While opera is often associated with drama and tragedy, Gioachino Rossini’s ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ (or ‘The Barber of Seville’) is bringing operatic light-hearted comedy to the Teatru Manoel stage, running from the 9^th to the 15^th of March. Anyone remotely familiar with the world of opera has undoubtedly heard of this unusually jolly 1800s opera, featuring the timeless character of Figaro and the lively aria ‘Largo al factotum’.

The production is directed by Paul Carr, with the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Michael Laus, set design by Adrian Mamo, and costume design by Denise Mulholland. With its ‘ridiculously silly’ plot and ‘memorable tunes’, director Paul Carr looks forward to this ‘welcome change’ seeing actors bring their own interpretation and comic timing to the national stage.

‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ features performances by local and international performers, including Leonardo Ferrando as the Count of Almaviva, Felipe Oliveira as Don Bartolo, Heather Lowe as Rosina, and Andre Morsch as Figaro the barber. Pavlo Balakin plays Basilio, James Agius plays Fiorello, and Alexandra Camilleri Gambin plays Berta. A twelve-strong male choir from KorMalta adds to the vocal prowess of the performance, under the direction of Riccardo Bianchi.

Paul Carr notes that the baroque magic of the Teatru Manoel only lends more ambience to the performance, enhancing ‘the opera’s natural playfulness’, written in 1815 when Rossini himself was just 24 years old!

Performances will take place at Teatru Manoel on the 9th, 11th, 13th, and 15th of March 2025 at 7.30 PM. ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ forms part of Teatru Manoel’s ‘Rossini Week’ which will also feature recitals of Rossini’s ‘Sins of Old Age’ and ‘Petite Messe Solennelle’. For more information on this production of ‘Il Barbiere di Siviglia’ and to book your tickets, visit the Teatru Manoel website, call the Box Office at (+356) 21246389 or pop into the Box Office on Old Theatre Street in Valletta.

Ready for some comical operatic fun?