Rossini returns to the Liceu in Christmas

The colosseum barcelona program, after an absence of 36 years, the refreshing opera buffa (comic opera 'L l'italiana in Algeri'. It may also be seen in 125 cinemas of Spain and other countries of Europe

After 36 years of absence, one of the comedies lyrics most fun of Gioaccino Rossini L italiana in Algeri, returns to the Gran Teatre del Liceu. It does so with reason of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the death of its author, but also with the will of schedule in these dates a-title delicious and refreshing, that you'll see throughout nine functions -from 13 to 23 December, one of which, the day 18, can be followed also in 125 cinema halls of Spain and Europe.

With production from the Teatro Regio di Torino, signed in 2009 by the director Vittorio Borrelli, this youthful masterpiece by Rossini, written when the composer was only 21 years old, has musical direction of Riccardo Frizza, and a double deal that brings for the first time on the stage of barcelona to the mezzo Varduhi Abrahamyan (Isabella), the bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni (Mustafa) and the tenor Maxim Mironov (Lindoro).

L l'italiana in Algeri is an opera with more than two centuries of history -premiered at the teatro San Benedetto in Venice on 22 may 1813, and arrived in Barcelona just two years later - and, however, the theme of the liberation of women is very present in her, through her protagonist, Isabella, who travels to Algeria to rescue her lover, Lindoro, held by the King Mustafa.

And to tell this story, Vittorio Borrelli has designed a mounting flamboyant and colourful, traditional in a certain sense, but which also aims to "show the typical features of the characters who are actually archetypes everyday", according to the director, that stands out in particular the character of Isabella. "An extraordinary woman, capable of subverting the order of the algerian society. In this character we move from a world in which they govern the men to another in which this woman anticipates the movement of feminism. But this is not surprising because all the female characters rossinianos are very strong," he says.

With numerous scene changes that happen in the eyes of the public -"is the theater inside the theater, which to me is a critical feature"-, Borelli will be surprised also to the viewers by adding an unusual sensory experience. "At the end of the second Act is a celebration of the investiture of the bey as a member of a certain order. By tradition, in this scene they usually include a dish typically Italian, spaghetti or pizza. But on this occasion on the stage there will be a Italian chef who will prepare there some tagliatelle and tomato sauce with basil that accompany them. And some of the soloists will be able to taste this dish," explains the director.

will Not be the case of the tenor Maxim Mironov, who in his role of Lindoro will not be able to take advantage of this plus gourmet. "This is a real torture because I'm there and I get all the smells," says the singer, who is also concerned, in some way, the projection in cinemas of the assembly. "This is very interesting, but also disturbing, because there is a scene in a Turkish bath, in which we are half naked. And is not the same as doing so for two thousand people for the entire world," he says.

For its part, the mezzo Varduhi Abrahamyan hopes that the public captures all of the energy that leads in order to incarnate a woman "authoritative and intuitive that you find solution to all problems." In his role of Mustafa, Luca Pisaroni is convinced that "the opera is always going ahead of the society. In addition to Isabella, there are many female characters, like Tosca, or Susanna, The marriage of Figaro, which always have a courage and a confidence, that in the society the woman still had not. That's why -he adds - if I have to define L' Italian in one sentence I would say: 'Never infravalores to women because they are much more intelligent than men'. And in this opera, a woman is valued as it should be in the society".

L Italian can be seen in all of Europe. And that is to bring opera to new audiences and cities with little programming of this genre is the aim of the agreement signed between the Gran Teatre del Liceu in barcelona and the Spanish operator of satellite communications, Hispasat, which will allow the live broadcast, both in the national and international level, of the four titles of the season. The first of these broadcasts will take place the next day 18 and correspond to L italiana in Algeri, which can be seen at 125 movie theaters: 25 of Catalonia, 59 from other parts of Spain, and the remaining, in 11 european countries. In addition, the live broadcast will be in charge for the first time on Spanish Television, that provides a comprehensive technology deployment (nine cameras in the room). The assembly will be issued at the national level, through The 2. According to the artistic director, Christina Scheppelmann, in the face of the dissemination of the activity of the theatre projects of this type are "more attractive than the DVD, because the sales statistics are for crying."

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