REVIEW: Rossini’s THE BARBER OF SEVILLE at Wilton’s Music Hall 12 – 23 March 2024

‘Classic opera meets the wild, wild West’ ★★★★ ½

The plots of many operas are very silly, and Rossini’s much-loved Barber of Seville is among the silliest. Charles Court Opera’s production ramped up the silliness to the heights of absurdity. The result was a joyous, fast paced romp of a performance, with laugh out loud moments that left the audience gasping for more.

Charles Court Opera’s production was set in a wild West saloon. Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina. Disguised as Lindoro, he woos her with the help of his cunning hired man Figaro. Rosina’s guardian Bartolo wants to marry Rosina for her fortune and plots with sleazy Don (or in Charles Court’s version Dan) Basilio to get Rosina to the altar. But Bartolo underestimates his clever and feisty ward Rosina who only has eyes for Lindoro. I think you can guess the ending…

Meriel Cunningham’s Rosina was astonishing. She slid from the rich chocolate tones of her chest voice to her bell-like top notes with ease, her coloratura passages were light and precise – no mean feat given the tempo of much of the music - and her comedic acting made hers one of the best Rosina’s I’ve ever seen. She was well matched by Jonathan Eyers’ fabulous Figaro, and his rendition of the much-loved aria “Largo al factotum” was pure joy. Matthew Kellet was hilarious as Bartolo.

David Eaton’s English translation of the libretto was at times heavy handed with its jokes and clunky rhymes, but he captured the spirit of the piece well. His piano accompaniment of the show was a tour de force in itself, and the brio with which he played meant I never yearned for the orchestra he replaced.

Jonathan Savournin’s direction brought physical comedy and pace to the piece and made some of drawn-out passages in the opera (like the “go to bed” scene) as interesting as they could be. They may wish to relook at some of the lighting states which left performers in the dark at points.

For those less familiar with or nervous of going to the opera, Charles Court’s fun and high energy Barber of Seville would be a great first experience. Catch it while you still can.

Photography: Bill Knight

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini

Wilton’s Music Hall, 12 -23 March 2024, (with matinees on Saturdays)

Tickets: https://www.wiltons.org.uk/

Performers: Jonathan Eyers, Joseph Doody, Meriel Cunnigham, Matthew Kellet, Hugo Herman-Wilson, Ellie Laugharne, Arthur Bruce

Musical Director: David Eaton

Director: John Savournin

Set and costume design: Good Teeth

Lighting Design: Ben Pickersgill

Company: Charles Court Opera

Reviewer: Srabani Sen

Srabani is a theatre actress and playwright. As an actress she has performed at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (The Globe), the Arcola, Southwark Playhouse, The Pleasance and numerous fringe theatres, in a range of roles from Shakespeare to plays by new and emerging writers. She has written several short and full length plays. Her play Tawaif was longlisted for the ETPEP Finborough award, and her play Vijaya was shortlisted for the Sultan Padamsee Playwrights Award in Mumbai.