![\"Angela](\"http:\/\/www.musicalamerica.com\/mablogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/barbiereAngelaBrower.jpg\")
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By ANDREW POWELL MUNICH \u2014 Bavarian State Opera<\/a> this month dusted off (sort of) Ferruccio Soleri\u2019s drab staging of Il barbiere di Siviglia<\/i>. The Italian actor\u2019s action scheme has devolved in his absence into an unfocused free-for-all, permissive, at its saddest, of impromptu bopping and weaving to Rossini\u2019s tunes by principal members of the cast. Mesa, AZ, mezzo-soprano Angela Brower<\/a> saved the Feb. 9 performance (sort of) with articulate roulades, cheerful trills and neat messa di voce<\/i>, embellishing a poised but resolute Rosina. Her star turn here as Nicklausse in 2011 (under the deft leadership of Constantinos Carydis<\/a>) raced agreeably back to mind. A Glimmerglass Young Artist<\/a>, Brower joined the Munich company\u2019s Opera Studio in 2008 and the company itself in 2010. (She is pictured with Nikolay Borchev.) Fellow company member Levente Moln\u00e1r<\/a>, as Figaro, found chemistry with the mezzo, leading to a comedic highpoint in Dunque io son, tu non m\u2019inganni?<\/i> Elsewhere he tried too hard theatrically and, though firm of voice, slid through vital Italian consonants. Javier Camarena<\/a> coped gracefully as Almaviva, a few ungainly fortissimos notwithstanding, but his interpolation of B\u00e9same mucho<\/i> paid Rossini no compliment. Tiziano Bracci<\/a> made an entirely-at-home Bartolo, irked on point for A un dottor della mia sorte<\/i>. More volume to his patter would have been welcome. Ildar Abdrazakov<\/a> seemed looser than his usual lumbering self, the voice projecting well, but he reduced Basilio to caricature in La calunnia \u00e8 un venticello<\/i> and danced obtrusively while the tenor negotiated Cessa di pi\u00f9 resistere<\/i>. Lombard conductor Riccardo Frizza<\/a> provided unwitty, poorly balanced accompaniment.<\/p>\n Photo \u00a9 Bayerische Staatsoper<\/p>\n Related posts:
\nPublished: February 20, 2013<\/span><\/p>\n
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