蜜柚直播

This weekend, 蜜柚直播 Opera opens its Main Stage series at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall with Rossini鈥檚 which was the first production from the then 蜜柚直播 Opera Company in 1973.

鈥淲ith this season in particular, as we are bringing audiences back to the theater, we thought it was really important to have an opera that was great for families, adults and young people alike,鈥� said 蜜柚直播 Opera President and General Director Joseph Specter. 鈥�'Barber of Seville鈥� is one of those pieces. It鈥檚 so perfect. 鈥� This is a show that if you never heard of opera and you want to try it for the first time, this is something you can enjoy with young ones.鈥�

The performance is part of the opera鈥檚 that brings fully-staged, 40-minute adaptations of classic operas to schools throughout 蜜柚直播. Specter said the program last fall presented 52 performances at 蜜柚直播 schools.

鈥淭he kids just go crazy for opera; they love opera,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen they see an opera performance up close, it鈥檚 so over the top, the characters are so big, the storylines are so engaging, they really love it. Kids love opera; it鈥檚 one of the things we have going for us as an art form.鈥�

鈥淏arber,鈥� one of the 19th century Italian composer鈥檚 most enduring and popular operas, has landed on the 蜜柚直播 Opera stage every decade or so since that first performance. This is the first production since 蜜柚直播 Opera presented it in the 2017-18 season.

Here are five things to know before you go:

1. This is an opera buffa; you鈥檙e allowed to laugh: That literally means comic opera, which defines Rossini鈥檚 鈥淭he Barber of Seville,鈥� a story of love longed for and love rejected, mistaken identities, greed, lust, comical hijinks and some pretty hilarious bait-and-switch scenarios. It鈥檚 the story of Count Almaviva who falls desperately in love with the beautiful Rosina, the young ward of the elderly and spiteful Dr. Bartolo, who plans to wait it out until Rosina is old enough to marry then marry her himself to steal her sizeable dowry. Enter Figaro, who choreographs several subplots and plot twists in an effort to get Rosina into the arms of the Count.

2. Return of the video wall: 蜜柚直播 Opera is using its state-of-the-art video wall to project sets that recreate 17th century Spain. It鈥檚 the same technology the company used in October for the world premiere of Gregg Kallor鈥檚 鈥淔谤补苍办别苍蝉迟别颈苍,鈥� which 蜜柚直播 Opera commissioned.

蜜柚直播 Opera has been using the video wall since the 2017 production of 鈥淩iders of the Purple Sage鈥� and it has made star turns in several productions since, including 鈥淐andide鈥� and 鈥淭he Falling and the Rising.鈥� The company purchased the 27-by-52-foot screen with a grant from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a powerful tool. It can achieve anything that traditional hard scenery can achieve but on another level,鈥� Specter said, explaining that with hard scenery, you get a single look throughout the production. With a video wall, 鈥渢hat same surface can have not just varying static images, but transitions. 鈥� The goal is never to have the video wall be the star but to enhance the action on the stage. We鈥檙e really blessed to have this resource available to us.鈥�

3. About Figaro: Yes, he is the same Figaro as the title character in Mozart鈥檚 鈥淭he Marriage of Figaro,鈥� composed 30 years before 鈥淏arber.鈥� The character was central in French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais鈥檚 trilogy on which both 鈥淏arber鈥� and 鈥淢arriage of Figaro鈥� are based. Both operas are among the top 10 most performed in the world.

4. Some say Italian is the language of love: It鈥檚 also the language of love鈥檚 silly side. 鈥淏arber鈥� is sung in Italian with English and Spanish supertitles.

5. Fun facts: Rossini wrote 鈥淭he Barber of Seville鈥� in less than three weeks although the composer himself put that timeframe at 12 days. While it is arguably one of the greatest opera buffas ever composed, it received lukewarm reviews and was booed from the audience when it premiered in Rome in February 1816. Apparently some fans of Giovanni Paisiello鈥檚 鈥淏arber of Seville鈥� opera composed in 1775 and still wildly popular at the time of Rossini鈥檚 premiere felt Rossini was treading on Paisiello鈥檚 legacy.

蜜柚直播 Opera will perform Rossini鈥檚 鈥淭he Barber of Seville鈥� at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4, at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave., with Detroit Opera Music Director at the podium. The opera in two acts runs 2 hours, 47 minutes with a 30-minute intermission.

Tickets ($30-$145) are available through .

The performance is part of the 2024 , which includes 鈥榮 world premiere Feb. 9-11 of 鈥淓ternal Love,鈥� choreographed by the company鈥檚 artistic director and resident choreographer Chieko Imada and featuring soprano . Performances are at Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave. For tickets and details, visit .