Gioacchino Rossini - IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA

Vesselina Kasarova • Manuel Lanza • Reinaldo Macias • Nicolai Ghiaurov • Carlos Chausson
Orchester und Chor Opernhaus Zürich
Nello Santi, conductor

Grischa Asagaroff, stage director

Recorded live at the Opernhaus Zürich, April 2001

Picture format: NTSC • 16:9 anamorphic
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (all)
Subtitles: Italian, English, German, French, Spanish
Booklet notes: English, German, French
Running time: 161 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

* A “firework display of exhilarating comedy” was how the press described this Barber of Seville, enthusing about the "unforced liveliness" of the cast.
* The cast was led by Manuel Lanza as Figaro, Reinaldo Macias as the Count, Carlos Chausson as Bartolo and Nicolai Ghiaurov as Basilio. However, the show really belongs to Vesselina Kasarova's colorful Rosina who, according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, “turned this Barber into a major event.”
* Conducted by Nello Santi, who animated his orchestra to play with both precision and verve, and who missed not a single point or dab of colour in the score.

R E V I E W S

“Vesselina Kasarova’s Rosina turned this Barber into a major event. Pearling coloratura, endless resources of vocal colour and nuance and phenomenal acting versatility became mere means to and end: that of making Rosina into a human being of flesh and blood, with heart, humour and considerable brains.” -- Neue Zürcher Zeitung

“Every step went exactly with the music, every gesture matching every note.” -- Zürich Express