Unfaltering opera buffa: The Barber of Seville at the ROH

Andrzej Filończyk (Figaro) and Aigul Akhmetshina (Rosina)

Act 1 finale

Andrzej Filończyk, Fabio Capitanucci (Bartolo), Aigul Akhmetshina and Lawrence Brownlee (Almaviva)

Sir Bryn Terfel (Don Basilio)

By David Karlin, 03 February 2023

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“almost every one of the countless gags – vocal, visual or surtitle timing – landed perfectly”

Reviewed at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London on 2 February 2023

Rossini, Il barbiere di Siviglia

The Royal Opera

Rafael Payare, Conductor

Moshe Leiser, Director

Christian Fenouillat, Set Designer

Agostino Cavalca, Costume Designer

Christophe Forey, Lighting Designer

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Royal Opera Chorus

Patrice Caurier, Director

Aigul Akhmetshina, Rosina

Lawrence Brownlee, Count Almaviva

Andrzej Filończyk, Figaro

Fabio Capitanucci, Dr Bartolo

Sir Bryn Terfel, Don Basilio

Ailish Tynan, Berta

Josef Jeongmeen Ahn, Fiorello

Peter Grimes drops anchor again at The Royal Opera

Christopher Woodley, 5th May

Allan Clayton and Sir Bryn Terfel lead a strong cast in a revival of Deborah Warner's dark staging of Britten's signature work at Covent Garden.

****1

Two funerals and a bedding at the Linbury Theatre

Eleanor Knight, 1st May

Tales of love and loss as operas by Elena Langer, Charlotte Bray and Elizabeth Maconchy form a varied triple bill in this showcase for The Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Artists.

****1

The Turn of the Screw at RBO Linbury: Darkness and denial

Eleanor Knight, 26th March

Natalie Abrahami’s mesmerising new production of Britten’s ghostly tale of sexual abuse is very dark indeed.

*****

A riveting Rigoletto revival at the Royal Opera House

Dominic Lowe, 25th March

Sir Mark Elder celebrates 50 years at Covent Garden by returning to his first opera there in 1976 – Verdi's Rigoletto – in a revival of Oliver Mears' excellent 2021 production.

****1

Siegfried at the RBO: Kosky and Pappano surprise and delight

David Karlin, 17th March

A revelatory orchestral performance and a cast led by Andreas Schager, Christopher Maltman and Elisabeth Strid make this a Siegfried for the record books.

*****

Terfel’s craggy Boris Godunov returns to Covent Garden

Mark Pullinger, 29th January

The second revival of Richard Jones' staging of Mussorgsky's original 1869 version of Boris Godunov once again stars the Welsh knight.

****1

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Unfaltering opera buffa entertainment: Rossini's Barber of Seville at Covent Garden