Author Archives: Simon

Il Barbiere di Siviglia At Lincoln Center: A Mediocre Performance Of A Legendary Opera

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If you are a fan of Bugs Bunny cartoons, then you maybe familiar with the episode titled “The Rabbit of Seville.” However it might surprise you that this episode is based on a very famous opera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia. On Wednesday October 19th, I went to see Il Barbiere di Siviglia performed by the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center. The opera is based on the play The Barber of Seville written by Beaumarchais. Gioachino Rossini composed Il Barbiere di Siviglia in 1816. Although the Metropolitan Opera performance had some good moments, the overall performance was disappointing.

Il Barbiere di Siviglia intends to make the viewer laugh while telling a romantic story. The story is about Count Almaviva (played by Javier Camarena) going to Siviglia to pursue the woman of his dreams, Rosina (played by Isabel Leonard). The only problem is that Rosina lives with Dr. Bartolo, played by Maurizio Muraro, who plans on marrying her. Luckily, the Count gets help from Figaro, played by Rodin Pogossov. Figaro is the city’s barber and one of his customers is Dr. Bartolo. Figaro uses his access to Dr. Bartolo’s house to help the Count and Rosina get married.

The storyline was not the only thing that was great about the performance. One of the other things that really stood out in the performance was the lighting, designed by Christopher Akerlind. The lighting was very powerful and the transitions from nighttime to daytime were seamless and beautiful. This was important to the story because several scenes took place during the transition from night into day.

In addition to the lighting, the performances of Javier Camarena, Maurizio Muraro, and Patta Burchuladze (Don Basilio) were outstanding. Muraro and Burchuladze had powerful voices that could be heard throughout the whole theater. Camarena’s voice was smooth and soulful. Their performances were some of the best that I have seen.

The performance of Rodin Pogossov was very disappointing. One of the most famous moments in this opera is Figaro performing “Largo al Factotum.” The singer is supposed to perform this number with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Mr. Pogossov was lacking energy and enthusiasm in his performance. Fiagro is a very important character in this opera because his energy and enthusiasm help the Count and Rosina end up together. Mr. Pogossov did not do the character justice.

The performance of Isabel Leonard was left something to be desired as well. Her voice did not carry well throughout the theater and it seemed like her performance was monotone. The musical number “Una voce poco fa” is supposed to have a shift of emotion from obedient to rebellious, but Ms. Leonard’s performance was lacking this shift.

Another thing that could have been improved is the set. The set, designed by Michael Yeargan, was made out of about ten wooden doors that were moved around the stage to create different settings. Although this was creative and left more to the imagination of the viewer, it would have been nice to see a set that represented the city of Siviglia. The playbill describes Siviglia as beautiful city with “intricate, winding streets” and “exotic traditions.” It would have been nice to see a set that featured some winding streets and beautiful buildings, but unfortunately this set did not.

One aspect of the production that really took away from its quality is the character Ambrogio, played by Rob Besserer. Ambrogio’s only purpose is to provide comic relief, but the style of the comic relief is very cheap. The only way that Ambrogio provides laughs is by getting hurt. In one scene, the Count slashes a tree and it falls on Ambrogio while in another scene, an explosion occurs off stage that causes Ambrogio to drop on stage with burnt clothes. If you are in elementary school and like cheap comedy then you might find this. However if you are a sophisticated person and like thoughtful comedy, Ambrogio will most likely annoy you rather than give you a good laugh.

Whether you should see this opera depends on your experience with opera. If you are an opera connoisseur, then you should see this production. However, If you are going to the opera for the first time and want to get a great first impression, then you might want to see a different performance. While this performance had its good parts, it will not leave you amazed and begging for more.

 

 

 

 

A Perfect Play on Broadway

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Have you ever experienced a language barrier? If your answer is yes, then the play Ching*lish will be very relatable for you. Ching*lish first premiered at the Goodman Theater in Chicago on June 18, 2011 and is now playing at the Longacre Theater on Broadway. It is written by David Henry Hwang and the Broadway production is directed by Leigh Silverman. Ching*lish is a must see Broadway play.

The play is a comedy that aims to show the audience how difficult but funny language barriers can be. The play focuses on Daniel Cavanaugh (played by Gary Wilmes), a businessman who runs a sign making company. Daniel travels to Guiyang, China to arrange a business deal with a local Cultural Center. Daniel noticed that many Chinese signs were incorrectly translated into English, so he offered the Cultural Center an accurate translation of the signs that they will put up. During his time in China, Daniel ends up having an affair with Xi Yan (played by Jennifer Lim), a minister on the Cultural Center board of directors. Xi helps Daniel get the deal and teaches him about Chinese culture.

Simply put, this play was amazing. There were only positives about the performance. The biggest highlight of the play was the playwriting. David Henry Hwang wrote an interesting story that is very relevant in the world today, because many people travel abroad to do business and struggle with new languages and cultures. There were many funny moments in the play, such as when Daniel tried to say the same word that Xi said in Mandarin, but ended up saying a completely different word. The audience was laughing out loud throughout the whole play.

Another highlight of the performance was the scenery, designed by David Korins. There were several different settings in the play, ranging from a restaurant to an assembly room to a hotel room. Each setting looked very realistic. It seemed as if the designer literally took an actual restaurant or hotel room and placed it on stage. The transition between sets was exceptional as well. In between scenes, the lights would go down and music would play while the sets rotated on stage. When the lights were back up, there was a brand new setting on stage that looked completely different from the previous one. The scenery was very enthralling and greatly contributed to the play.

This play would not be possible without the actors, who light up the stage.  Stephen Pucci was outstanding in his role as Peter Timms, an Englishman that lives in China and consulted Daniel during his visit. Mr. Pucci’s character required him to speak both English and Mandarin. Mr. Pucci’s Mandarin was excellent. His transitions from English to Mandarin were seamless and he spoke mandarin flawlessly. His Mandarin felt completely natural and unforced. Peter Timms Mandarin ability was crucial to the play, as it allowed Daniel to interact with the Chinese characters. He gets two thumbs up for his performance.

Gary Wilmes and Jennifer Lim brought their characters to life. Mr. Wilmes portrayed Daniel’s confusion and honest effort in understanding the people and culture extremely well. This was evident in every scene where Daniel tried to understand what people were saying in Mandarin. Ms. Lim portrayed a strong willed woman perfectly. Her best performances were when her character interacted with Daniel.

Ching*lish is a must see Broadway play. It exceeded its goal of entertaining the audience with a modern comedic story. The playwriting, acting, and sets were outstanding. There was not a single thing that was bad about this play. Ching*lish is definitely worth the price of admission.

Is It a Movie or a Game?

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The game Uncharted 3 has finally come out after much anticipation from fans. The game is about a modern day treasure hunter traveling the world to find treasure. The game nvolves shooting, running, and puzzle solving. Uncharted 3 is available for Playstation 3.

Seth Schiesel wrote a review of this game for the New York Times. Mr. Schiesel’s review is a very good one. He lets you know his opinion at the start of his review, so if you do not have time to read the whole thing, you do not have to. Mr. Schiesel calls the game the “finest, most exciting action-adventure movie in years.” to illustrate how effective the storytelling in the game is. Mr. Schiesel tells the readers some of the game’s best moments without spoiling them and uses good figurative language in the process. Mr. Schiesel notes how the game has a difficulty level that is not too hard but not too easy. His one complain is that the game does not leave the gamer much options when playing the game. The gamer just follows the story rather than create it.

Mr. Schiesel’s comments indicate that he is very experienced in the videogame field.HIs insight on the difficulty level and the storytelling show that he has had prior experience with many different games. Mr. Schiesel’s review is a very good and trustworthy review.

The Importance of Culture

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The best way to learn about new cultures and traditions is to interact with them, which is why its important for each person to know where they came from. The city of New York is a great example. Everyday, New Yorkers are exposed to so many different people. We hear different languages on the subway, eat cultural foods in Manhattan, and watch cultural performances, such as Chinglish.

My high school was very diverse so I had the opportunity to learn about different people. One of my best friends was Chilean, so I learned a lot about his heritage when I went to his house. I ate Chilean food and saw Chilean works of art that his mother had. I learned a lot more about his culture than I would have if I had read about it in a book. Another one of my good friends was Indian, so going to her house taught me a lot about Indian culture.

Another good way to learn about different cultures is visiting all the different museuums that New York City has to offer. Some that come to mind are the Museum of the American Indian, and the Jewish Museum.

One problem that occurs when people are exposed to new cultures is stereotyping. Stereotyping is applying one person’s characteristics and behavior to a whole group. Stereotypes can be extremely hurtful. One way to prevent stereotypes is to meet many different people from many different cultures and learn about them.

Being familiar with different cultures wil not only make you a smarter individual, but will aslo help you succeed. People in the business world value workers who can speak several languages and who are familiar with foreign customs. We should all strive to be more open minded and learn more about cultures that we are not familiar with.

“Sistas- The Musical”

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Anita Gates reviewed the “Sistas- The Musical” for the NY Times. The musical is about a family of black women and their white sister in law reuniting for the funeral of their 92 year old mother. During the musical, the women discuss issues that are very important to black women and perform songs about these issues.

Anita Gates says that this musical is good. She says the script and acting are satisfactory but the musical numbers are very well done. She says that although this show is not the best one on Broadway, it is still good and that it is worth seeing more than some other Broadway shows.

Anita Gates’ review seems credible. She seems to have experience reviewing musicals. In the opening paragraph, she mentions two other Broadway shows that, like this show, are targeted toward a specific group. Her reference to these shows lets the reader know that she knows what to expect and that her experience allow her to better criticize the musical. Her review is also well written and succinct, which is good for the reader because it makes her opinion clear.

Comparing Play and Opera versions of The Barber of Seville

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The play version of The Barber of Seville and the opera version are similar. Both have the same plot of Count Almaviva courting Rosine and putting on disguises to be able to talk to her. In both versions, the Count is assisted by Figaro. In the opera version, Figaro seems more animated. He sings more in the opera version. Another difference between the two versions is that in the play, the female character that the Count pursues  is named Rosine, while in the opera version her name is Rosina. There is also a chorus present in the opera version that is not present in the play. The opera is much more musical than the play. In the opera version, the characters sing their lines, but in the play they read their lines. Both versions deal with fate and how men control it. In both versions, the Count and Figaro are doing things to get Rosine to marry the Count rather than letting fate play itself out. Both versions have the same theme of true love winning in the end. The city of Seville is used more in the opera version. In the play, most of the action takes place inside Bartholo’s house or just outside of it, while the opera uses the city of Seville more. Both versions were very interesting to read and both are well regarded.