It’s an experience intrinsic to humanity. Sitting in a communal space, taking in art as part of an audience filled with people of different backgrounds, different ideas and different dreams. These days, that experience is often reserved for concerts or the latest blockbuster film. But Opera in Williamsburg offers a different experience with its latest production, “The Barber of Seville,” with performances Friday, Sunday and Tuesday.
“There’s a known quality of the piece itself,” said Jorge Parodi, Opera in Williamsburg’s music director. “It’s like going to see a classic movie, except it’s a live performance.”
Gioachino Rossini’s 19th-century classic tells the story of a count’s attempt to court love. It serves as a prequel of sorts to Opera in Williamsburg’s last performance, “The Marriage of Figaro” in April, both originally part of a trilogy of plays by Pierre Beaumarchais.
“I am treating it as a cartoon with a solid story behind it,” said stage director Octavio Cardenas.
He said “Barber” reminds him of Bugs Bunny cartoons, harnessing a similar age-old comedic ingredient: “All the situations are ridiculous.”
But the singers play it straight, of course.
“This is as funny as it gets,” Parodi said.
Cardenas wanted to update the 1816 opera somewhat, setting this adaptation in the 1980s to make the action more relatable but still aiming to remain true to the text.
“It’s updated, but really it’s the same story,” said Naama Zahavi-Ely, Opera in Williamsburg’s founder and artistic director.
She added that the opera is a throwback to a simpler time, emphasizing its good-natured humor.
“The setup in ‘Barber of Seville’ is very simple. ‘Barber of Seville’ is just funny,” she said. The performers complement that humor with their powerful renditions of recognizable tunes such as “Largo al factotum,” which introduces Figaro with a familiar repetition of his name. “The singers are really making their bodies into instruments.”
The performers of “Barber” hail from Greece, Korea, Russia and more. Michelle Trovato, of Williamsburg, who plays the role of Berta, lauded the opportunity for locals to see live opera, an option that didn’t exist when she was growing up. She recommends “Barber” as a good operatic introduction for children, too
“It makes sense to have a historic art form in a historic area,” she said. “I think live performance in general is something that people are craving and they don’t even know that they’re craving it.”
Because the voices aren’t amplified, opera shows off raw talent in its purest form. The Kimball Theatre’s intimate space allows performers to feed off the audience’s energy.
Jose Adan Perez plays Figaro, the barber rife with many of the town’s secrets. He said the performance capitalizes on the theater’s intimacy, as the singers come out into the audience to get them involved throughout.
“It’s such an active show,” he said.
A live orchestra comprised of musicians from the likes of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the Richmond Symphony add another layer of life to the piece.
“Opera is really the works,” Zahavi-Ely said.
Sunday’s performance is quickly filling up, with two-thirds of its tickets sold as of Monday. Friday and Tuesday aren’t far behind. The opera’s upward trajectory sparked the decision to offer a Tuesday performance for the first time.
“So far, ticket sales are stronger than they’ve ever been,” Zahavi-Ely said, with a caveat. “Selling out looks beautiful, but it’s not our objective. Our objective is to get as many people into opera as possible.”
Parodi hopes the uninitiated might set aside preconceived notions of opera to see what’s meant simply to be a good time for the audience.
“If you like music, you should see operas. If you like movies, you should see operas,” he said. “This is theater in a foreign language. You know what they’re talking about. It’s a very clear thing.”
English supertitles help facilitate that.
Ultimately, opera is an amalgamation of other art forms, particularly theater and music.
“I hope they will appreciate our effort,” Parodi said. “The pieces that we bring are great.”
The future of Opera in Williamsburg is less certain; its go-to venue, the Kimball Theatre, recently changed hands from Colonial Williamsburg to the College of William and Mary.
“It’s a part of an overall experience that we can’t replicate elsewhere.” Zahavi-Ely said, noting the ambient colonial setting and plentiful nearby restaurants that complement a night at the opera. “For us, there is no local substitute.”
She praised the experience of working with the college’s events employees, but lamented the uncertainty surrounding next year’s use of the space.
“It’s the bigger picture that’s the concern,” Zahavi-Ely said. “I really want to start working on the next opera.”
But for now, the focus is on unleashing the best “Barber” they can for the diverse Williamsburg audience, spanning college students, retirees, military families and more. It’s meant for those who have seen opera across the globe alongside first timers.
“To see all of them getting into it and really enjoying it together, it’s just wonderful,” Zahavi-Ely said.
Want to go?
“The Barber of Seville” sings Friday, Sunday and Tuesday at the Kimball Theatre. Tickets are $48 for general admission, $43 for seniors, first responders, teachers, military and college faculty and staff, and $15 for college and K-12 students. Tickets are available online at operainwilliamsburg.org and at the Kimball Theatre box office.
Birkenmeyer can be reached by phone at 757-790-3029.
