Opera Reviews - The Barber of Seville and Rusalka

By: Deeba Mehr

The Barber of Seville

The Barber of Seville premiered in 1816 and is a member of the Opera Buffa genre*. The music was composed by Gioachino Rossini and the libretto (story and lyrics) was written by Cesare Sterbini, based on another opera of a similar name by Pierre Beaumarchais. It is a comedy sung in Italian.

The story takes place in Seville, Spain. Count Almaviva, a Spanish nobleman, is in love with Rosina, the ward of Dr. Bartolo. The doctor plans to marry her himself, and he tries to prevent Rosina and Count Almaviva from being together. The titular character, Figaro, the barber, tries to help the Count and Rosina while enjoying the ensuing drama without becoming a part of it himself.

In my opinion, the plot is funny and rarely feels too long or dragged-out. There is one scene that focuses on an old governess which felt a little pointless but did not diminish the enjoyment of the overall show. The jokes wear well and don’t appear to have lost their lustre since the 19th century. The music is also memorable and a good reflection of the on-stage activities.

The particular performance that I watched was on Operavision’s website from Chile’s Teatro Municipal de Santiago in 2019. The staging was tastefully minimalistic without feeling as though anything was lacking.The three leading actors were all well-suited to the roles: Rodion Pogossov as Figaro, Levy Sekgapane as Count Almaviva, and Victoria Yarovaya as Rosina. Sekgapane sang his role remarkably well and Pogossov was a quintessential Figaro; I can’t imagine anyone being more appropriate for the role than him with his mannerisms and–for lack of a better word– Figaro-esque demeanour.

Extra: At the end of the last act, there is an aria sung by Count Almaviva. Rossini initially left it out of the opera as it can make the performance a little too long, but some productions reinsert it if the tenor singing the role can manage it.

Rusalka

Rusalka was composed by Antonin Dvořák and premiered in Prague in 1901. The libretto, written by Jaroslav Kvapil, is in Czech and the plot was inspired by Slavic mythology. The story revolves around a water nymph called Rusalka, and follows a similar line as The Little Mermaid. Rusalka falls in love with a human and makes a deal with the witch Ježibaba to turn into a human at the cost of her immortality and ability to speak.

The plot is very easy to follow, especially if you are already familiar with the story of The Little Mermaid. That being said, it isn’t identical to the Disney movie so don’t use that as a reason not to watch it. If you don’t feel like watching a historical opera, perhaps one inspired by myths is better suited to you.

The music is wonderful. “Song to the Moon” is a particularly beautiful aria that you may well have already heard without knowing that it’s from this opera. Similarly to The Barber of Seville, the score reflects what happens on the stage well.

The production that I watched was on the Operavision website from the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. Of all the operas I’ve seen, this is definitely the most beautiful in terms of staging and lighting. On the stage are two wooden structures that revolve around each other to change the set. These structures are built in a way that looks as though they are underwater, and the lighting serves to complement that. Another minimalistic set design, but this is certainly a case where less is more.

This production is also unique in that it doubles traditional operatic singers with dancers. For each of the main characters, there is another actor who dances the role. It can take a little while to get used to, but once you get into it, it truly enhances the performance.

If you want to watch this opera–and I highly recommend that you do–it is still available for free on the Operavision website until mid-August 2020.

* Opera Buffa is a genre also known as Comic Opera. Opéra Comique is similar, though usually sung in French rather than Italian.