By George Basler

Patrick Hansen uses the words “bubbly” and “fizzy” to describe Gioachino Rossini’s comic opera The Barber of Seville. “It’s not like sitting down to a huge heavy meal. It’s mostly desserts,” he said.

Hansen, artistic director of Opera McGill in Canada, is the stage director for Tri-Cities Opera’s production of Barber, which will be performed Sunday (April 21) at the Broome County Forum Theatre.

 “I want audience members to exit with smiles. I want them to be transported to some other place with smiles and laughter,” Hansen said as he took a break from rehearsals.

The opera, which is now more than 200 years old, is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of comedy within music and has been described by opera buffs as the comic opera of all comic operas.

The Barber of Seville features “an accessible, family-friendly story,” said TCO Executive Director John Rozzoni. The company’s production will be a full-scale one with a 38-piece orchestra, a 10-person chorus, grand sets and costumes, and a well-established cast of visiting artists in the eight featured roles.

“It drives home our mission that opera is for everyone,” Rozzoni said. (The production will be sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.)

Rossini’s opera premiered in February 1816 and was a hit with audiences from the beginning. The story follows the escapades of a barber, Figaro, as he assists Count Almaviva in prying away the beautiful Rosina from her lecherous guardian, Dr. Bartolo.

TCO’s Figaro, Brian James Myer, has performed with opera companies across the United States, including New York City Opera, Atlanta Opera, Knoxville Opera and Opera San Jose. The baritone believes a major reason for The Barber of Seville’s continuing popularity is that the music is instantly recognizable even to non-opera buff, even showing up in the Bugs Bunny cartoon The Rabbit of Seville.

Another reason for the lasting appeal is that “it is still so much fun,” said tenor Chris Bozeka, who is playing Count Almaviva. While the social structure has changed from Rossini’s time, the characters — a lecherous old man, young lovers, a jack-of all-trades and a conniving gossip — remain instantly recognizable, he added.

Bozeka has sung with the Houston Grand Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. He previously played Count Almaviva with Wolf Trap Opera.

Hansen thinks The Barber of Seville could be considered the first “sitcom” because of its comic tropes. There are broadly comic moments, pratfalls and “stupid disguises” that should be instantly recognizable, but somehow aren’t.

Not that it’s easy to perform.

“It’s hard to sing,” said TCO’s Rosini, Sarah Coit. The mezzo-soprano has sung the role before with Utah Opera.

The style of music requires performers to be on the top of their games technically and at the top of their games in terms of improvising, Bozeka said. “There are a lot of high notes and a lot of fast notes,” Myer added.

The performance needs to be funny, Hansen emphasized. Performers need to sing it brilliantly but also need to inject some sense of comedy into the action for the show to be successful, he said.

The Tri-Cities Opera production is the first time Hansen has directed The Barber of Seville although he’s conducted it many times. Besides his job at Opera McGill, Hansen has been on the musical staffs of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Memphis, Des Moines Metro Opera, Ash Lawn Opera, The Julliard Opera Center and Glimmerglass Opera. He was also director of artistic administration for Florida Grand Opera.

Musically guiding the TCO production will be Giovanni Reggioli, who has conducted orchestras on five continents.

“I want (audience members) to stop worrying about their lives when they watch the show,” Hansen said. “Go and have fun.”

IF YOU GO: Tri-Cities Opera will perform The Barber of Seville at 3 p.m. Sunday (April 21) at the Broome County Forum Theater, 236 Washington St., Binghamton. Four levels of ticket prices are $89 to $20. FREE tickets for youth under 18 (up to 4) with the purchase of an adult ticket. Post-secondary students have access to half-off ticket prices or $10 tickets 30 minutes prior to showtime.  Military and senior discounts are available. Details and tickets: Visit www.tricitiesopera.com/barber or call 607-772-0400.