Word: casts
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...alternate cast for the Barber of Seville is easily as strong as that of opening night. Dominating the performance is Frederick Brozer as Figaro. He has a big voice which he projects well, and he invests the role with considerable charm. Marietta Perl makes Rosina an artful coquette, and manages the difficult vocal line with a minimum of effort...
Perhaps the most noticable change is the improvement in the Orchestra; the rough spots are now few and far between. With either cast local music lovers can be assured of a beguiling performance...
This music, however, is as difficult to sing as it is easy to listen to. All the major parts have florid melodies to sing, as in Rossini's day coloratura was not only for sopranos. No one in last night's cast completely escaped this difficulty, but the singers made up in spirit what they lacked in flexibility. Anne Wallace had the least trouble with the style, and as well as singing tastefully she looked very pretty as Rosina...
...rest of the cast is rendered ineffective, by the script and the direction, both handled by Steve Salomon. The original French short story by Prosper Merime is difficult enough to believe, but Salomon added to this original fault by making much of the dialogue painfully simple, and by overworking both the theme and meanings through constant narration...
...time," "I do nothing of the kind, damn it!"--the mood is buoyant, because the stage is often full of two alligators, nice bits of Life With Father, and Walter Pidgeon, who has a wonderful time bounding around in the title role. He has an effective supporting cast headed by Diana van der Vlis as his boxing daughter, and George Grizzard as her finance. The several actresses who play society women all flutter very nicely. So does the play...