Figaro, Figaro, Figaro! Opera Tampa’s 2017-2018 season opens with Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. One of the most-produced and most-loved operas in the world, The Barber of Seville, lead by Maestro Jorge Parodi, will be presented in Carol Morsani Hall on Friday, Feb. 2, 2018 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018 at 2 p.m.
The race for Rosina’s love is on — but how can Count Almaviva get her from Dr. Bartolo’s clutches? Almaviva needs the man about town who can make things happen, and that man is Figaro, the barber of Seville. Shave and a haircut, two wits: but Bartolo is no match for Figaro’s madcap series of subterfuges that gets Almaviva en vivo with Rosina. Gioachino Rossini’s hilarious comic opera contains some of the most recognizable arias of all time including Figaro’s “Largo al factotum,” Rosina’s “Una voce poco fa” and the duet they have together, “Dunque io son.” Founded upon the text Le Barbier de Séville by Pierre Beaumarchais, with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini, debuted at Rome’s Teatro Argentina in February of 1816.
Eric Gibson directs this production that is headlined by Dr. Zena Lansky Endowed Principal Artist Cecilia Lopez (Rosina), Gabriel Preisser (Figaro), Tyler Nelson (Count Almaviva) and Kevin Glavin (Dr. Bartolo) and features David Cushing (Basilio) Jean Carlos Rodriguez (Fiorello, Officer) and Kristi Beinhauer as Berta. The Barber of Seville will be sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage. This production is sponsored by Dr. Yi-Hwa Outerbridge, M.D. and Mr. Felix Cannella, Jr.
Maestro Parodi will lead the Opera Tampa Orchestra and Chorus. The music director of the Senior Opera Theater at the Manhattan School of Music, Parodi has worked as a conductor at Buenos Aires Lírica (Argentina), The Banff Centre (Canada), Tsaritsynskaya Opera Volgograd (Russia), Encuentros Internacionales de Opera (Mexico), Hofstra University and New York University among others. Hailed as having “the most expressive conducting hands since Stokowski’s,” (New York Daily News), Parodi has collaborated with such artists as Tito Capobianco, Sherrill Milnes and Rufus Wainwright and has assisted conductors of the caliber of Lorin Maazel and Julius Rudel. He debuts as conductor with Opera Tampa for The Barber of Seville.
Promising big plans, bold choices and bloody consequences, the 2017-2078 Opera Tampa season also includes Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (March 2 and 4, 2018) and Verdi’s Macbeth (April 13 and 15, 2018). There will be a host of special events including the education series Discover Opera (Jan. 28, Feb. 25 and March 18, 2018), Open Rehearsals (throughout January, February, March and early April 2018) and the Opera Tampa Gala (April 7, 2018), which includes the presentation of the 2018 Anton Coppola Excellence in the Arts Award to American mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. On Feb. 14, 2018, Opera Tampa presents the return of superstar Andrea Bocelli in concert for Valentine’s Day at Amalie Arena. And July 21, 28 and 29, the Opera Tampa Singers will present An Evening with Gilbert & Sullivan featuring Trial By Jury.
For the chance to mix and mingle, opera lovers should consider adding on a premium dining experience before The Barber of Seville or Macbeth and/or plan to join the Opera Tampa League for an educational and entertaining Wondrous Wednesday event (Jan. 17 and July 18, 2018).
Regularly priced tickets for the Friday, Feb. 2, 8 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 4, 2 p.m. performances of The Barber of Seville are $117.75–$66.75 and may be purchased by calling 813.229.STAR (7827) or 800.955.1045 outside Tampa Bay, in person at the Straz Center Ticket Sales Office or online at www.strazcenter.org. Handling fees will apply. For more information about the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and its upcoming events, please visit the Straz Center’s website at www.strazcenter.org. For more information about Opera Tampa, please visit www.operatampa.org.
