Afternoon at the Opera

The Barber of Seville

 
two people singing on stage

metopera.org

From The Metropolitan Opera website

Rossini’s perfectly honed treasure survived a famously disastrous opening night (caused by factions and local politics more than any reaction to the work itself) to become what may be the world’s most popular comic opera. Several of its most recognizable melodies have entered the general musical unconscious, most notably the introductory patter song of the swaggering Figaro, the barber of the title. The opera offers superb opportunities for all the vocalists, exciting ensemble composition, and a natural flair for breezy comedy that has scarcely been equaled since.

High spirits return for the holidays in the Met’s family-friendly, English-language, two-hour adaptation of one of opera’s most winning comedies. Bartlett Sher’s effervescent production of Rossini’s tuneful masterpiece stars the charming mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard, revisiting her portrayal of Rosina, the girl who behaves perfectly—until anyone gets in her way. Antony Walker conducts.