Poor Paisiello! If only Rossini hadn’t come along and composed his incredibly inventive, witty, insightful, vocally acrobatic version of Il barbiere di Siviglia, we might be perfectly satisfied with Paisiello’s. But as it stands, it’s a nice, tuneful, easy-to-remember-or-forget comic opera, with some fine arias and scenas, a wonderfully energetic second-act ensemble (the “Don Basilio” scene), and a charming duet-trio (when the Count reveals himself) that leads to a satisfying finale. At any rate, this performance, recorded live, makes a good case for it.
Pietro Spagnoli’s Figaro is entertaining and he uses his lightish baritone well. He has no “Largo al factotum” with which to show off and define himself, but he’s a strong character nonetheless. Rosina is sung by a pert lyric soprano named Anna Maria dell’Oste. Her voice is appealing but with a slight edge at its top, she’s nicely involved in the text, and what little agility is called for in the score is well-handled. Antonio Siragusa’s sweet tenor is just right for Almaviva/Lindoro, but he seems somewhat detached and he refuses to overact, even in his silly scenes. Luciano di Pasquale sings Bartolo with restraint rather than slapstick, and the same can be said for Donato Di Gioia’s Basilio. All the voices are light and well-matched, the show has obviously been well-rehearsed, the small orchestra, under Giuliano Carella, plays beautifully, and the pacing is just right. I doubt I’ll want to hear this opera often, but when I do, I’ll be perfectly happy with this performance.
