L'italiana in Algeri

Any Rossini opera is worth watching or hearing at least once. L'Italiana in Algeri is no exception, in fact while not among his masterpieces like Il Barbiere Di Siviglia, William Tell and La Cenerentola it is one of Rossini's better operas. This production is not quite as good as the 1986 and 1987 performances, both of which are classic examples of how Rossini should be performed, but it is still very, very good. The costumes and sets are simple but very pretty to watch, while the staging is fun without resorting to overkill or distaste. The beautiful music is performed with zest and style by the orchestra, the chorus blend very well and similarly in how they react to what is going on and the conducting keeps everything under control sufficiently. The performances are very good. Maybe Luciana D'Intino's voice is more suited to Verdi than to Rossini, but her voice is well-projected and rich and her manner on stage is both charming and commanding. Mark S.Doss is a characterful Mustafa, with a resonant yet agile voice that-if he hasn't done them already-is good for Bartolo and Don Magnifico. The Elvira and Zulma(Elvira especially) sing and act with no fault, and Alberto Rinaldi is solid as Taddeo. But the star of the show is Juan Diego Florez, whose Lindoro is just spectacular, Languir Per Una Bella in particular is very heartfelt and throughout he sings effortlessly. Overall, very good production, Florez is the main reason to see it. 9/10 Bethany Cox