it, doors of all shapes and sizes. And the vibrant set design is eminently transportable for OQ’s forthcoming tour in regional Queensland. The vibrant doors are teasing portals through which the bored, frustrated and youthful Rosina, played by engaging newcomer Monique Latemore, cannot pass. Sadly, she is the aged and decrepit Doctor Bartolo’s wealthy ward –solidly played by Andrew Collis – who plans to marry Rosina to plunder her fortune.
Rosina is virtually under house arrest, spied upon by Bartolo’s creepy servants. Brian Lucas’ silent performance as Ambrogio the hunched, weathered, Lemony Snickety servant with grimacing eyes and an ingrained snarl is superb, a show stealer. Figaro, hairdresser and ‘go-to-guy,’ inhabits the role convincingly and looks the part in purple and hot pink suit. He determinedly assists Count Almaviva, acted well by Virgilio Marino, in his quest to court Rosina. Disguised as a soldier and a music coach, the Count gains access to her. Plot-wise, there’s potential in spades for farce, buffoonery, mishap and a harrumphing heroine with plenty of pout.
The eternal struggle in opera is to achieve impressive theatre and, persuasive music making. Musically, the singing was competent but uninspired. Latemore showed considerable promise yet lacked depth in her voice’s lower reaches and the tenor’s arias underwhelmed. Yes, Rossini’s arias are notoriously fast-paced, but the music in the first act was galloped through mercilessly, the singers grappling with the speeding Italian syllables and the necessity to snatch a breath as best they could. Roland Peel the conductor was evidently more closely aligned to the QSO ensemble than towards the soloists in terms of balance. And it was a case of fortissimo and prestissimo equals bellissimo. Where was the light and shade, the ying and yang, the power in musical and theatrical contrast?
Apart from some inspired comic touches, well-delivered cameo roles, for instance, David Hibbard as Basilio and despite the cast’s best efforts this ‘Barber’ was a casualty to a ‘more is more,’ instead of a ‘less is more’ direction and it landed sledge-hammer heavy on the slapstick side. Without a serious vein, a dash of pathos and heartfelt, glorious singing, this Barber failed to soar on opening night.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
The Barber of Seville
Conductor: Roland Peelman
Director: Lindy Hume
Set & Costume Designer: Tracy Grant Lord
Lighting Designer: Matthew Marshall
Chorus Master Narelle French Assistant Director Jason Barry-Smith Choreography – Act 2 Finale Rafael Bonachela (by arrangement with Sydney Dance Company) Movement Assistant/Rehearsal Choreographer Vanessa Mafe-Keane Original Surtitles Narelle French
CAST
Fiorello: Shaun Brown / Matthew Broadbent
Count Almaviva: Virgilio Marino / Jaewoo Kim
Figaro: Brett Carter / Shaun Brown
Dr Bartolo: Andrew Collis
Rosina Monique: Latemore / Katie Stenzel
Berta: Emily Burke
Ambrogio: Brian Lucas
Don Basilio: David Hibbard
Officer: Matthew Broadbent
Notary: Sean Andrews
Flamenco Guitar: Andrew Veivers
The Opera Queensland Chorus
Queensland Symphony Orchestra
Playhouse Theatre Queensland Performing Arts Centre
9-23 July 2016
