Scottish Opera: The Barber of Seville
Theatre Royal, Glasgow - 17/10/23
Orchestra of Scottish Opera | Chorus of The Barber of Seville | Stuart Stratford, conductor | Samuel Dale Johnson, baritone | Anthony Gregory, tenor | Simone McIntosh, mezzo-soprano | David Stout, bass-baritone | Inna Husieva, soprano | John Molloy, bass | Ross Cumming, baritone
Scottish Opera’s 2023-24 season kicked off in Glasgow’s Theatre Royal on 17th October with a revival of Sir Thomas Allen’s 2007 production of Rossini’s ‘Barber of Seville’. The comedic favourite was sung in English with English supertitles, in Amanda Holden’s translation, and was directed by Sir Thomas Allen himself. The production was designed by Simon Higlett and lit by Mark Jonathan. Stuart Stratford conducted.
I had the pleasure and privilege of attending a ticketed rehearsal/talk of the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, given by Stuart Stratford in the production studios last month, looking at the Barber and talking enlighteningly about the peculiarities of the work of an opera orchestra. Even allowing for the enhanced appreciation occasioned by the resultant honing of my ear, I thought the overture was particularly fine and, as the curtain raised seconds after it began, the perfect backdrop to the visually stimulating scene-setting, an early morning street scene (with a decidedly post-impressionist colour palette) outside Doctor Bartolo’s house, with an early-1900s feel in the detail and little gems of visual humour. At this early stage too, the stall of many of the other production values was set out: a seamless flow of pacy action, fabulously nuanced orchestral playing and satisfyingly amusing closely-observed visual detail, served by expert lighting. A promising start.
The promises were consistently delivered. Rossini’s prequel Almaviva is an altogether more charismatic character than Mozart’s: young lover rather than middle-aged lecher, and English tenor Anthony Gregory brought charisma and glorious tone to the role, in its multiple disguises, particularly excellent as the bogus drunken soldier demanding a billet chez Bartolo while delivering a billet doux. Australian baritone Samuel Dale Johnson was a persuasive, wily, resourceful Figaro, ably answering Rossini’s most exacting demands for vocal agility in the ‘Largo al factotum’ and thereafter. Pompous, parsimonious Doctor Bartolo, Rossini’s gift to character bass-baritones, was given a superb vocal and dramatic characterisation by English baritone David Stout. Irish bass John Molloy gave a stellar performance as an oily, devious, mercenary Don Basilio. Scottish baritone Ross Cumming, whose performances while studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland I have been delighted to review, is now a Scottish Opera emerging artist and delivered notably as Fiorello and Officer.
Rosina, a role that vies for the title “most migrated tessitura-wise over the years”, was sung (optimally to my taste) in the mezzo-soprano register by Swiss-Canadian Simone McIntosh, with exquisite coloratura and flawless messa di voce. Her Act I Scene 2 cavatina (‘Una voce poco fa’) and her Act II bogus singing lesson were absolute perfection. Ukrainian soprano, Inna Husieva, another Scottish Opera emerging artist, was excellent as Berta, Bartolo’s long-suffering housekeeper, and shone in her Act II aria decrying the bedlam of the Bartolo madhouse (‘Il vecchiotto cerca moglie’).
In summary, this is a superb production, all artistic elements converging to deliver comic opera at its very best. There are another 4 performances in Glasgow, 4 in Edinburgh and 2 each in Inverness and Aberdeen. Heartily recommended.