Opera San Jose to Celebrate 200th Anniversary of THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

The Barber of Seville is one of the most sparkling, effervescent comedies created. This joke-a-minute masterpiece spread across the world like wildfire from its 1816 premiere, and it remains among one of the most popular works for the stage today. Charged with vocal fireworks, Rossini's Barber of Seville received 989 performances in 227 productions at 154 cities across the globe in the past two years alone. It made Rossini world famous and has become the most popular comic opera of all time.

Opera San José will observe the 200th anniversary of this richly entertaining comedy with six performances, opening in San José's California Theatre on November 12, closing November 27, 2016. The California Theatre is at 345 S. First Street in downtown San José.

Tickets are available by phone, online, and at the Opera San José Box Office at 2149 Paragon Drive in San José. Prices range from $10 for students, ages 25 and younger with a current student ID, and $56 to $176 for adults. Box office phone: 408-437-4450 or go to operasj.org.

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

Composer: Gioachino Rossini

Librettist: Cesare Sterbini

Conductor/Chorus Master: Andrew Whitfield

Stage Director: Layna Chianakas

Set Designer: Matthew Antaky

Costume Director: Alyssa Oania

Lighting Designer: Kent Dorsey

Wigs/Makeup: Christina Martin

Assistant Conductor: Dana Sadava

Cast: Rosina Renee Rapier

Almaviva Kirk Dougherty •

Figaro Brian James Myer • (11/12, 11/13, 11/17, 11/20)

Mathew Hanscom • (11/22, 11/27)

Bartolo Valerian Ruminski

Basilio Colin Ramsey •

Berta Teressa Foss

Fiorello Babatunde Akinboboye

• Principal artist in the resident company

Dates: November 12, 13m, 17, 20m, 22, 27m

Time: "m" indicates matinee at 3pm; all other performances are at 8pm

The Barber of Seville Preview: November 1, 2016, at 12 p.m., Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, 150 East Fernando Street, Beethoven Center, 5th floor, downtown San José; Free vocal preview with members of the cast. For information, call 408-437-4450.

Introduction to Opera: General Director Larry Hancock will present a free 45-minute talk to ticket holders about the opera at the California Theatre before each performance of The Barber of Seville. The talk begins at 6:30pm prior to evening performances and at 1:30pm prior to Sunday matinees. No reservations required.

To learn more about The Barber of Seville, visit operasj.org.

Opera San José, performing at the beautiful California Theatre in downtown San José, is a professional, regional opera company that is unique in the United States. Maintaining a resident company of principal artists, Opera San José specializes in showcasing the finest young professional singers in the nation. In addition to mainstage performances, Opera San José maintains extensive educational programs in schools and in the community at large, and offers preview lectures and Introduction to Opera talks for all mainstage productions.

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