For his first opera production, Dario Fo, the theater director known for his brilliant wit, chose to stage Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia for the Netherlands Opera. First mounted in 1987, it was a huge success, and a live recording of its revival in May 1992, the 200th anniversary of Rossini's birth, has been made. Fo has said that "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." His Barbiere is a joyful carnival. During the overture, he fills the stage with carnival revellers, and immediately the commedia dell'arte origins of opera buffa are restored. Visual theatrics abound, never at the expense of the music, but highlighting it, engaging the eye as well as the ear. Fo addresses the heart more than the intellect, and Rossini's comedy comes up dazzling and vital. The Italian conductor Alberto Zedda is a Rossini specialist par excellence, and his scintillating interpretation of the music (which is performed in his own critical edition), together with his unflagging energy, draws a magnificent display of playing from The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. The cast includes Richard Croft as Count Almaviva, David Malis as Figaro, Renato Carecchi as Bartolo and the acclaimed Rossini virtuoso Jennifer Larmore as Rosina. Italian with English subtitles, 153 minutes.
Count Almaviva: Richard Croft
Figaro: David Malis
Bartolo: Renato Carecchi
Rosina: Jennifer Larmore
The Netherlands Opera, Alberto Zedda, conductor; Darius Fo, stage director and designer; Hans Hulscher, video director
