Last weekend was our "Performing Arts Weekend". After a really delicious office party for my wife's work on Friday, we headed to Dallas on Saturday for a day of shopping and a night at the opera. The shopping I won't go into as no one cares... not even me. But the opera- ah that's another story.

This time it was the "Barber of Seville" by Rossini. Mother came with again as well as my sister Connie, a first timer. After a wonderful dinner at the 440 Grill in Bishop Arts, we threaded our way through traffic to the theater where an officious parking attendant refused my parking in the reserved section because I had left my card at home. (My tickets have always been enough before.) We made our way inside and took our seats center front balcony.

We most often do not associate opera with laugh-out-loud comedy. This was just that. From the first, the slapstick staging along with the skilled delivery made for wonderful comic moments throughout. Dr. Bartolo (Donato Distephano of Italy) and Rosina (Vivica Genaux of Alaska) were the standouts. He the pompous, scheming doctor in love with Rosina and her dowry and she his spoiled, scheming ward in love with Count Almaviva in the guise of Lindoro. The Count (Richard Croft of New York) plays roles within roles in his attempts to rendezvous with with the sequestered Rosina. Chaos reigns supreme throughout and of course they get together in the end.

The music, some of the most recognizable in opera, was very well done. Though Croft's tenor was less than robust, it was well tuned and modulated. The best male voice was the monor character of Don Basilio (Oren Gradus of New York). Here is a strong bass with gusto and character. Figaro (Giorgio Caoduro of Italy) also had a lively baritone, and his delivery was deliciously quirky. The evening was fine with a responsive audience to this final performance of the schedule. I had to wonder how much of the interplay was choreographed and how much was final night playfulness. Hard to say... don't really care. Loved it all regardless. Check the next entry for the next day's performances.