Review: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE BY ROSSINI at San Diego Civic Center Theater

Rossini’s Barber of Seville is a top ten opera in performances. Donors love it for its vocal gymnastics, memorable arias and sparkling melodies. Receptive newcomers like it because of its delightful bubbling overture, the familiar Figaro aria that soon follows, and its simple fast-moving sitcom-like plot.

San Diego Opera’s most recent production took full advantage of its attractions, from a merry note-perfect performance of the overture by the San Diego Symphony under Yves Abel to the full-cast closing scene. Abel was equally impressive in managing the subsequent balance needed between singers and orchestra.

The libretto by Cesare Sterbini tells of Count Almaviva’s infatuation with Rosina (Mezzo-Soprano Stephanie Doche). She is a ward of cranky old Dr. Bartolo (Bass-Baritone Patrick Carfizzi) who has long planned to marry her. When he learns the Count is in town to woo her, he decides to speed things up to a wedding the next day, an unwanted surprise for Rosina who is locked in Dr. Bartolo’s home.

Figaro (Baritone Dean Murphy), the much-in-demand barber as he proclaims in the opera’s best-known aria, has been hired by Almaviva to help in his pursuit of Rosina. When he gives the Count the bad news, they hatch a plot.

Figaro, who is the Doctor’s barber, introduces Almaviva to Bartolo and tells him he is a replacement teacher because her usual instructor Don Basilio (Bass-Baritone Craig Colclough) is ill. As you might imagine, comic complications ensue before all’s well that ends well.

In a recent interview, Director Chuck Hudson said he planned to emphasize the opera’s humor, and among his other accomplishments, he is a graduate of the Marcel Marceau International School of Mimedrama in Paris. The result is a master in the use of facial expressions, movements and comic timing.

Ask any stand-up comic. It’s not easy to make people laugh. Hudson coached his cast so well that the audience laughed at every opportunity the libretto provides while displaying the vocal skills required for Rossini’s bel canto style – agility, long legato melodic lines, florid ornamentation (coloratura), and beauty.

There were no weak links, but Stephanie Doche’s voice and Carfizzi’s comic talent were especially notable.

Doche’s "Una voce poco fa" was a mixture of touching and innocently flirtatious. Her liquid coloratura handled the vocal range, dynamics, long rapid legatos and sudden large interval jumps with ease. She deserved the audience’s enthusiastic response.

I doubt Carfizzi needed much comedic coaching. When I interviewed him before his San Diego debut as the Modern Major General in The Pirates of Penzance, he had me laughing throughout the one-hour conversation. In performance, he sang the operetta’s best-known aria at lightspeed without missing a syllable. The same vocal facility served him well in Rossini’s speed-challenging arias, and his talent for comical facial expressions and movements is one reason he has so often appeared at the MET.

The other primary (and secondary) roles were equally well cast. Murphy’s early “Largo al Factotum,” with its famous repeated “Figaros” was delivered with engaging roguish charm.    

Almaviva (Tenor Minghao Liu) is disguised as the poor student Lindoro because he doesn’t want to play the wealthy Count card in his pursuit of Rosina. Whether appearing as student or Count, Liu’s smile and attractive flexible tenor made him a likeable and believable young lover.

Bass-Baritones Craig Colclough as Rosina’s usual teacher Don Basilio, and Joseph Calzada as Almaviva's servant Fiorello sang with convincing authority. Hokuao.

Soprano Tasha Hokuao Koontz’s delivered an effective solo aria as Bartolo’s maid Berta. Phil Johnson, in the non-speaking role of Bartolo’s elderly servant Ambrogio, clearly benefited from Hudson’s mime coaching as he shuffled comically across the stage with stoic perseverance.

San Diego Symphony Chorus members in colorful costumes designed by Matthew LeFebvre added motion and excitement to the opening and closing scenes.

This was an impressive and enjoyable production of Rossini’s most popular opera.

Photos by Karli Cadel