El Barbero de Sevilla de Rossini: English National Opera

'Il Barbiere Di Siviglia' along with 'La Cenerentola' is my favourite of Rossini's operas.

The music is simply wonderful with a lot of the arias ("Una Voce Poco Fa", "Un Dottor Della La Sorte", "La Colunnia" and particularly the much parodied "Largo Al Factotum") being some of the composer's most famous. The characters are charming and entertaining, and the farcical-in-nature story even with a long first half is riotous entertainment when the comic timing is good.

English National Opera's production bounces along beautifully. A lot of their productions recently have not been very good recently, for example their 'La Traviata' was a rare case of having a complete lack of passion or any emotion for that matter, but this is one of their better efforts. It's in English, like all their productions, but it works surprisingly well, though the patter does flow much better in the Italian language, and a good way to introduce younger viewers to opera and understanding the story of the opera better (which has a lot going on).

Lighting is a bit dark and flatly lit at times, while the storm scene is rather too tame and cheapened by sound-efforts that really should thunder but sound under-recorded and like they belong in some bizarre cartoon from the 80s or something.

However, it is a very handsome looking production with sumptuous period costumes and sets that avoid being drab or garish. The staging is very intelligently done and fits the sparkling and hilarious nature of the opera without production, the funny moments really are so and the long first half does not drag. Nor does the potentially problematic end of Act 1, either cluttered or static, fall into any of the traps that it can do.

Musically, there is very little to complain about. The orchestra give a rousing account of the Overture and make the most of Rossini's very detailed and sometimes wonderfully extreme dynamics (especially the crescendos), while also providing sensitive moments in the likes of "Una Voce Poco Fa". The chorus are involved and are beautifully balanced, while the conducting is sympathetic to the performers but alive and alert to the drama and comedy going on on stage.

Andrew Shore's fantastic Bartolo steals the show. No stranger to the role, Shore still sounds gorgeously sonorous in the role and has much dexterity to his singing. His diction is crisply articulated, even in the English translation of "Un Dottor Della Mia Sorte", the pattering in Italian is difficult enough, wait until you hear it in English. Kathryn Rudge charms and sparkles effortlessly as Rosina, with a rich beautiful voice that doesn't sound too darkly heavy or light for the role (difficult when it's a mezzo role, a voice register that mezzos land in both extremes).

Productions of 'Il Barbiere Di Siviglia' needs a good Figaro to work. While not definitive, Morgan Pearse is very amusing, a lot of fun to watch and endearing while possessing a warm bass-like timbre while never sounding strained at the top, essential for a baritone role that's sat very high with the high Gs and As. Eleazar Rodriguez has no trouble characterising Almaviva, he's ardent and likable when not in disguise while also inducing great laughs as a drunken laughs and even more as the cheeky school teacher. His voice is sweet, agile and very pleasant to listen to but doesn't always project or balance well with the orchestra that are occasionally too loud and boisterous for him. Basilio is also darkly funny, and often forgettable roles like Berta are very well characterised.

Ton conclude, bounces along beautifully even with its flaws. One of ENO's better productions recently. 8/10 Bethany Cox