Comments for The Barber of Seville | Opera Australia at http://www.australianstage.com.au , comment 1 to 1 out of 1 comments http://www.australianstage.com.au Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:44:48 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.australianstage.com.au/reviews/melbourne/the-barber-of-seville--opera-australia-305.html#comment-52 Easy rather than great is a good description of this opera. Understudy turned title-role star Luke Gabbedy is quite entertaining singing the role of the barber with panache. Plus he seems more than at ease with the exaggerated comic style of this production. Henry Choo also revels in moments of comic timing and his singing is easy enough on the ear. Soprano Emma Matthews is wonderful, especially in the second act where her Rosina really has the chance to shine. Her vocals are the highlight of the show. Brava! I cannot share other\'s enthusiasm for Warwick Fyfe as Dr Bartolo. I think his performance is lack-luster and several times his singing lags behind the beat. Is he puffed, unable to enunciate each word quickly enough or in the wrong place to see the conductor? Whatever the reason he makes it sound like hard work. Thankfully Richard Bonynge has no trouble guiding the orchestra to keep in time and present in turn dynamic and beautifully lyrical music. John Milson’s direction is mixed. The background artists Brett, Byrant, Jones, Madden-Gray and Mannix all turn in disciplined caricatures that add delightful levity without once upstaging the leads. Unfortunately the leads are also kept to caricatures and too often cross the stage only to make their next mark. Maybe if there was less stage to cross and they weren\'t asked toclimb over the piano at the centre of the set so often it would seem more effortless. - Just Nigel Sat, 28 Apr 2007 03:46:52 +0100