Pop culture references spice up 'Barber'

Was that Lucy Ricardo playing Dr. Bartolo in Knoxville Opera's Rossini Festival production of Gioaccino Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" at the Tennessee Theatre?

For all the pop culture references director James Marvel makes, from Elvis Presley to Pete Townshend to the Village People, it might also have been the Fonz playing Figaro, Chachi playing Count Almaviva and Joanie playing Rosina in this often funny go at "Barber."

Certainly everyone that stages an opera doesn't have to think the production is required to deliver authoritative style and images that are true to the original concept.

But if one is going to present an opera in the pretense of a period piece, with the associated sets and 18th century costumes, which makes it essentially a museum piece when played straight, going a different path with the characters' social interaction and manners could seem like putting a magic marker mustache on Mona Lisa.

The story in "Barber" of a lecherous old man and a love-starved suitor, both of whom are desirous of a young maiden, is certainly translatable to another era.

But by not moving his production forward to a 1970s television situation comedy setting to get a contemporary audience to understand the function of early 19th century operatic comedy, Marvel has either made a brilliant calculation, or simply played what he had just to get a big audience and laughs, which Friday night's audience was and which they did often.

Given Marvel's approach, even Lucille Ball would have been hard pressed to get more silliness out of Dr. Bartolo than did bass Kevin Burdette. She couldn't have matched his resonate singing, except for his screeching falsetto imitations.

Had it not been for baritone Andrew Garland's sensational performance as Figaro, Burdette might have stolen the show.

Garland's entrance and terrific opening aria, with his comic impressions of a bunch of rock stars, almost brought down the house. All he needed was a James Brown scream and split and he probably would have.

Although tenor Javier Abreu accounted for himself acceptably well, his Count Almaviva, as well as soprano Leah Wool's capable performance as Rosina, weren't on par with the work of Burdette and Garland.

In smaller roles, neither were Ryland Pope as Almaviva's servant, Fiorello, or Craig Irvin as Rosina's music teacher, Basilio, although their singing was a pleasure.

More than a pleasure was classical guitarist Ben Bolt in his appearances playing accompaniment for quieter solos.

Whether this production is a travesty or a stroke of genius, it will play again today at 2:30 p.m.

Harold Duckett is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.

© 2010, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2010 Knoxville.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.