The Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater presented the first premiere of the opera season – one of the main hits of classical music, “The Barber of Seville” by Gioachino Rossini, staged by a member of the Russian Television Academy, four-time winner of the Russian national TEFI award, Sergei Shirakov. It was his directorial decisions that gave the play the reputation of a troublemaker who dared to violate the foundations of academicism.
What version of this absolute masterpiece of the Pesar Swan has not been seen by the opera stages of the world in its almost 210 years of existence on stage since its premiere on February 16, 1816 on the stage of the Teatro Argentina in Rome. The heroes of “The Barber of Seville” found themselves in the Victorian era, went to the Wild West, reveled in the drug dens of New York, and at the same time organized mafia fights in various cities of the planet, and simply enjoyed life under the Parisian sky and the Sicilian sun…
There have been and will certainly be all kinds of changes. If you read not only the lines of the libretto based on Beaumarchais's comedy, which, admittedly, the composer chose under duress, because it was approved by the censor, and he rushed to complete the work within the agreed deadline and ended up writing his most famous opera in a record 13 days, while also hearing extraordinary music, then it becomes clear that this is not a pure story. And of course, a bold and modern (for its time) story about the love of two young people. But it's not just about her. Talking more about the ability to joke and love life, for the author of this opera, like no other, appreciates and loves life.
This dualism, based on a hedonistic philosophy, was captured very precisely by director Sergei Shirakov together with set designer and artist Ivan Skladchikov. They turned out to be a beautiful, intelligent, sophisticated performance, in which luxurious historical costumes in the Spanish style of the 18th century with phantasmagoric wigs and the most complex makeup of the characters coexisted with light humor from the present day, without which there could be no real lyrical comedy. Here, unexpectedly, but quite gracefully, a small episode of modulation with a hint of provocation appears, which works a million percent effectively not only in the performance but also outside it.
At the premiere, the audience greeted the one-and-a-half minute satirical fantasy film with laughter and applause.
We are talking about an episode when, in the midst of Rossini's harmonies, like the intervention of radio waves or the breakthrough of the subconscious into reality, a copy of the super hit of domestic show business “For money – yes” by Daria Eropkina, known by the provocative pseudonym Instasamka, was heard… At the same time, in general, the opera continued as usual. Guest conductor Yuri Medyanik conducted the performance in a classical style, but at times used too restrained orchestral techniques, not always paying due attention to Rossini's characteristic dynamic nuances, full of romantic mood on the one hand, and on the other, wit and the vocal needs of the soloists.
But the production sparkles with all the aspects of situation comedy, duets and polished interactions between the characters on stage and with the audience in the hall. There was impressive chemistry between the singers throughout the performance. And everything that happens successfully correlates with the childlike image of Rosina (Gulnara Valeeva), a Barbie type with pink fluttering eyelashes who dreams not so much of love but of freedom-giving wealth. Or Rosina's guardian, Dr. Bartolo (Rim Rakhimov), a rare stingy person. Young Count Almaviva (Ildar Rakhimov), in love with Rosina, is a cheerful and cheerful person. Barber Figaro (Jan Leishe), an old friend of the count, is eloquent, cheerful and cunning. There is also Don Basilio (Askar Abdrazakov), a music teacher who teaches singing to Bartolo's student Rosina. Rossini described him not only as a bigot and hypocrite, but also branded him a “vile ideologue,” rewarding him with the famous slanderous aria La calunnia. And here, quite appropriately and dynamically, Rosina at the beginning of the opera sings her cavatina hit Una voce poco fa about emerging feelings of love, and near the end, after the “music” lesson, she sings the same joke “For money – yes”…
At the premiere, the audience greeted the satirical one-and-a-half minute fantasy film with laughter and applause. In general, this is a completely classical tradition: in the production of a comic opera, the appearance of something appropriate and witty, understandable to the local audience. But suddenly, after the performance, right outside the theater, a discussion broke out about “what was good and what was bad”… And the overnight premiere became the most popular and exciting opera of the year.
