Deceit and deception; trickery and disguise – and all in the name of love.

Dashing young Count Almaviva falls desperately in love with the ravishing Rosina, locked away by her lecherous guardian Dr Bartolo – who has designs on her himself, as soon as she comes of age…

Step in Figaro, Almaviva’s expert barber and Seville’s go-to fixer, with a surefire way for the Count to reach his beloved – even if it means donning a ridiculous disguise…

The Barber of Seville is a feast of frivolous fun. It’s Rossini’s most perfect comic opera, sparkling with wit and energy and propelled along by an unstoppable array of instantly memorable tunes.

Originally seen at Paris’s Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, this vibrant new production is conducted by the outstanding young French musical pioneer Jérémie Rhorer, with crisp, incisive playing from his own period-instrument orchestra Le Cercle de l’Harmonie.

Renowned international opera director Laurent Pelly’s elegant staging places the action directly within the music itself, amid the curling stacks of Rossini’s musical manuscripts.

Rhorer has captivated Parisian audiences with a revelatory Mozart opera series and made his International Festival debut in 2016 conducting Mozart’s Così fan tutte.

He brings the same freshness, spontaneity and bewitching enthusiasm to Rossini’s delectable comic masterpiece – as well as his impeccable sense of drama.

Acclaimed French baritone Guillaume Andrieux stars as a slick and scheming Figaro, joined by an eminent cast including Michele Angelini as Almaviva and Peter Kálmán as Bartolo.

This is a Barber that fizzes with delight, and brings a refreshing immediacy to Rossini’s irresistible comedy.

★★★★★ "It’s clever, it’s thrilling, it’s beautiful and the audience revels in it" - The Wee Review

★★★★ "Amusing, witty and full of French charm" - Bachtrack

★★★★ "the balance between voices and the instrumental ensemble is pretty much perfect" -The Herald

★★★★ "a crowd-pleasing romp of a production" - The Guardian

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