Rating  - Not just another Barber of Seville
As I already owned a number of versions of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, including one I was extremely pleased with (see my review of the version by Zurich Opera), I was not considering buying another one, so soon, until I heard Juan-Diego Florez perform on Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment. I agree wholeheartedly with the review by Toni Bernhard and can only add that apart from hearing Florez perform another role, the entire opera is a complete delight. From the assembly of the stage-set during the playing of the overture, through the ingenious use of black and white costumes and sets for most of the opera, the eccentric makeup of almost everyone except Count Almaviva and Figaro to the curtain dropping on the colorful set and crouching soldiers at the end of this performance from the Teatro Real, Madrid, this is a Barber of Seville that very successfully distances itself from all other versions available.
Rating - Great voices, great stage production
This is one of the best productions of this opera I have seen so far. I think that Spagnoli and Bayo are perfect in their roles. They are great singers too. They look more innocent and childish than witty though but I think that precisely that is the idea the stage director wants to convey. Praises appart for the "monster" Juan Diego Florez who, behind his rather skinny figure conceals one of the most beautiful and portentous tenor voices of the century. It is also great to see the legendary Ruggiero Raimondi in his cameo role of the music teacher Don Basilio. The idea of a modular black and white stage that goes from colorless at the beginning of the opera to colorfull by the end works perfectly well. At times you feel like watching a nicely staged childrens play. I particularly liked the effect of the waving white blanket in Raimondi's aria "La calumnia e un venticello" that is a simple but neat idea, bravo for Emilio Sagi!!! Since it was staged in Madrid it was a clever idea to introduce some real "sevillanas" dancing numbers all through the whole opera that worked perfectly well without being intrusive. However the main course is, definetely Florez final aria: "Cessa di piu resistere" that can be described by just breathtaking!!!
Rating  - "An inspired and ingenious production"
The Rossini's masterpiece Il Barbiere di Siviglia is brought to life again with elegancy and touch by the Madrid Opera in 2005, presenting two acclaimed singers of our time: Juan Diego Flórez and María Bayo. The staging is ingeniously effective all the way long, over all in the first scene, simulating Barbiere's neighborhood. Costumes are not traditional but certainly a good match to the set. Madrid Orchestra and chorus are conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti with both passion and knowledge.
Juan Diego, -as he uses to do- gives both vitality and sensibility to Almaviva delivering a youthful and compromising singing and acting. A convincing Figaro is characterized by Pietro Spagnoli with an effortless singing and good understanding of the role. María Bayo is fabulous as Rosina hitting the difficulties of the partitura with easiness and wisdom. As Basilio we have the Italian extraordinary singing bass Ruggero Raimondi who owns the old school vocal technique, vast experience and still has his instrument in good shape making an outstanding accomplishment with this character. A very comic Bartolo is portrayed by Bruno Praticó who has lately taken a respectable position into this buffo repertoire due to his natural acting and singing skills. The secondary role of Bertha is magnified here with the talented Susana Cordón whose singing expressed a deep commitment and expressive bright.
The picture quality is very acceptable and the sound is incredible.
There are other "Barbiere" alternatives in DVD, for those who prefer a Mezzo in the Rosina role for instance, but this one definitely will not disappoint you.
Rating - again not the best possible
Anything with Florez is great because of him, but his performances are better if the staging is superb and the rest of the cast too. Madrid falls down in these categories. His performance at the Met recently with DiDonato was better overall and the staging much better. It is a pity that Decca will not bring out his best performances. See my comments re his Daughter of the Regiment.
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