Rating: 
Summary: The Comic Spirit of Rossini
Review: I wouldn't say this production of "the Barber" was perfect, but I give 5 stars anyway because it was SO MUCH FUN! I've seen a convention production of "the Barber" live which was very well-sung and well-staged-- but the fact is, my attention always wavered after the second or third da capo of each verse or coloratura....So even with the vibrant and often stunning vocal performances from Larmore, Croft, Malis and the rest of the cast (right down to Bertha the maid), what really sealed the COMIC SPIRIT of Rossini in this productions is the "frivolous" direction by Dario Fo. Count Almaviva is no longer stuck under Rosina's balcony when serenading Rosina, Rosina and Figaro are really "playing around" with each other in their duets, and everyone is just having fun with the opera. Yes, watching this production finally made me appreciate Rossini's genius in creating the consistently over-the-top comedy in "the Barber". So THREE CHEERS to Dario Fo for coming up with the imaginative mimes to supplement Rossini' wonderful music! In particular, I thought the "subtitling" of the arias was a wonderful tip of the hat to the karaoke culture of today. Of course, I must admit that unlike some opera-lovers, I DON'T have a problem with "stylised" as opposed to realistic staging of operas. Instead getting annoyed with an unusual way of staging an opera, I would try to see the "point" in such a staging. SO SIT BACK AND RELAX! The way to enjoy this production is to try to catch all the jokes and humour in the staging!
Rating:
Summary: Zedda & Fo are an irresistible combo
Review: I've seen a lot of opera on video, but this is by far my favorite. It combines the superb musicianship of Rossini expert Alberto Zedda with the brilliant, zany, inventive stagecraft of Nobel Laureate (for Literature) Dario Fo. Although Fo's direction is sometimes manic, it's never over the top and is always in keeping with the spirit of Rossini. Jennifer Larmore is a wonderful, youthful Rosina, and Richard Croft as Almaviva is pretty good, too. The only disappointment, if any, is the somewhat lightweight Figaro of David Malis, but in the grand scheme of things this is minor. Whenever I watch it (and I've seen it at least 10 times now), it puts a smile on my face from beginning to end.
Rating:
Summary: The running around is in the first scene only. Excellent DVD
Review: If people are having doubts wether to order this DVD because the critisim that there are 'hundreds of extras flitting about like idiots', then reconsider. This only done in the first scene (outside in the street). I've seen Dario Fo's 'L'Italiani in Algeri' performed in the Amsterdam Music Theatre by the Netherlands Opera, so I knew what to expect: a very entertaining, artistic and beautiful performance. If you prefer (very) oldfashioned stagings of operas where people behave like statues while singing their arias, don't buy this one. If your looking for a very original quality product, get it now. Especially it this price!
Rating: 
Summary: a real Dario Fo comedy
Review: If you like Commedia del Arte, this is an opera for you. Dario Fo makes it impossible not to enjoy it. On stage there happens so much and sometimes so funny that you nearly forget to listen to the opera
Rating:
Summary: An original approach, unfairly maligned
Review: It saddens me to see that so many people have written negative reviews of this performance, which I consider to be one of the best opera videos currently available. It's not a traditional production -- indeed, we're probably never going to see anything like this again -- but isn't that the whole point? This production is unique, maybe even infuriating at times, but it never stops being interesting. I also happened to find it incredibly entertaining. It helps that there is some amazing singing by Jennifer Larmore, who has a rich mezzo voice with ringing top notes, and who handles the difficult vocal writing with ease. She even looks like the ideal Rosina -- youthful but alluring. The rest of the singers are less amazing, although Richard Croft does a good job with the part of Almaviva, and the late, great Renato Capecchi (who in his prime sang Figaro, but here, just a few years before he died, sings Bartolo) is very characterful. It also helps that this performance is conducted by Alberto Zedda, THE living Rossini scholar, who coaxes the orchestra into providing energetic playing that alternates easily between the vigorous and the gentle, just as Rossini ordered. The sound is actually quite fine, notwithstanding some other reviewers' (inconsistent) complaints about overmiking or undermiking. Yes, it's true that you can often hear the shuffling of feet on stage, but I've never been to a opera performance where there isn't a noticeable amount of stage noise -- it's part of the live opera experience! Perhaps the "Professor" and others below who found this stage noise problematic are used to hearing (or seeing) only souped-up studio recordings of opera. If so, then that is very unfortunate. In this case, the rhythmic footsteps of the dancers are supposed to be a part of the performance, and they are far less intrusive than the coughers and cellophane-candy-unwrappers that one would encounter at any live opera performance. The criticism that baffles me the most, however, is the complaint that there is too much motion and action on the stage in this performance. As far as I can tell, the whole idea behind this production is the key concept that rhythm and perpetual motion are at the very heart of Rossini's music. Incredibly, one negative reviewer below even goes so far as to assert that "all action needs to stop when a singer launches an aria, or during an ensemble." This has got to be one of the most crabbed and narrow-minded conceptions of opera that I have ever read. I, for one, am glad that the days of the old "stand and deliver"-style of opera performance have faded away, and that a performance like this (the very opposite of "stand and deliver") could have been made and preserved on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Highly Recommended
Review: My 6 and 9 year old and I love the lively,energetic and happy music and presentation of this opera. My children enjoy it so much they clap along with the audience! The video quality and sound is excellent, you can really tell it is a recent recording. The singers are young, playful and appealing, their enjoyment of their roles is infectious. Opera DVD's are an excellent value, you get the CD quality music and the stage performance in one. The stomping that Glen Kelly refers to is really very infrequent and really does not hinder the enjoyment of this excellently produced opera. DVD's like this is why I purchased our home theater system--to bring top quality opera and other fine arts programs home to my family, programs which they would otherwise never be exposed to.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful version
Review: Simply extraordinary, the putting in scene of Fo, and the rolls of the surprising Barber and Rosina. Highly recommendable for all the lovers of this opera.
Rating:
Summary: A lot more fun than you might think
Review: The first video Barber of Seville I saw was a VHS with Cecilia Bartoli. So I was scared off by some of the reviews below. Having watched it, I agree with another review: the negative reviews are unfair. True, early on the movements are distracting and there are moments where the crowd noise is a problem. But like any good drama, this staging draws you in. After the first scene or so, the extra action really adds to the production. If you like a static production where the singers just stand around and sing, then, no, you won't like this one. But if you like action that creates a grand spectacle, than you will experience this production more positively. On the whole, it works. I'm no expert in operatic historiography, but this production FEELS right for the genre. I'm also no expert in singing, but the music in this production sounds fine to me. As with "sinyung" I'm giving this 5 stars since it is "so much fun." I burst out laughing numerous times. Isn't that what a great comedy is to do? Yes, there are occasional flaws, but they are more than outweighed by the positive aspects.
Rating: 
Summary: Good singing, very annoying staging
Review: The singing in this performance is very good, but it is hard to get past the incidental people who are constantly appearing on stage and spinning around. I can only assume that they are there to remind us that this is a comedy. Unfortunately, it only masks the fact that the Barber of Seville was created as a comedy and if played well is actually funny! The picture quality is very good. As for the sound quality, the orchestra comes through fine but the singing is a bit distant and has a definite echo to it. At some points the stage noise becomes so loud that it actually almost drowns out the singing. Although I like the singing in this release, I wish I had waited for a better overall release of this opera.
Rating:
Summary: Bad VHS Sound Quality Ruins an Excellent Production
Review: The visually stunning and aurally magnificent production of this classic opera is impeded horrendously by the sound quality on this video, due, I suppose, to poor microphone placement and bad editing. Footsteps (and especially leaps or backflips or other acrobatics) on stage become massive, booming cannon blasts that jar the music. The orchestra often drowns out the singers, especially during the second act. I would recommend purchasing this production if you can find a good price, and especially if you have a predilection for good stage direction and excellent singing.
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