The Barber of Seville by Rossini, Tue 31 Dec 2019, From (2019/2020), Directed by Eric Vigié, Conductor Mikhail Tatarnikov, Alexander Soloviev, Mikhailovsky Theater, Saint Petersburg, Russia

One of the most popular operas in the world whose joyous melodies are instantly recognizable, it has been an indispensable fixture in the Mikhailovsky’s repertoire since 1918, when the Theatre’s own opera company was founded. Swiss director Éric Vigié has created his own unique production of this opera, harking back to a time when opera was not yet seen as the domain of the elites, but was designed to appeal to the most varied audiences. Colourful and heady, Seville is a true Southern city an incomparable microcosm of Spain as a whole. The crowd scenes are filled with footballers, pop stars, flamenco dancers, guitarists and even... a monkey, a donkey, and a ‘little blue dog’. This operatic scherzo — bright, elegant, and unfettered by the traditional canon — is guaranteed to leave audiences in the very best of spirits.