The Barber of Seville 2022
Figaro here, Figaro there, Figaro everywhere!
Figaro, Figaro, FI-GA-RO! The Count is in love with Rosina, but how will he win her love? How will she escape the clutches of her guardian, Doctor Bartolo? With the assistance of Figaro, the Barber of Seville, of course!
This classic comedy with a playful energy that springs from Rossini’s ebullient music returns in a whimsical new production by Stephen Barlow.
¡Figaro aquí, Figaro allá, Figaro en todas partes!
Figaro, Figaro, FI-GA-RO! El Conde está enamorado de Rosina, pero ¿Cómo se ganará su amor? ¿Cómo escapará ella de las garras de su tutor, el doctor Bartolo? ¡Con la ayuda de Figaro, el Barbero de Sevilla, por supuesto!
Esta comedia clásica con energía juguetona que surge de la exuberante música de Rossini regresa en una nueva y ingeniosa producción de Stephen Barlow.
Synopsis
Act I
A piazza in Seville, in front of Bartolo’s house. Count Almaviva, grandee of Spain, has seen a beautiful girl on the Prado in Madrid and has followed her to Seville in the disguise of a student. After serenading the girl below her window, he meets by chance his former valet Figaro in front of her house, and learns the girl is the ward of grumpy old Doctor Bartolo. Almaviva enlists Figaro’s help — for a handsome fee, of course — in freeing the lovely and spirited Rosina from her cage. He sings under her window, telling her he is the poor student Lindoro. The ever-inventive Figaro suggests sending the Count into the household disguised as a drunken soldier.
Rosina is determined to meet and conquer her suitor, despite Bartolo’s controlling ways and his equal determination to marry her expeditiously. When Figaro convinces her that she is indeed the beloved of his poor cousin “Lindoro,” she gives Figaro a letter to take to the boy. Meanwhile, Don Basilio, the music teacher, gets wind of the arrival of Count Almaviva in Seville, and warns Bartolo that they must spread some evil rumor about the Count to drive him away lest he come courting Rosina.
The Count comes courting indeed disguised as a soldier, demanding lodging and letting the astonished Rosina know with a wink that he’s beneath the military disguise. Bartolo refuses to billet him. The “soldier” becomes enraged. The police arrive to arrest him, but Almaviva secretly shows them proof of his identity and he is released, to the amazement of all.
Act II
Inside Bartolo’s house. Bartolo is lost in thought, “Might the soldier have been a spy?” A visitor enters and introduces himself as “Don Alonso” (Almaviva in disguised), arriving to give the girl a music lesson in place of Don Basilio, who he says is ill. Alonso gains Bartolo’s confidence by showing him Rosina’s letter to “Lindoro,” and offering to tell her that a mistress of Lindoro’s gave it to him, as a way to dissuade Rosina from her crush. Rosina comes out reluctantly, but again recognizing “Lindoro” beneath the disguise, is suddenly delighted to sing for the visiting teacher.
Figaro enters, ready to shave and trim Bartolo and contriving to get a key to Rosina’s balcony. But who should then appear but Don Basilio, in perfect health. Almaviva hastens the course of his illness with a quick bribe, and the others shoo him out. Almaviva whispers to Rosina that he and Figaro will come at midnight to whisk her away to wedded bliss. Bartolo overhears and, realizing he’s been tricked again, chases them all out in a fury.
Later, Bartolo shows Rosina her own note to “Lindoro,” telling her the Count is merely toying with her. Rosina, thunderstruck, discloses the escape plan and agrees to marry Bartolo after all. At midnight, during a thunderstorm, Figaro and the Count arrive for the elopement, and a livid Rosina confronts them. It’s Lindoro she wanted, nothing to do with “your vile Count Almaviva.” The “vile” one reveals himself, and the three are overjoyed — but their joy turns to panic when Figaro realizes the ladder by which they entered has been moved. The doctor has foiled their escape.
A notary enters, followed by Basilio, who after another friendly financial inducement from the Count, agrees to serve as wedding witness. By the time Bartolo rushes back in, the deed is done, the girl has become a Countess and the dowry is the doctor’s to keep.
Love has triumphed and everyone’s good spirits are restored.
Artists
Emily Fons
Mezzo-soprano
Rosina
Emily Fons
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
SFO Debut:
Cherubino, The Marriage of Figaro, 2013
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2008, 2009
Past Seasons:
Rosina, The Barber of Seville, 2022
Stephano, Roméo et Juliette, 2016 (June 20 – August 16)
Ruby Thewes, Cold Mountain, 2015
Flora Bervoix, La traviata, 2009
Jack Swanson
Tenor
Count Almaviva
Jack Swanson
Hometown: Stillwater, MN
SFO Debut:
Lindoro, The Italian Girl in Algiers, 2018
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2014, 2015
Past Seasons:
Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville, 2022
A Peasant, Daughter of the Regiment, 2015
Stage Hand, The Impresario, 2014
Japanese Envoy, Le Rossignol, 2014
Joshua Hopkins
Baritone
Figaro
Joshua Hopkins
Hometown: Petawawa, Ontario, Canada
SFO Debut:
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 2006
Past Seasons:
Figaro, The Barber of Seville, 2022
Dr. Falke, Die Fledermaus, 2017
Olivier, Capriccio, 2016
Nardo, La finta giardiniera, 2015
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 2010
Sid, Albert Herring, 2010
Momus, Platée, 2007
Kevin Burdette
Bass
Dr. Bartolo
Kevin Burdette
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
2025 Season:
Benoît/Alcindoro, La bohème
SFO Debut:
Mr. Scattergood, The Last Savage, 2011
Past Seasons:
Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, 2022
Manuel Toulon/Judge, M. Butterfly, 2022
Correspondence, Lord of Cries, 2021
Quince, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2021
Voltaire/Pangloss/Cacambo/Martin, Candide, 2018
Major-domo, Ariadne auf Naxos, 2018
Frosch, Die Fledermaus, 2017
General Polkan, The Golden Cockerel, 2017
Sulpice Pingot, Daughter of the Regiment, 2015
Stobrod Thewes/A Blind Man, Cold Mountain, 2015
Otto van der Puff, The Impresario, 2014
Chamberlain, Le Rossignol, 2014
General Boum, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 2013
Justice Wills/Colonel Isaacson, Oscar, 2013
Ryan Speedo Green
Bass-baritone
Don Basilio (August 10 & 20)
Ryan Speedo Green
Hometown: Suffolk, VA
2025 Season:
Wotan, Die Walküre
SFO Debut:
Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville, 2022 (August 10 & 20)
Past Seasons:
Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni, 2024
Nicholas Newton
Bass-baritone
Don Basilio (July 2-13 & August 1, 6 & 26)
Nicholas Newton
Hometown: San Diego, CA
SFO Debut:
Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville, 2022 (July 2-13 & August 1, 6 & 26)
Past Seasons:
Leporello, Don Giovanni, 2024
Jacob, The Righteous, 2024
Carmen, 2022
Tristan und Isolde, 2022
M. Butterfly, 2022
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2022
Murrella Parton
Soprano
Berta
Murrella Parton
Hometown: Seymour, TN
Past Seasons:
Berta, The Barber of Seville, 2022
Carmen, 2022
M. Butterfly, 2022
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2022
Kyle Miller
Baritone
Fiorello
Kyle Miller
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Past Seasons:
Fiorello, The Barber of Seville, 2022
Carmen, 2022
Falstaff, 2022
Tristan und Isolde, 2022
M. Butterfly, 2022
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2022
Allen-Michael Jones
Bass
Officer
Allen-Michael Jones
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
Past Seasons:
Officer, The Barber of Seville, 2022
Carmen, 2022
Falstaff, 2022
Tristan und Isolde, 2022
Zaretsky, Eugene Onegin, 2021
The Lord of Cries, 2021
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2021, 2022
Iván López Reynoso
Conductor
Iván López Reynoso
Hometown: Guanajuato, Mexico
2025 Season:
La bohème
US & SFO Debut:
The Barber of Seville, 2022
Stephen Barlow
Director
Stephen Barlow
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
SFO Debut:
Tosca, 2012
Past Seasons:
Don Giovanni, 2024
The Barber of Seville, 2022
Andrew D. Edwards
Scenic & Costume Designer
Andrew D. Edwards
Christopher Akerlind
Lighting Designer
Christopher Akerlind
Hometown: Hartford, CT
SFO Debut:
The Rake’s Progress, 1996
Past Seasons:
Don Giovanni, 2024
The Barber of Seville, 2022
M. Butterfly, 2022
Lucia di Lammermoor, 2017
Vanessa, 2016
The Impresario & Le Rossignol, 2014
Dr. Sun Yat-sen, 2014
Mitchell Harper
Choreographer
Mitchell Harper
Hometown: London, England
SFO Debut:
The Barber of Seville, 2022
Past Seasons:
Don Giovanni, 2024
Rick Sordelet
Fight & Intimacy Director
Rick Sordelet
Hometown: Duluth, MN
SFO Debut:
Salome, 2015
Past Seasons:
Tosca, 2023
The Flying Dutchman, 2023
Pelléas et Mélisande, 2023
Rusalka, 2023
Orfeo, 2023
Carmen, 2022
The Barber of Seville, 2022
Falstaff, 2022
Tristan und Isolde, 2022
M. Butterfly, 2022
Eugene Onegin, 2021
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2021
La Fanciulla del West, 2016
Don Giovanni, 2016
Roméo et Juliette, 2016
Cold Mountain, 2015
Christian Kelly-Sordelet
Fight & Intimacy Director
Christian Kelly-Sordelet
Hometown: Montclair, NJ
SFO Debut:
Cold Mountain, 2015
Past Seasons:
Tosca, 2023
The Flying Dutchman, 2023
Pelléas et Mélisande, 2023
Rusalka, 2023
Orfeo, 2023
Carmen, 2022
The Barber of Seville, 2022
Falstaff, 2022
Tristan und Isolde, 2022
M. Butterfly, 2022
La Fanciulla del West, 2016
Don Giovanni, 2016
Roméo et Juliette, 2016
Susanne Sheston
Chorus Master
Susanne Sheston
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
2025 Season
SFO Debut:
2008 Season
Past Seasons:
2024 Season
2023 Season
2022 Season
2021 Season
2019 Season
2018 Season
2017 Season
2016 Season
2015 Season
2014 Season
2013 Season
2012 Season
2011 Season
2010 Season
2009 Season
Production Photography
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