The Barber of Seville

After the premiere of The Barber of Seville, the media speculated that Olavinlinna castle had never witnessed as much laughter before. This production is an audience favourite and a comic masterpiece, which makes it perfect for an exuberant summer evening.

Under Heiskanen’s direction, the entire creative team was invited to add their personal flair to the end result. Fashion designer Teemu Muurimäki has created the spectacular costumes, while Antti Mattila is behind the colourful sets.

There’s no shortage of comedy in Rossini’s music either, with laughter echoing through every beat. The score adds extra layers to the story and offers endless new avenues to explore, even for those who have seen the opera several times.

“What on earth is all this love
which makes everyone go mad?”
– Berta

Conductor Michele Gamba is known for his ability to dive in at the deep end. He had his career breakthrough at Milan’s La Scala after rushing from cooking pasta to cover for an ill colleague with less than an hour’s notice. The following morning, he was woken by frenzied journalists, who’d been blown away by his sensational performance.

Of Rossini’s 39 operas, The Barber of Seville is by far the most popular. He composed it in a matter of weeks at just 23 years of age. Decades after its success, while living the high life in Paris and feasting on truffles, the master of melodies famously claimed that opera would be much more beautiful without the singers.

See synopsis here.

You’ll find a list of the cast here.