Figaro, one of opera’s most endearing characters, features in the Welsh National Opera season at Llandudno this week.
The trio of productions, titled ‘Figaro Forever’, is a tribute to the character created by Beaumarchais and immortalised in operas by Mozart and Rossini.
WNO started the season with Rossini’s Barber of Seville. Featuring Ralph Koltai’s striking revolving set the stage has no shortage of colour.
But Sam Brown’s updated version of one of the greatest masterpieces of operatic comedy was all a bit surreal and quite frankly silly.
There are silly walks, sillier voices and jokes about flatulence. Men in dresses whack each other with saucepans and rolling pins in slow motion and there was a lengthy sequence where the lecherous Dr Bartolo accidentally sits on a hypodermic needles.
The singing was top notch throughout however. Nicholas Lester was an engaging Figaro, his height enuring he commanded the stage whenever he appeared.
Claire Booth played Rosina but I found her portrayal as a vamp in basque and suspenders in the first half in stark contrast to the bookish schoolgirl outfit. She has a fine voice and a resourceful actress and made the part work.
Nico Darmanin makes an endearing Almaviva and Richard Wiegold and Rosie Hay made strong contributions as Basilio and Berta.
The excellent WNO orchestra, conducted by James Southall, gave the evening a strong base. The overture, one of the best known pieces of orchestral music, was given an entertaining twist by the appearance of some dancing barbers carrying outsize scissors.
While this production may not be to everyone’s taste The Barber of Seville did succeed in entertaining the Venue Cymru audience bringing broad smiles throughout and prompting plenty of laughs.
There were even a few Ahhs - the dogs were the real stars of the show!
The Barber of Seville is at Venue Cymru on Friday, March 11 at 7.15pm. The Figaro Forever season also features The Marriage of Figaro on March 9 and 12 at 7pm and Figaro gets a Divorce on March 10.
More details online or from the Venue Cymru Box Office on 01492 872000.
