Il barbiere di sivigliA

„Dracula Meets Frankenstein.

Satire can do anything: Ilaria Lanzino dips into the old treasure chest of films for Il Barbiere di Siviglia — and she gets celebrated for it in Weimar.

A theatrically lively production in Weimar—full of energetic acting, tightly choreographed dance, and touches of horror musical—has now, (…) under the direction of the internationally acclaimed and award-winning Ilaria Lanzino, been turned upside down: from head (bel canto) to toe (“Let’s dance!”). Thanks to clever choreography, the performance doesn’t just appeal to the ear—it goes straight to the audience’s legs. A bold and exciting concept.

An audacious idea. A grotesque critique of society and the media. Conclusion: Why all this talk about the crisis of opera? Either a woman dies—or a barber appears”

Die Opernwelt

„This Rosina is a human child snatched from the graveyard by Dr. Bartolo (Frankenstein) and his monster assistants, then reanimated in the laboratory. With a transplanted brain—one that is even swapped out from time to time—beneath a visibly stitched skullcap. A kind of Olympia 2.0, or a female Rocky. On top of that, this Rosina becomes a projection surface for a feminist revolt against the manipulative power of men over women.

One might wonder whether it is really possible to turn Rossini’s two-act opera buffa into a feminist horror show as well. The answer is clear: yes, you can—if you know how. And they definitely do. Strong female figures shape the finale. In the grand final scene, as the monstrous castle on stage has already fallen apart into individual pieces, as graves open and statues begin to come to life, the women revolting on Rosina’s side wear sashes bearing the names of famous women—from Virginia Woolf to Frida Kahlo. All the protagonists rise to playful peak form! In the end, an original concept was enthusiastically celebrated.„

Joachim Lange

Funke Medien

„The stage direction radiates a cross-generational sense of humor. Refreshing: Rosina is no longer a projection of male desire, but rather a kind of Frankenstein’s bride who has learned to assert herself. Highly amusing.“

MDR

Stage direction: Ilaria Lanzino

Stage and costume design: Dorota Karolczak

Video: Who-Be

Fotos: Sandra Then