Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" to be staged at Redlands Bowl, August 9

The tradition of grand opera at the Redlands Bowl Summer Music
Festival continues with the production of "The Barber of Seville" by
Gioachino Rossini on Friday, August 9. Conducted by Frank Fetta, this fully-staged opera with the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra will feature world class talent singing Rossini's beautiful music.
"This is a terrific opera," exclaimed Fetta, "real bubbly,
creative, funny--a genuinely good comedy which pokes fun at the dark under-belly of the aristocracy."
The story pits the lower class, represented by the poor student
Lindoro, against the aristocracy, represented by the wealthy Dr. Bartolo in Seville, Spain, in the 17th century, as Lindoro tries to win the heart of the beautiful Rosina before Bartolo captures her. With the conniving help of Bartolo's barber, Figaro, who happens to be Lindoro's acquaintance, Lindoro plots to meet and woo Rosina who, unhappily, resides with Bartolo as his ward. The irony: Lindoro actually is Count Almaviva, an aristocrat himself.
"The opera exposes the heavy political and social entanglements of
the aristocracy and the lower classes," explains Fetta. "And it does all that with truly beautiful music."
Rossini, the last and most prolific of the Bel Canto composers of
the 19th century, supposedly composed this opera in under two weeks, said Fetta. "He perfected the patter-aria which went so fast that it was difficult to understand, and his very virtuosic music used voices exactly like instruments." All this means that the music, while beautiful, requires a tremendously athletic voice.
Fetta has put together an outstanding cast, naming Kate Butler as
Rosina. Butler performed at the Redlands Bowl in 2000 as featured soloist with the symphony.
Baritone Ralph Cato, a frequent performer at the Redlands Bowl and throughout the inland area, will sing the role of Figaro.
Michael Galup, who will sing the role of the mean-spirited, nasty
Bartolo, performed with the Los Angeles Opera as a charter member from 1986 through 1998, singing more than 30 roles as artist-in-residence. Los Angeles Opera's resident bass, Louis Leberz will sing the role of Basilio.
Kevin St. Clair will sing the role of Count Almaviva/Lindoro, and
soprano Juliana Di Giacomo will sing the role of Berta.
The Marina Singers, whose music director is Timothy Leon, will be
the opera chorus, coached for this production by Chorus Master Marylou Basaraba who sang in last year's Redlands Bowl opera production of "Mikado".
On Saturday, August 10, Fetta will present "A Snip of Opera" at the
Summer Music Festival Children's Workshop. The workshop, open free to children ages 5 to 12, will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia, in Redlands. The opera will begin at 8:15 p.m. Intermission ushers will be members of the Redlands Association of Realtors, and the intermission speaker will be Redlands Bowl Program Consultant, Florence Beeler.
Continuing the tradition begun in 1924, this and all concerts are
free of charge, and a free-will offering will be collected at intermission. For more information about this concert, call the Redlands Bowl office at 909/793-7316 or visit the web site at www.redlandsbowl.org. The Redlands Bowl is located between Grant and Eureka Streets in Redlands, off of Brookside Avenue.