Title: Gioakkino Rossini: "The Barber of Seville"
Original title: Gioacchino Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Release year: 2009
Genre: opera
Director: Moshe Leiser, Patrice Caurier
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Cast: Juan Diego Florez (Count Almaviva), Joyce DiDonato (Rosina), Pietro Spagnoli (Figaro), Alessandro Corbelli (Doctor Bartolo), Ferruccio Furlanetto (Don Basilio), Jennifer Rhys-Davies (Berta), Changhan Lim (Fiorello) , Bryan Secombe (Ambrogio), Christoper Lackner (Officer), Andrew Macnair (Notary); Orchestra & Chorus of The Royal Opera House

Description:

The 23-year-old Gioachino Rossini completed his masterpiece Il barbiere di Siviglia incredibly quickly - legend has it in just 13 days - which Rossini attributed to 'facility and lots of instinct'. He drew on Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais' play Le Barbier de Seville - part of a dramatic trilogy that also produced Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. The opera is characterized by youthful energy and bold wit: qualities brought to the fore in Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier's colorful production. Filmed at the Royal Opera House, this Barbiere offers a unique dramatic twist: Joyce DiDonato, who had broken her leg on the opening night, went on with the show. As she said: 'Being trapped in the wheelchair was a quite literal way of demonstrating Rosina's huge desire to break free.'

Issued: United States | Erato
Duration: 2:57:17