Tales from the Stave: Barbiere at EIF

By David Smythe, 06 August 2018

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“made complicated stage chaos look easy with deftly agile moves”

Reviewed at Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on 5 August 2018

Rossini, Il barbiere di Siviglia

Jérémie Rhorer, Conductor

Laurent Pelly, Director, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Michele Angelini, Count Almaviva

Guillaume Andrieux, Figaro

Catherine Trottmann, Rosina

Peter Kálmán, Dr Bartolo

Robert Gleadow, Don Basilio

Julie Pasturaud, Berta

Louis de Lavignere, Fiorello

Stéphane Facco, Ambrogio

Le Cercle de l'Harmonie

Cléo Laigret, Set Designer

Jean-Jacques Delmotte, Costume Designer

Laurent Pelly’s Falstaff passes the Naples test with flying colours

Lorenzo Fiorito, 15th February

The French director’s much-travelled production arrives at the Teatro di San Carlo, displaying a precise balance between word, gesture and voice.

*****

Pelly’s iconic Fille du régiment retains its charm at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 17th October

Julie Fuchs and Juan Diego Flórez give life to the refreshing and funny take of Laurent Pelly’s classic production, under the baton of Evelino Pidò.

****1

A forgotten meta-opera at La Scala: Gassmann’s L’opera seria

Laura Servidei, 29th March

Christophe Rousset leads a great cast and an even greater orchestra in Gassmann’s 1769 rarity in Laurent Pelly’s visually striking, but oddly subdued, take on a comedy that thrives on chaos.

***11

Massenet’s Cendrillon goes to the ball at Opera Australia

Sandra Bowdler, 15th January

This abridged version of Massenet's Cendrillon was clearly chosen for a wide Sydney audience, succeeding as a popular offering in the Australian summer holiday season.

****1

Bargain booze and questionable quackery: L'elisir d'amore at the ROH

Dominic Lowe, 22nd September

A triumphant house debut for Nadine Sierra in the latest revival of Laurent Pelly’s production of Donizetti's joyous village rom-com.

****1

Operetta with teeth: Offenbach’s La Périchole at the TCE

David Karlin, 13th November

Laurent Pelly’s new production combines froth and hilarity with a dark, satirical heart; Marc Minkowski and the orchestra seduce us.

****1

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David Smythe

David the farmer was drawn into music through choirs, orchestras, taking part in and directing 'serious' opera as a student. Passionate about live classical music, particularly chamber opera, unusual pieces and events and giving the next generation the tools to engage with the classical world.

Tales from the Stave: Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Edinburgh Festival