Afternoon on 3 - Thursday Opera Matinee - Rossini - Il barbiere di Siviglia

Katie Derham introduces the Los Angeles Opera production of Rossini's The Barber of Seville. From the moment of its premiere in Rome in 1816, The Barber of Seville became Rossini's most popular opera. Based on the first play of the trilogy by Pierre Beaumarchais, it forms a prequel to Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, which takes the second play as its plot. The two-act comic opera was written at lightning speed, with over 600 pages of manuscript produced in less than two weeks. Admittedly Rossini drew on music from earlier operas - most notably the overture borrowed from his 'Aureliano in Palmira', the premiere of which was a total fiasco. The score is pacy and melodically charming, with an abundance of musical ideas and comical scenes as Figaro helps Count Almaviva win the hand of the lovely Rosina. But first the Count and his trusty barber must stop her guardian, Doctor Bartolo, from marrying her himself. The most celebrated moments include Figaro's aria 'Largo al factotum', Rosina's aria 'Una voce poco fa' and their duet 'Dunque io son' (Act I, Scene II). For Los Angeles Opera's production of this masterpiece, the company's chorus and orchestra are joined by a stellar line-up of soloists - including Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez as the Count, American baritone Nathan Gunn as the resourceful barber and American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato as the young maiden Rosina - under the baton of Michele Mariotti. Figaro ..... Nathan Gunn (baritone) Count Almaviva ..... Juan Diego Florez (tenor) Rosina ..... Joyce DiDonato (mezzo-soprano) Doctor Bartolo ..... Bruno Praticò (bass) Don Basilio ..... Andrea Silvestrelli (bass) Berta ..... Kerri Marcinko (soprano) Fiorella ..... José Adán Pérez (baritone) Sergeant ..... Craig Colclough (baritone) Los Angeles Opera Chorus Los Angeles Opera Orchestra Michele Mariotti (conductor).