Der Barbier von Sevilla

Rosina lives under the strict supervision of her guardian Dr Bartolo – as though in a cage which she’s not allowed to leave, just as the bustling, colourful and multifaceted world outside remains closed to her. A young, very wealthy man, Count Almaviva, falls in love with her and wants to free her from captivity. To make sure that Rosina isn’t interested in his money, but in him as a person, he pretends to be a student called Lindoro in order to get to know her better. But love alone is not enough to free Rosina from Bartolo’s clutches – it takes the cunning and slyness of a real professional problem-solver. This is where the barber Figaro comes in, who devises a crafty plan to bring Rosina and Almaviva together …

Gioachino Rossini’s opera IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, which premiered at the Teatro Argentina in Rome in 1816, is considered a prime example of opera buffa and is one of the twenty most performed operas in the world today. The libretto was written by Cesare Sterbini and is based on the play LE BARBIER DE SÉVILLE by Beaumarchais. The opera holds multiple records – Rossini composed it at the age of just 24, as his 17th opera, and it took him just two weeks!

This production by the young, award-winning South African director Matthew Wild celebrates cultural diversity and transcends all genre boundaries. From classical opera to hip-hop dance, every art form is celebrated in it. A plea for tolerance, self-irony, and love.

Cast:

Music director: NN

Stage director: Matthew Wild

Set designer: Dirk Hofacker

Costume designer: Raphaela Rose

Choreographer: Louisa Talbot

Chorus director: André Kellinghaus

Dramaturge: Polina Sandler

With: Grisha Martirosyan, Enrico Marabelli, Charlotte Quadt and others