Review – Rossini’s “Barbiere” at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival: Cecilia coos, Rolando conjures up | News and criticism | BR CLASSIC
Review – Rossini’s “Barbiere” at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival
Cecilia coos, Rolando conjures
06/04/2022 by Michael Atzinger
More than 150 operas are set in Seville, says Cecilia Bartoli. The Italian mezzo-soprano has been directing the Salzburg Whitsun Festival since 2012 and this year is focusing on the southern Spanish city to breathe new life into the most famous Italian opera classic set in Seville – Gioacchino Rossini’s “Barbiere di Siviglia”. She sings the role of Rosina herself, and has hired Rolando Villazon to direct it. The opera had its premiere in Salzburg on Friday evening. The result: an acclaimed triumph.
Image source: Monika Rittershaus
Radiant light, glowing heat and the intoxicating scent of orange blossoms – that’s what Seville stands for, at least that’s what the program booklet of this production tells us. Rolando Villazon’s Seville is another; a past and once again longingly conjured up. One in a sober art deco setting in sepia, black and silver. A projectionist uses every free minute to watch black and white classics with his diva – Cecilia Bartoli, as a pirate, as Cleopatra, projected larger than life onto the house walls. And then comes the moment we know from Woody Allen: the film heroes step out of the scene and perform “Once upon a time in Seville”. The whole evening these two worlds merge into one another. Arturo Brachetti, an Italian variety artist, plays the silent role of the film fan in a melancholy dreamy way and ties the scenes together with irresistible charm. He is celebrated by the public for his magical acting in the intermediate realm of illusion and reality.
A scenic-musical total work of art
Scene from the Rossini opera “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival 2022 | Image source: Monika Rittershaus
Villazon’s directorial work is reminiscent of one of the most beautiful opera productions by the great Jean-Pierre Ponnelle – Rossini’s “Cenerentola” many years ago in Munich. Villazon choreographs every note of the score. The music never stands for itself. At every moment she is accompanied, accompanied, commented on – by looks, gestures, dance steps. Villazon sets a perfectly running machine in motion – and can rely on ravishing singer-actors: Figaro Nicola Alaimo is incredibly graceful on the scooter despite his massive body (which he always stages with never ridiculing self-mockery) and almost explodes vocally in his first aria. Don Basilio, also a quote from the film, always crawls over the walls of the house as a huge shadow before his performances; the demonization works great. Ildebrando d’Arcangelo is a luxury cast.
The lovers: A dream
Edgardo Rocha as Count Almaviva needs a little time until the coloratura pearls, but after his sparkling duet in Act 2 with Cecilia Bartoli one fears that the evening will continue because of the never-ending jubilation. The diva sounds a bit harsher than before, but she coos and giggles as ever, and the flexible and intonatory precision is still unique. The impressive power of the almost 70-year-old Alessandro Corbelli in the role of old Bartolo, who has to bury his dream of a young wife – and wants to give the man a comforting hug when he is lost.
Magic and Disenchantment
Scene from the Rossini opera “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival 2022 | Image source: Monika Rittershaus
The fabulous musicians of the original sound orchestra Les Musiciens du Prince under Gianluca Capuano return everything that resounds at them from the stage: they cheer and snarl, swear and cheer on their instruments. Is it all sunshine too? Not quite. The theater magician Rolando Villazon closes this feather-light evening with a little disenchantment: while Rosina is celebrating the happy ending, Almaviva is already flirting with someone else. Unconditional love only exists in films.
Broadcast: “Piazza” on June 4, 2022, from 08:05 a.m. on BR-KLASSIK