By Penelope Glaittli
Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s production of The Barber of Seville, at the beautiful Ellen Eccles Theatre in Logan, Utah, is, in a word, breathtaking. I am not a regular at the opera, in fact this was only my second, and I was apprehensive as I entered the theatre. But, then, conductor Nicolas Guisti took his place, the orchestra started to play, and the apprehension melted away as the beautiful work of composer Gioachino Rossini was brought to life. The next few hours were a rush of marvelous voices, superb acting, a gorgeous set, and outstanding entertainment.
As the curtain rises, the audience is immediately transported to a street in Seville where Count Almaviva, beautifully sung by Kirk Dougherty, is unsuccessfully attempting to draw the attention of Rosina (Kara Cornell) by paying locals to serenade her. His plan is unsuccessful, however, and the disappointed Count must dismiss the passionate locals. Conveniently for the Count, Figaro (Gabriel Preisser) makes his way onto the stage and after winning the audience’s heart with his opening aria, hatches a plan to bring together the love-struck Count Almaviva, alias Lindoro, and the lovely Rosina.
Complicating things is Rosina’s jealous guardian, Doctor Bartolo (Stephanos Tsirakoglou), who isolates her and has intentions of marrying her himself. Bartolo, superbly sung and acted by Tsirakoglou, has an ally in Rosina’s music teacher, Don Basilio (Kevin Nakatani). Berta, the governess, played to perfection by Sarah-Nicole Carter, makes brief but often hilarious appearances in which she bemoans her life as a spinster and is clearly annoyed by the shrewd Doctor Bartolo.
The men have plans, but Rosina is no wilting flower who is waiting for men to figure things out and she often takes matters into her own hands. Cornell, in her character’s first solo number, assures the audience that she’s a good, obedient girl who’s a viper if crossed. Cornell is one of the highlights of this production, her voice is powerful and beautiful and the bold, sassy attitude she brings to the role is refreshingly fun. What ensues for the rest of this production is a classic battle of wits as the different alliances attempt to outfox each other.
The characters in this production are in constant movement and display ample looks of puzzlement, bewilderment, and confusion that are a joy to behold. Each part is played and sung to perfection including the ensemble who flood the stage as a musical troupe in the opening act and return as an intimidating, yet somewhat bumbling, police force near the end. There is a sense of vitality and fun in the production that I wasn’t expecting but was so glad to have found.
The creative team including Director Curt Olds, Set Designer Mary M. Zoeller, Lighting Designer Chris Wood, and Sound Designer Carl J. Whitaker create a fantastic production including a square in front of Bartolo’s home and a room inside. The actors use the spaces to create many of the comedic moments where something as simple as locking the door becomes a repeated source of amusement. The costume design (Anna Bjornsdotter) and the wig and make-up design (Georgianna Eberhard) are classic and enhance the beauty of the production.
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The Barber of Seville is sung in Italian with projected English supertitles, but don’t let this deter you. The beautiful music, sensational singing, and perfectly executed comedy make Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre’s production of The Barber of Seville a show that should not be missed. Note: It is two hours long and has a 20-minute intermission, so I’d bring tweens who love opera and anyone older. Make that tweens and everyone older. This production is marvelous.
Photo Credit: Waldron Creative
Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre presents The Barber of Seville, by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Ellen Eccles Theatre 43 S. Main St., Logan, UT 84321
Select nights July 5, 2018-August 3, 2018 7:30 PM
Tickets: $16-$79,800.262.0074 ext 3
Contact: 435.750.0300
Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre Facebook Page
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