Customer Reviews

Rossini - Il Barbiere di Siviglia / Santi, Kasarova, Lanza, Macias, Ghiaurov, Chausson, Zurich Opera

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I most certainly agree with the Editorial comments above, Vesselina Kasarova is truly amazing in this work. Having been impressed by her performances in La Belle Helene and The Damnation of Faust I was eagerly awaiting her next work on DVD. Not only can she easily accomplish all the vocal demands of the role (her high notes are truly thrilling) but she also has great acting ability. Her timing, so necessary when working on a revolving stage, whose movement is not restricted to `between scenes' but is actually a completely integrated part of the choreography for the whole work, is accurate and assured. Her ability to perform complex acts of manual dexterity while singing a complicated aria is wonderful to see. While there is always plenty of movement on stage, it is never as distracting as the version directed by Dario Fo for the Netherlands Opera.
The updating of the opera to the beginning of the twentieth century seems entirely appropriate, though the first appearance of Count Almaviva riding a scooter is a little disconcerting at the start of the first act. There are no disappointments after that. The hero Figaro entering the stage on an antique motorcycle and sidecar is much better. Almaviva's two disguises seem quite believable. I enjoyed all of the supporting performances, none more so than Elizabeth Rae Magnuson as the Berta the maid. Her brief time on stage was memorable.
This is the best version of this popular work that I have heard. I was tempted to buy the Cecilia Bartoli version until I saw that it was stereo and not Surround Sound. I am glad I waited, as this is a wonderfully recorded opera, only occasionally are the noises of singers running across the stage more noticeable than one would really like. The orchestra conducted by Nello Santi reveals every small nuance of the music.
I enjoyed this opera very much and would put it on a par, musically and entertainment-wise, with that of another work by Rossini, `La Cenerentola' (Cecilia Bartoli version).

Everything about this production is outstanding--the photography, the creative set design, the use of color, the quality of the music and singing, the costumes, the attention to detail, and especially the acting. The cast is believable and obviously having a great time with it. I'd use this DVD to introduce someone to opera. I've seen other productions, and none can compare to this. My only complaint is the lack of extras which we've come to expect with our DVDs. I also have the Dutch version with all the extra comic pantomime, which is creative, but is a bit distracting from telling the story. I buy a lot of opera DVDs (much cheaper than buying a ticket) and this is one of the best I've seen.

Ms. Kasarova has a huge and powerful voice. Though, sometimes I felt her high notes are kind of bursting out of the context. (Well, I am in no position to judge anyways).
The Orchestra is wonderful indeed. I probably have not heard the better overtures of this opera anywhere else. Live recording also, that's something amazed me. Bravo.
Other people said this casts have heavy Russian accent. I guess that has a grain of the truth because they are Russians. But, doesn't bother me probably because I speak Chinese ;)
The stage of this Zurich Opera House is not the biggest I have seen, but still beautiful.
I am definitely going to watch another version of this 'the barber of seville', to see if there are huge differences with this one.
enjoy

Esta es una version de 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' de gran nivel, tanto en lo vocal como en lo visual.
El reparto lo encabeza una VESSELINA KASAROVA que traza una Rosina plena de medios vocales y coqueta de actuacion. Bien secundada está la Kasarova por el divertido y bien cantado Figaro de MANUEL LANZA y por el sobresaliente Doctor Bartolo del siempre genial CARLOS CHAUSSON y el gran Don Basilio del ya veterano NICOLAI GHIAUROV. El equipo de secundarios rinde a un gran nivel, especialmente la soprano que interpreta a Berta.
Pero ¿Y Almaviva, el protagonista masculino de la obra? Cae en manos de REINALDO MACIAS, que no tiene su mejor dia y realiza una interpretacion vocal muy discreta, con los agudos forzados y la coloratura no apta.
Muy bien la orquesta dirigida por el tambien veterano NELLO SANTI, que impone su larga experiencia una vez mas, ahora en Rossini.
La version que se presenta es la habitual (con los cortes habituales) es decir: falta el recitativo de Fiorello que cierra el cuadro 1 del acto I (pocos lo echaran en falta) y el aria para Almaviva 'Cessa di piu resistere en el acto II (visto el estado de Macias lo mejor es que falte la pagina). Falta tambien el aria para Rosina 'Ah se e ver che in tal momento' en el acto II, pero no es de extrañar, siendo la Kasarova una mezzosoprano. En fin, no hay ninguna falta especialmente grave.
¿Y la puesta en escena? Actual e ingeniosa nos presenta una serie de abanicos giratorios que presentan calles y distintas habitaciones de la casa del Doctor Bartolo, acertadamente situada aqui en el siglo XX. Una puesta en escena francamente divertida que termina de redondear una muy interesante version del 'Barbiere'.

This first: Staging and imagination: Compared with the Barber version of the Netherlands Opera - this Zurich Opera house version is unimaginatively staged, boring and something of amateurish...Compared with the Teatro Real Madrid, this Zurich Opera house production is a real bad joke.
Now the singing:
The Russian Mezzo Vesselina Kasarova needs badly to work on her Italian diction and specially on the "L", and "N" pronunciation which comes out like she is still in Russia (they are heavily Russian pronounced and heavy laid).
Yes, she has a specially large powerful lower chest register that she likes to flash each time she takes a lower note nose-dive and she likes to push that note almost forcing it into the chest register, which is not needed and not called for all of the time; this forcing into the chest voice hinders her from developing a more charmer insight into the roll, as a reasult she sounds stiff and unimaginative.
One listen to Jennifer Larmore (also a Mezzo-soprano) in this same roll - and with the Netherlands Opera - will easily prove this point. Larmore has much more in her vocal arsenal than this Vesselina Kasarova and she too can reach the lowest register (and often does so); only that Larmore does it with charm, wit and imagination...Mind you: Larmore can ride the lower notes AND the high notes that 'invades' into the Coloratura-soprano territory, and she does this with no hesitation - so secure is she of the vocal arsenal she possesses - besides; Larmore while singing and moving about is a much more pretty sight to watch than either of the other Rosina's, the Russian Kasarova or the Spanish Maria Bayo that performs with the Teatro Real Madrid (Maria Bayo is a soprano that takes too many vocal risks and can hardly escape a vocal flat note and fall...She is not too good and not a pretty sight to watch either).
The Zurich production presents Reinaldo Macias in the Graf Almavia roll. Well he is fine, singing the standard thinned basic-version, much without any wit or special charms - not to be compared with the Teatro Real Madrid Juan Diego Florez (a marvel !), or the Netherlands Opera production with Richard Croft in thre roll of Almaviva (nice chap this one is and much into the roll with charms to spare...and his flexible 'Tenorino' voice is a great, so is his acting talents...)
All in all for staging and imaginative as well as for singing, one should own both versions of the Barber: One with the Netherlands Opera, the other with the Teatro Real Madrid; but NOT this one with the Russian singer. Definitely not.

I have seen Rossini's work a dozen times all over the world. This production is a disgrace. The sets and costumes and props have absolutely nothing to do with the opera. Mostly to blame is the production director, who clearly was paying more attention to his ego than Rossini. I pity the poor singers who had to parade around the stage fondling a Rossini bust, playing with test tubes, riding on scooters, and lots of other nonsense which adds nothing to the genuine comedy in the original story as it is traditionally presented. Don't waste your time on this version if you love opera or respect Rossini.