Baritone Geoffrey Schellenberg sings the role of Figaro in The Barber of Seville, February 21 to 28

Gioachino Rossini’s opera buffa is the subject of countless pop-culture references by characters like Bugs Bunny and Homer Simpson

Burnaby Lyric Opera presents Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts from February 21 to 28

IF YOU HAVEN’T had the chance to catch The Barber of Seville live onstage yet, you’re probably unwittingly familiar with its music thanks to decades of pop-culture references.

Gioachino Rossini’s overture is the focal point of the 1950 Bugs Bunny short “Rabbit of Seville”, a slapstick scenario in which the Wascally Wabbit outwits Elmer Fudd by leading him right into a theatre where a production of the opera buffa is about to take place—and then forcing him to perform a butchered version of it in front of an audience.

In more recent times, an ’07 episode of The Simpsons called “The Homer of Seville” sees Homer accidentally become an opera star; among the pieces he sings is Count Almaviva’s serenade from Act 1.

So when Burnaby Lyric Opera brings the production to the Shadbolt Centre later this month, die-hard fans can rejoice in one of the canon’s greatest works, while new listeners can keep their ears open for pop-culture Easter eggs. Performances will run at 2 pm on February 23, 25, and 28 and 7:30 pm on February 21 and 26.

Canadian-American baritone Geoffrey Schellenberg will take on the superbly comedic role of barber Figaro, alongside mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater as Rosina and baritone Aaron Durand as Dr. Bartolo. Schellenberg has performed in The Barber of Seville several times over the years, including a special presentation of the show by the UBC Opera Ensemble and Vancouver Opera Orchestra at Bard on the Beach nearly a decade ago (during which he also played Figaro).

As always, the opera buffa will be sung in Italian, with English surtitles projected with each performance so you can understand all the delicious drama.

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Emily Lyth

Stir editorial assistant Emily Lyth is a Vancouver-based writer and editor who graduated from Langara College’s Journalism program. Her decade of dance training and passion for all things food-related are the foundation of her love for telling arts, culture, and community stories.

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