03.02.2014

The Barber of Seville staged by Alexandrov opens 32nd Chaliapin Festival in Kazan

In 1913, Chaliapin presented the production as the director and performed the part of Don Basilio.

(Kazan, 2 February, Tatar-inform, Yekaterina Vislavskaya). The 32nd Chaliapin International Opera Festivalopened at the Jalil Tatar State Opera and Ballet Theatre in Kazan on Sunday night. Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, produced by Yuriy Alexandrov from Saint-Petersburg, was the first show presented on the Kazan stage.

This year’s music event is dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Kazan opera. The People’s Artiste of Russia Svyatoslav Belza told the audience about its history. He said the Shaliapin festival had won wide popularity in Tatarstan, as well as in Russia and abroad.

“Many times, I have happened to see how far reaches the fame of Chaliapin Festival that has evolved into one of Kazan and Tatarstan’s signature events,” he said.

The festival was opened by a production made by People’s Artiste of Russia Yuriy Alexandrov from Saint-Petersburg. Last year, his production of Verdi’s Aida opened the festival.

At a press conference held shortly before the premiere, Yuriy Alexandrov told reporters he had wanted to produce a full-fledged show, avoiding his colleagues' mistake of making it minimalistic. It was the first Barber of Seville in his career, he remarked.

The show had to be staged in 20 days, but all the deadlines were met. A brilliant cast of Vladimir Moroz and Olga Pudova of Mariinsky Theatre, Alexander Tatartintsev of Kolobov Moscow Novaya Opera Theatre, Andrey Valentiy of Belarus National GrandTheatre, stars in the opera.

The love story of two young people, Rosina and Count of Almaviva, in hopes of a generous reward helped by the sly and resourceful barber Figaro, develops eventfully and rapidly. Over the course of the show, Rosina changes four times, her custodian Don Basilio keeping up with her. Throughout the show, the characters pretend, trying to avoid being exposed by the old doctor.

“The Barber of Seville is definitely a comedy not void of psychology. It has no polar heroes – clearly positive or negative, but each shows their different facets. Rosina, who is in love with the count, pulls her custodian’s leg, plays cunning to Figaro when he comes for the letter and, on finding out that her loved one has deceived her, is ready to shoot him dead. Don Basilio is an old boring possessive man but is inflamed with a love for Rosina.

The story ends happily, at least for most characters. To a roar of applause, the conductor Marco Boemi came onstage, followed by Yuriy Alexandrov, to hug the actors and welcome the audience.

The 32nd Chaliapin Festival will run between 2 and 18 February. One more premiere, G. Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, will take place on its stage, as will Aida by G. Verdi, Carmen by G. Bizet, Rigoletto by G. Verdi, Evgeny Onegin by P. Tchaikovsky, Traviata by G. Verdi, Boris Godunov by M. Musorgsky, and Turandot by G. Puccini.

The gala concerts are scheduled for 17 and 18 February.