To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Opera Hong Kong presents a series of much-loved operas, beginning with the ever-popular The Barber of Seville. From May 5-7, 2017, at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre’s Grand Theatre, audiences will enjoy this modern, family-friendly production from the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. The Barber of Seville is piled bouffant-high with laughter, romance and high-energy dancing. The opera features brilliant international and local artists, along with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, under the baton of Maestro Roberto Gianola, and the Hong Kong Dance Company, under the direction of renowned choreographer Luciano Cannito. Having enchanted audiences worldwide with its witty and lively music, The Barber of Seville has stood the test of time and remains the most popular of Rossini&comic operas. Count Almaviva, disguised as the impecunious student Lindoro, woos Rosina, who is kept under lock and key by her guardian Dr Bartolo who wants her – and her fortune – for himself. It is Figaro, the town barber and “factotum” (but which here means “fixer”) who schemes to wrest Rosina from Bartolo’s clutches to bring the two young lovers together. Top left: Steven LaBrie / Top right: Stephanie Lauricella Bottom left: Edoardo Milletti / Bottom right: Joyce Wong The Barber of Seville is not only the archetypal example of Italian opera buffa but is also filled with Rossini’s sublime and masterful music. Several of the arias have become classic recital pieces, including Largo al factotum (Make way for the factotum) which contains the well-known refrain “Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!” and Una voce poco fa (A voice not long ago). The production’s international stars are baritone Steven LaBrie, known for his beautiful timbre and dramatic presence, as Figaro and mezzo-soprano Stephanie Lauricella as Rosina. LaBrie made his Carnegie Hall debut as the soloist in Songs from Solomon’s Garden and was the baritone soloist in Estancia with the New York City Ballet. “I have always thought of Rosina as a young girl with a lot of spunk,” Lauricella said. “She is smart, confident and definitely knows what she wants. I love Rosina’s aria Una voce poco fa which showcases extreme vocal range and fabulous coloratura. From an acting standpoint, you get to express Rosina’s many emotional states – strength, sweetness, sassiness and love.” Edoardo Milletti is Count Almaviva. He made his debut at the Teatro alla Scala in 2015 as the Count in The Barber of Seville under the baton of Massimo Zanetti. He has won several important international competitions including the Scuola dell’Opera Italiana in Bologna, Ottavio Ziino in Rome and the Mongini Award in Varese. Basso buffo Kevin Glavin’s signature role as Dr Bartolo has brought him to the stages of the Seattle Opera, the Florida Grand Opera, the Washington Opera and among others. Kevin Thompson, as Don Basilio, has performed with many European opera houses including the Staatsoper Hannover, Fundacion Teatro Nacional Sucre in Ecuador and Teatro Verdi Trieste. Opera Hong Kong will feature up-and- coming local talent on Sunday, May 7. Hailed by the South Florida Classical Review for her “sweetly sung portrayal of Suor Genevieffa”, soprano Joyce Wong performs as Rosina. At Le French May in 2008, she performed as Sophie in Werther alongside world-renowned mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. Tenor Chen Yong, who performs as the Count, has sung leading roles including Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Ernesto in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale. He graduated from the vocal department of the Universität für Musik und Darstellender Kunst Wien with a full scholarship. ​ Top Left: Kevin Glavin / Top Right: Kevin Thompson Bottom Left: Chen Yong / Bottom Right: Warren Mok Said Opera Hong Kong Artistic Director Warren Mok: “This beautiful comic opera is loved the world over and we look forward to presenting our production as the first in our series celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.” Rossini’s The Barber of Seville – a comic opera in 2 acts Performed in Italian with Chinese and English surtitles Cast Figaro：Steven LaBrie Rosina：Stephanie Lauricella (5,6 May) / Joyce Wong (7 May) Il Conte D’Almaviva (Count)：Edoardo Milletti (5,6 May) / Chen Yong (7 May) Dr. Bartolo：Kevin Glavin Hong Kong Sinfonietta Hong Kong Dance Company Opera Hong Kong Chorus Opera Hong Kong Facebook Page http://www.facebook.com/operahongkonglimited