Rossini Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (1992)

For his first opera production Dario Fo the theatre director known for his brilliant wit chose to stage Rossinis Il Barbiere di Siviglia sung in Italian for the Netherlands Opera First mounted in 1987 it was a huge success and a live recording of its revival in May 1992 the 200th anniversary of Rossinis birth has been made Fo has said that Rossini is the musician of eating and love He composes music rich in herbs and aromas in which you find olives tomatoes fish grapes roses and rosemary sheets and tablecloths dry wine and the laughter of girls His Barber is a joyful carnival During the overture he fills the stage with carnival revelers and immediately the commedia dell arte origins of opera buffa are restored Visual theatrics abound never at the expense of the music but highlighting it engaging the eye as well as the ear Fo addresses the heart more than the intellect and Rossinis comedy comes up dazzling and vital