The Canadian Opera Company opened a run of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville at the Four Seasons Centre on Thursday evening. It’s the same production that Toronto saw in 2015 and 2020 and the original design and direction team were back in town. Eleven years ago I described it as a “splendid romp” and it still is, with Joan Guillén’s bold and colourful sets and costumes and Joan Font’s very precise and lively direction. It may even have been tweaked a little.
The principals are really busy in this production. ‘Park and bark’ really has no place. Even in the big ensemble numbers there are a lot of carefully choreographed body movements. It’s tempting to stay focussed on the singers but actually there’s so much more to see. There’s a team of eleven actors constantly in play; sometimes in full view but often behind the semi-transparent wall of Figaro’s shop where, as best I could tell, they mimed all the activities described in the “Largo al factotum” though I’m not prepared to swear there was an enema. It’s clever. We can recognise the multiple Figaros, even when lurking in the shadows, because they all wear a hat rather like an oversized and polished British or Canadian army WW2 helmet or perhaps a barber’s bowl). Once the Figaros are spotted it’s easy to figure out what they are doing to whom. The actors also play a key role as “stagehands”; making sure that set transitions never interrupt the action. Visually it’s a feast and the action never stops.
Musically it’s strong too. Renato Girolami is back for the third time as Bartolo and once again shows that he’s a master of the buffo style. He’s backed up by excellent young principals. Once again the Rosina is a mezzo on every Canadian’s watch list. This time it’s Deepa Johnny (Emily D’Angelo six years ago) and she doesn’t disappoint. Her voice is clear, bright and beautifully controlled and she navigates florid runs with ease. She’s also a very appealing actor with good stage presence. Luke Sutliff is a physically and vocally agile Figaro who isn’t afraid to take risks and Dave Monaco as Almaviva has the necessary high notes and a voice that’s really pleasant to listen to with no bleating or goatiness. He too is an excellent mover who commands the stage. There’s a touch of luxury casting in Luca Pisaroni as a very imposing (and very funny) Don Basilio. Nathan Keoughan doesn’t have a whole lot to do as Fiorello or the Officer but he’s certainly a physical presence and Ariana Maubach sings a lovely Berta; her aria clear and full even at the back of the auditorium.
Conductor Daniela Candillari produced a well judged and brisk performance that served the singers well. If she didn’t burn quite as much rubber in the ensembles as Speranza Scappucci did last time she registered some very decent lap times. It was tight, crisp and never dull and singers and orchestra responded admirably. The gentlemen of the COC Chorus played their part and are probably in line for “silly hat of the year” awards for the soldiers’ helmets.
It’s been a season of, for the most part, revivals in Toronto but it’s not been dull. This Barber seems to have been prepared with all the care one would expect of a new production, with the added benefit of a better idea of what works and what doesn’t. It makes for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
