Without a doubt, Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) was the perfect choice for Knoxville Opera’s winter production. With a clever directorial hand and impressive casting, this weekend’s performance at the Tennessee Theatre of this bel canto masterpiece demonstrated why it deserves its reputation as one of the truly foundational comic operas of the 19th Century.
At the helm of this superb gem of a production was director Dean Anthony who moved a terrific cast through the push and pull of physical comedy and imparted to them a wealth of comic details that gave the storytelling a marvelous sparkle on top of outstanding vocal performances. Noted for giving singers both energetic movement and delicious character details, Anthony went a step farther and gave himself the comic non-singing character role (pseudonymously) of the elderly and teetering Ambrogio, the servant of Dr. Bartolo.
Making up the cast of Il Barbiere di Siviglia were baritone Eleomar Cuello as Figaro, tenor Andrew Morstein as Count Almaviva, mezzo-soprano Sarah Coit as Rosina, baritone Steven Condy as Dr. Bartolo, baritone Edwin Jhamaal Davis as Basilio, bass baritone Deshawn Stevens as Fiorello, and soprano Tori Franklin as Berta.
Cuello was a sensational Figaro, his rich, confidently-edged voice a gorgeous match for his good-natured and comically swaggering character. Displaying what can only be described as “performance gravity,” he made his bold entrance and introduction in Act I down the aisle of the Tennessee theatre singing his “Largo al factotum,” a staging and a musical moment that delivered exactly what one hopes for in a grand entrance. It should be noted that Cuello’s ease and confident demeanor may be fully explainable. He sang 7 performances as Fiorello in the Metropolitan Opera’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia last April and May — and just completed 5 performances as Dancaïre in January in the Met’s current production of Carmen.
While tenors in the role of Count Almaviva often try to find an unusual angle to describe the character, Morstein took a safe and laudable route, that of a romantic character willing to try anything that Figaro suggests to gain the girl. Given the turns of character—nobleman, romantic, impoverished student, drunken soldier, and fake music teacher Don Alonso—it’s easy to overlook the impressive vocal demands of the role, demands that Morstein handled beautifully, and with power and a clarity of tone.
Coit was the perfect Rosina, her performance showing plenty of sparkle and vocal agility, backed up with power as needed, as evidenced in Act II’s “Contro un cor” sung with Almaviva in disguise as Don Alonso. This was in service to a character that, thankfully, had real intelligence and wit, a character that had a believable chemistry with the Count.
Having delighted Knoxville Opera audiences in the title role in Verdi’s Falstaff in 2023, Steven Condy was a terrific, and probably obvious, choice for Dr. Bartolo. As a harumphing comic figure of more than ample girth, he was a laugh-out-loud delight. But, his rich, magisterial voice set him apart from others one might have seen in the role. The Act II scene of the Doctor getting his shave from Figaro was comedy gold.
Edwin Jhammal Davis took a funny turn as the ethically compromised Basilio, not one to turn down an opportunity to pocket some candlesticks. Deshawn Stevens was solid as Almaviva’s servant, Fiorello, as well as the Officer.
Another familiar face and voice for Knoxville Opera audiences was soprano Tori Franklin in the not-to-be-overlooked role of Berta, the maid. Whether by head cold or allergies, she sneezes her way—comically— through her duties, at least the ones that she chooses to do, giving the smallest of details a major effort. During the thunderstorm interlude, she and Ambrogio perform a bucket ballet-of-sorts that was marvelous. And, her aria “Il vecchiotto cerca moglie” in Act II, got her a solid ovation.
Conductor Joseph Mechavich was in the Tennessee Theatre pit with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, having conducted previous KO productions of La Traviata and The Pirates of Penzance. While I was expecting a crisper tempo in the Overture, I had only to wait for what was a very dynamic evening in which instrumental colors from the orchestra were almost part of the action. The men of the KO Chorus made up the solid forces of comic serenaders and police officers—prepared here by Chorus Director Christy Lee.
Although regional opera companies often have to settle for rented sets from other companies, this Il Barbiere di Siviglia set of Spanish villa flavor by Robert Little from Tri-Cities Opera Company was a winner.
There is one more performance of Knoxville Opera’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia on Sunday afternoon, February 22, 2:30 PM, at the Tennessee Theatre. Some tickets still available at the door.
