English National Opera's The Barber of Seville, London Coliseum

Two centuries after its premiere – and now universally accepted as the composer’s comic masterpiece – Rossini’s prequel to The Marriage of Figaro remains as tuneful, ironic and uproariously funny as ever.

Set in an elegant comic-opera vision of 18th-century Seville, Jonathan Miller’s Tiepolo-inspired staging brilliantly intercuts the traditions of the Italian commedia dell’arte and the Whitehall farce to create what, at its last revival, one reviewer called ‘an evening of unalloyed pleasure, insight and subtlety of characterisation’. The talented flautist-turned-conductor Jaime Martin, here making his operatic debut, brings an authentic Hispanic touch to this 25th anniversary revival.

Baritone Benedict Nelson, star of the 2011/12 season’s Billy Budd, is Figaro; charismatic young lyric soprano Lucy Crowe returns as the feisty Rosina, following sensational appearances in 2007’s Agrippina and The Coronation of Poppea, and Andrew Shore, ENO’s Olivier Award-nominated buffo baritone, reprises his ‘classic portrayal’ (The Guardian) of Doctor Bartolo, the poor girl’s pompous old fool of a guardian.

There are no booking fees for this production.

However, all bookings made through ATG Tickets for this venue are subject to a £3.00 Transaction fee.