The Barber of Seville

Directed by Nicholas Heath this fully staged production of Rossini's best known comic opera will be sung in Italian.
With a twist of tango it will embrace a decade of cultural conflict against a backdrop of 1920's decadence.
Accompanied by Opera A La Carte's own Tango style band consisting of a Violin, Clarinet, Accordion, Double bass and Piano 
with musical direction by Benjamin Frost .

Confirmed Cast
Victoria Simmonds - Rosina
Jochem Van Ast - Figaro 
Thomas Barnard - Policeman

Victoria Simmonds
Victoria studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.  From 2000-2005 she was a company principal at ENO, where roles included Cherubino/Figaro, Mercedes/Carmen, Zaida/The Turk in Italy, Pitti-Sing/The Mikado, Ascanius/The Trojans, Rosina/The Barber of Seville, Dorabella/Così fan tutte, Hermia/A Midsummer Night's Dream and Zerlina/Don Giovanni.  In 2005 Victoria sang the title role in Carmen in the Royal Albert Hall, made her debut at the Netherlands Opera singing Lucienne/Die Tote Stadt (Korngold), sang Isolier/Le Comte Ory for Garsington and, in concert, at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. 
 
Festival engagements include Olga/Eugene Onegin for Opera Holland Park, the title role in La Perichole and Ines/Maria Padilla, both for Buxton, Wellgunde/Das Rheingold for Aix-en-Provence/Salzburg with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic, Meg Page/Falstaff for Grange Park.  Last year a recording by Chandos of Janacek’s Katya Kabanova was released, on which Victoria sang the role of Varvara.
 
Victoria recently finished a 3 month tour with Opera North, singing the title role in the world premiere production of The Adventures of Pinocchio by Jonathan Dove to great critical acclaim.  Future commitments include returning to Garsington to perform the title role in La Cenerentola.

Jochem Van Ast - Figaro
Jochem was born in Amsterdam and lived there for ten years before moving to England. He studied in Jerusalem and in London at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Since graduating in 1994 he has worked for a wide range of companies including Opera North and The Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Being a singer is never boring, and in addition to a wide variety of roles from a bearded transvestite to Figaro in Rossini’s Barber of Seville. One day a gala performance of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi for HRH the Prince of Wales, the next a quay in Guernsey, accompanied by the RAF’s Red Arrows. This is his 6th season with Opera A La Carte where he is also reviving his role of Figaro in The Barber of Seville.

Thomas Barnard - Policeman
Since leaving the Royal Academy where he was awarded the Van Someren Godfrey English Song Prize, Thomas has concentrated mainly on Opera. He has worked with many companies including Glyndebourne, Pavilion, Wexford and English Touring Opera. He has performed in venues in England, Europe, Japan and the U.S.A. singing roles which include Don Alfonso, Figaro, Sparafucile and The Villains in Tales of Hoffmann.

Whilst a chorister of the Royal Opera, Covent Garden Thomas performed in Tutti Verdi for the Friends and appeared as Alidoro for the Education Department’s production of 60 Minute Cinderella. In the main house he made his debut singing a Night Watchman in Die Frau Ohne Schatten and has since appeared as The Old Gypsy (Trovatore), Pietro (Simon Boccanegra), Official Registrar (Madama Butterfly), Policeman (Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk), Dimitri (The Greek Passion) and Surgeon (La Forza del Destino). In 2004, he performed for the Royal Ballet singing the Bass solos in Stravinsky’s Les Noces.

Act 1

Scene 1
Early in the morning outside a house in a square
Fiorello has gathered a band of local buskers for Count Almaviva. The Count appears and begins a serenade, but with no result. The grateful band of misfits depart noisily.
The Count hides as Figaro, the local barber enters proclaiming his position as the local factotum due to his many skills. The Count recognises Figaro and explains he has followed a physician and his daughter all the way from Madrid to a house in the square. By a stroke of luck Figaro is the jack of all trades in the property and he reveals the girl Rosina is only the Dr Bartolo's ward.
Rosina appears on the balcony as she has noticed the handsome stranger in the square. Unfortunately, her guardian Dr Bartolo emerges below. She explains the note in her hand is only words from the opera "The Futile Precaution" as she contrives to drop the piece of paper into the square for the Count. The note from Rosina reveals she wants to break free from her tyrannical guardian Dr Bartolo, who when he leaves talks about marrying Rosina. This spurs the Count to vow that if Rosina loves him for himself and not his money, she will then become the Countess Almaviva.
The Count serenades a reply to Rosina's note and introduces himself as a poor student called "Lindoro". When Rosina suddenly withdraws Figaro and the Count hatch a plan to introduce Rosina to "Lindoro". They agree that the Count should appear at the guardian's house as a drunken soldier demanding the right to be housed. Joyfully they muse on their respective prizes, Figaro the money and the Count his love.

Scene II
A room in Doctor Bartalo's house.
Rosina having written a new note dreams of Lindoro's voice and swears he will be hers. Rosina explains that she is by nature very sweet unless she is crossed, when she becomes a viper.
Figaro meets briefly with Rosina but he hides when they hear Bartolo returning. He complains that Figaro's potions have turned his home into a hospital. When questioned Rosina admits she has seen Figaro and that she finds him quite handsome. Her sharp tongue excites Dr. Bartolo who then curses Figaro.
Don Basilio, the music teacher arrives and Bartolo tells him he must marry him to Rosina by the next day. Count Almaviva has been spotted in Seville and Basilio decides that a serious plan of slander is needed to run him out of town. Bartolo hesitates but Basilio continues to persuade him. No, Bartolo decides to do it his way and the two men go to a room to prepare a marriage contract.
Figaro who has overheard the plans informs Rosina of her guardian's matrimonial news. She suggests that he will be mistaken. Rosina enquires about the man in the square and is told that he is Figaro's cousin Lindoro. Figaro then spells out Lindoro's one sad failing and love..... R-O-S-I-N-A. To Figaro's surprise, Rosina is already several steps ahead of him and produces the note to be sent to Lindoro.
Bartolo wants to know what Rosina said to Figaro. She replies that it was nothing of importance, only about Paris fashions. He notices her ink stained finger and some missing sheets of paper but her excuses send Bartolo into a rage.  A Doctor of his standing can not be deceived so easily. She must stay in the house where even the air will be unable to escape.
"Lindoro" finally makes his appearance as a drunken soldier mispronouncing Bartolo's name. He explains as a regimental vet he is also a qualified doctor and demands to be billeted. Rosina enters and recognises "Lindoro". Bartolo states that he has papers exempting him from billeting and while he looks for them "Lindoro" tries to slip a note to Rosina. He fails but under the cover of a fight drops the note by Rosina. Bartolo spots the move and amidst the confusion it is exchanged for a laundry list written by Berta the housekeeper. Basilio enters and tries to restrain  "Lindoro" until Figaro arrives pointing out that the noise has brought half the city outside the window. The police arrive to restore order and try to arrest "Lindoro" who reveals his true identity privately to the sargeant and is released. Everyone is astounded by the turn of events.

Act 2

Bartolo deduces the drunken soldier was sent by Count Almaviva who soon arrives disguised as "Don Alonso". Basilio is currently indisposed and as his pupil "Alonso" Count Almaviva has come to give Rosina her music lesson. To stop Bartolo visiting Basilio, "Alonso" reveals that he has intercepted a note from the Count to Rosina. "Alonso" hopes to use Rosina's music lesson to convince her of the Count's unsuitability. Bartolo hurries off to get Rosina who screams with surprise at the sight of "Alonso/Lindoro". She chooses the Rondo from "The Futile precaution" for the lesson. Bartolo falls asleep giving "Alonso/Lindoro" and Rosina the opportunity to express their feelings for each other. On waking Bartolo praises the singing and criticises the choice of aria. He chooses a song and places Rosina's name in the text.
Figaro arrives to shave Bartolo who tells him to go away, but as he's too busy to come the next day Bartolo relents and goes to fetch the shaving towels. Figaro confirms with Rosina the identity of the key to the balcony. Bartolo, unhappy to leave them alone returns and asks Figaro to fetch the shaving towels. Figaro then smashes some glass and china to lure Bartolo away.
Unfortunately, Don Basilio arrives and is diagnosed with scarlet fever by Figaro. "Alonso" also slips him a purse. Figaro begins shaving Bartolo and Rosina is told of Figaro's plan to unlock the balcony so she and "Lindoro" can elope. Bartolo not completely unaware, gets wind of the plotting and sends everyone away.
He calls Basilio who admits he does not know "Alonso" and thinks it could have been the Count. Bartolo does not care who it is and tells Basilio to come quickly with a Notary as he hears of Figaro's matrimonial plans for a non-existent niece. Bartolo, holding the letter received from "Alonso", convinces Rosina that Count Almaviva is unfaithful and that Lindoro is actually an agent who will sell her to the Count. In a fit, Rosina agrees to marry Bartolo and then reveals the elopement plan. Bartolo leaves in search of the local police.
Berta complains about the noise Bartolo produces and muses on the evil affliction of love, which seems to have made everyone mad. It will pick away and torment one but as a desperate old bag she suffers from it too.
A storm begins. The Count and Figaro enter through the balcony window while Berta retrieves her washing. Rosina believing the lies about Count Almaviva refuses to go near the pair. The Count reveals his identity and a delirious Rosina agrees to marry the Count. Figaro attempts to move the two lovebirds along and suddenly sees a lantern. They realise that the ladder has been removed from the balcony as they climb out onto the balcony.
Basilio arrives along with the notary. Figaro bursts in and introduces Rosina as his "niece" while Count Almaviva offers Basilio a fine ring or a couple bullets in the head. Basilio agrees to witness the marriage of Count Almaviva and Rosina. Bartolo arrives, but it is too late. Bartolo grudgingly joins in the blessing to the new couple.