THE BARBER OF SEVILLE – REVIEW OF 2025 TRANSMISSION LIVE IN HD FROM THE MET

Reviewed by James Karas

The Met Live in HD has wrapped up the current season with a resounding revival of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville directed by Bartlett Sher. It was originally directed by Sher in November 2006 and it holds its own almost twenty years later.

There are many reasons for the opera’s popularity but this is not the place to examine that. Our concern is Sher’s production, the cast and production values of the streaming that we could see in a Cineplex theatre.

Sher is a man of the theatre and he focuses on the theatrical aspect of the opera. We have an amorous Count Almaviva disguised as a soldier wooing the lovely Rosina. She lives with Doctor Bartolo, an old, dictatorial curmudgeon who wants to marry her. Of course, we have the cunning and scheming Figaro who will make sure that does not happen and the Count gets the girl as they say. 

Sher’s Figaro is fleet of foot, a master of invention and a delight to watch. Leave it to  baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky under Sher’s direction to do all of that. Rosina must be a fast and clever thinker to outsmart Bartolo for the man she loves, even if she has no idea who he is.

The set cosmists of a number of doors that represent different rooms in Bartolo’s house. This adds to the fluidity and speed of the action. Rosina can go from one space to another and we can follow the action splendidly. Sher builds on the inherent theatricality of the plot and provides laughter and enjoyment as hr takes us through the story.                                        

Andrey Zhilikhovsky as Figaro, Aigul Akhmetshina as Rosina, 

and Jack Swanson as Count Almaviva. Photo: Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera

That is a good start but we will not get very far without a superb cast who can handle the theatrics and the singing as well.

Let’s start with the barber of the title, Figaro, who is a master strategist, knows everything, thinks fast and manipulates events. Andrey Zhilikhovsky has energy, exuberance and a remarkable voice. Yes, he is the man you want if you want to court a woman, Rosina, that you never met and who does not know you at all. Just listen to his opening aria, “Largo al factotum” and you know he is your man. And it so happens that the young, handsome Count Almaviva wants to go into Rosina’s house. Zhilikhovsky sings with the speed and vocal beauty that we expect of Figaro.

Count Almaviva (tenor Jack Swanson) has a supple and sweet voice, (just what an ardent lover needs) and with Figaro’s shenanigans, he will get to Rosina, give her a music lesson, and the rest is nuptial bliss.

Rosina (mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina) is a lively and lovely young lady with determination, gumption and self-assurance. She is sweet, of course, but listen to her “Une Voce poco fa” and you know who will come on top in the “who gets Rosina”  sweepstakes. 

For sheer vocal pleasure listen to bass Alexander Vinogradov’s rendition of the diabolic  “La Calumnia” which is a  text-book guide on how to defame people. The comic character is the nasty and lecherous Doctor Bartolo (bass baritone Peter Kálmán) who is putty in the hands of the Figaro-Count-Rosina trio.

Let’s give credit to the Met’s behind the scenes people. Set designer Michael Yeargan provides light, bright sets. Costume designer Catherine Zuber dresses everyone up in classic attires and revival stage director is Kathleen Smith Belcher.  The chorus director is Tilman Michael and the Met chorus does its usual superb work.

The Met orchestra is conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti with gusto and, in case I did not convey my enjoyment of the production, I will simply add I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than at this performance of The Barber of Seville on a large screen in a Cineplex theatre.
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The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini was shown Live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera at select Cineplex theatres across Canada on May 31, 2025. For more information including dates for reprises go to: www.cineplex.com/events

James Karas is the Senior Editor, Culture, of The Greek Press