The Barber of Seville

Composed by Gioachino Rossini Libretto by Cesare Sterbini Premiered 1816 in Rome Sung in Italian with English Projected Titles DATES February 13 – 21, 2027 VENUE Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC RUNNING TIME Approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission. If you’ve heard of Figaro, chances are you’ve heard of him a number of times in a row (Figaro...Figaro...Figaro...Fiiiiiiiiiiiigaro!!!). Figaro is something of a fixer, and not just of hair. In this adventure, the industrious barber works to unite two young lovers, Count Almaviva and Rosina, but to do so, he must also thwart Dr. Bartolo’s plan to make Rosina his bride, thereby pocketing her considerable dowry. Arguably the most buffa opera of all opera buffas, The Barber of Seville is a joyful, high energy romp that delights the eyes and ears while offering a much-needed counterbalance to the deep, dark doldrums of a Vancouver midwinter. In a colourful reimagining by the dynamic Canadian creative duo of director Morris Panych and designer Ken MacDonald, Barber’s fast-paced plot is kept aloft by the unrivalled comedic chemistry between Cesare Sterbini’s libretto and Rossini’s energetic, endlessly inventive melodies, steered here by Maestro Leslie Dala. Admittedly, opera can lean a bit towards the tragic, so it may surprise some that in a story full of trickery, scheming, and lovers separated by a despicable villain…everything ends well! Save that pit in your stomach for another day and enjoy a sparkling, laugh-out-loud comedy ride packed with irresistible melodies, scissor-sharp scheming, and Rossini’s most famous tunes.