Several years ago, Scottish Opera commissioned Sir Thomas Allen to create several bankable productions, so it was a delight to see a second revival of his 2007 Barber of Seville, a popular choice which will travel across Scotland to open the season. Allen, a renowned Figaro in his time, knows the opera inside-out and it was wonderful to see him back in Glasgow to keep things sharp, ensuring the riotous wit and pace was fresh as paint.
The laughs begins early as light buffoonery takes place during the overture on Simon Higlett’s busy Seville street set all in blue and ochre, conductor Stuart Stratford setting a brisk pace. The pit was raised to ‘period performance’ height, bringing the players in front of the stage, producing a lively immediacy to the sound with tightly focussed strings and bright woodwinds. Coordination between pit and stage throughout was pinpoint accurate, Stratford carefully shaping the music and letting rip excitingly in the big crescendos, providing the singers with a challenge.
Previous runs of this production were in Italian, so it was surprising that this time it was sung in English in the late Amanda Holden’s translation, which, although certainly witty, struggles to fit the notes neatly, especially in the fast patter songs. Rosina’s singing lesson aria was sung in Italian, giving us a glimpse of what might have been.
Higlett’s set opens out from the street to the faded magnificence of Doctor Bartolo’s house by a wearily grumpy servant, Ambrogio (Paul Anwyl making the part his own since the original production). The cluttered multi-level room with many doors for comings and goings serves the production well and I love the lights and birdcage swinging about in the storm scene. Higlett’s period costumes with a twist are eye-catching in detail and all is craftily lit by Mark Jonathan, bringing out bright Spanish colours.
Barber is as much about deftness of acting as it is singing, Allen’s detailed direction from principal singers down to the minor characters works a treat, making this production sparkle with fun. The male chorus of bandsmen and soldiers sang with gusto, but were never less than amusing with moustaches on sticks, a double bass player on stilts and, later, as a juggling soldier all adding visual impact to the organised chaos of the first act. Comedy may be tricky to pull off, but a series of running gags, perfectly judged deadpan, the hilarious music lesson and the daring escape all found plenty of laughs. There is a lot of stage business especially the various notes and letters, so integral to the story. Allen’s tight direction of the ensemble brings out detail, his company’s feel for timing making farce look easy, a random couple of curious nuns appearing for added effect.
On opening night, the production took a little time to bed in, but Samuel Dale Johnson emerged as a likeable, mischievous Figaro and Anthony Gregory a perfectly matched Count Almaviva, both very finely sung and devilishly setting up the plot to fool David Stout’s characterful Bartolo, larger than life, especially in his patter songs. Stealing the show, (and talent spotted by Allen) was Swiss Canadian mezzo Simone McIntosh as Rosina, her bright coloratura perfectly matching the role with plenty of volume in reserve for outmanoeuvring the lecherous Bartolo. Making her Scottish Opera debut, she is a singer to watch.
There was no weak link in the ensemble, John Molloy’s Don Basilio, bought for a wad of Figaro’s notes, was delightfully oily. Ross Cumming, on double duty as Fiorello and a very comic Officer, and Ukranian soprano Inna Husieva, as Berta, both excelled themselves. Arias were well delivered and ensembles were finely balanced, keeping the momentum going.
Scottish Opera has a rather thin main stage season this year, but this makes a entertaining start, a truly delightfully sung opera buffa, brilliantly directed and packed with fun.
