Figaro takes his razors to the countryside

Popularizing opera is something that has been attempted, is being attempted, and will always be attempted; it's not easy, of course, due to the human and production needs that the genre requires. Even more so if it's presented in a rural setting, far not only from the large coliseums but also from the big cities. The La Vera Opera Festival , born with this purpose, celebrates its third edition this year in the Cáceres town of Villanueva de la Vera . Ras de Terra, a project created by Mónica Sánchez-Robles and Juan Urquiola , renovated an abandoned drying shed at the foot of Gredos, in the La Vera region, and they decided to turn it into a cultural center with opera at the forefront.

The festival will be held on June 13th and 14th. On the first day, the documentary "Testimonies at the Blue House " will be screened (a group portrait featuring testimonies from local residents who share their experience with opera). Soprano Annie Fassea , accompanied on piano by Eduardo Moreno , will offer a recital (with an artistic intervention by visual artist Isabel Flores) in the area surrounding the town's castle, where the event will be held.

But the highlight will be on Saturday the 14th, with a performance of one of the most popular titles in the comic repertoire: ' Il barbiere di Siviglia ' by Gioacchino Rossini (the two previous editions featured performances of 'L'elisir d'amore' and 'La sonnambula', respectively). It will be held in Aniceto Marinas Square in Villanueva de la Vera.

The opera is presented with a reduced orchestra by Francis Griffin, with musical direction by Juan Pablo Valencia-Heredia and stage direction by William Costabile Cisco . The rest of the artistic team includes Mónica Sánchez-Robles (set design), Macarena Folache (costumes), and Ambra Sorrentino (artistic direction). The principal orchestra of the Ópera de la Vera and the Extremadura Chamber Choir also participate.

The cast of the play, based on a work by Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais (also author of 'The Marriage of Figaro', which Mozart had already brought to the stage), is made up of Matteo Loi (Figaro), Candida Guida (Rosina), Massimo Frigato (Count Almaviva), Vittorio de Campo (Don Basilio), Omar Kamata (Don Bartolo), Sophie Lauerer (Berta) and Kevin Adeva (Fiorello / Officer / Notary).