Make plans to join us on Tuesday evening, March 20th, or Thursday evening, March 22nd, for our next Dinner and a Diva featuring highlights from Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). This month's performers from the Capitol City Opera Company are Abby Halon, soprano; Kirby Eicholtz, tenor; Stephen McCool, baritone; and, Brandon Odom, baritone. They will be accompanied by pianist Brock Derringer.
From trickery and disguises to serenading in the moonlight, this Gioachino Rossini opera is filled with liveliness and comedy at every twist and turn. When this opera was first performed on Feb. 20, 1816, at the Teatro Argentina in Rome, it would have been difficult to predict that 200 years later this musical comedy would continue to be a staple of the operatic repertoire, ranking #6 on the 2014/15 Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide.
Rossini’s “Barber” has also been used in episodes of The Simpsons, Little Rascals, in the Nov. 11, 1993 episode of Seinfeld when the show’s familiar slap-bass incidental music is replaced with selections from the overture, and the classic Seinfeld episode when he tries to change barbers and gets caught “cheating” on his first barber with his second. Additionally, the Barber’s overture provided the inspiration for the Bugs Bunny cartoon short The Rabbit of Seville; and for the famous cartoon spokes-animal Bee, of Honey Nut Cheerios fame, when Bee takes his turn as a barber in a cereal commercial.
The dinner includes a sampling of premium hors d’ oeuvres, fresh salad, choice of two gourmet entrees, decadent dessert, hot coffee/tea, and two glasses of fine wine, for only $60 per person (tax included; gratuity separate). The performers from the Capitol City Opera Company sing between each course. The evening begins at 6:15 p.m. with a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres reception; dinner and performance start promptly at 7 p.m. Reservations are required by calling 404-634-6268.