San Francisco Opera dedicated much of the month of June 2026 to a celebration of Gioacchino Rossini’s most famous opera, “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” which it presented with two alternating casts of principal artists. I attended performances by each cast and am reporting on each separately.
Joshua Hopkins’ Figaro
[Photo: Figaro (Joshua Hopkins) stands besides his cart; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins, in Emilio Sagi’s production, first arrives peddling a “Figaro vehicle”, from which he launches the most famous song from the opera – the tongue-twisting ‘Largo al factotum’ with its familiar “Figaro, Figaro” refrain. Hopkins, accomplished in patter-singing, matched his vocal high-jinks with high energy comedic acting.
Hopkins has steadily built a major operatic career. I have reported on a dozen of his performances over the past decade that include two previous appearances as Rossini’s Figaro [Review: Zambello’s Zany “Barber of Seville” – Glimmerglass Festival, July 20, 2018 and Review: A Hilarious “Barbiere di Siviglia” from Hopkins, Swanson, Fons and Burdette – Santa Fe Opera, August 6, 2022].
I was present at world premieres of operas by Heggie [World Premiere Review: Jake Heggie’s Celestial Transformation of “It’s a Wonderful Life” – Houston Grand Opera, December 2, 2016] and Aucoin [World Premiere Review: Matthew Aucoin’s “Eurydice” at the Los Angeles Opera, February 1, 2020] in which Hopkins created principal roles. I also reported on his impactful appearances in 20th century masterworks by Britten [Review: Hopkins, Norman and Burdette in a Beauty of a “Billy Budd”- Central City Opera, July 21, 2019] and Richard Strauss [Review: Santa Fe Opera Makes the Case for “Capriccio”- July 27, 2016].
See also: Rising Stars – Interview with Baritone Joshua Hopkins.
Levy Sekgapane’s Count Almaviva
[Photo: Levy Sekgapane as the Count Almaviva, disguised as the impoverished student Lindoro; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
South African tenor Levy Sekgapane, in his San Francisco Opera debut season, performed the role of Count Almaviva. His first aria ‘Ecco ridente in cielo’ revealed an expressive, lyrical voice with coloratura flexibility. Sekgapane, a winner of the 2017 Operalia contest, gave a praiseworthy performance throughout the evening.
Every tenor singing at San Francisco Opera over the past 13 seasons has sung the long and difficult aria ‘Cessa di piu resistere’, which was considered a “traditional cut” in most “Barber” performances throughout the 20th century (and every “Barber” performance during the first 91 years of San Francisco Opera history).
The restoration of Rossini’s aria creates a brilliant finale for Almaviva. Sekgapane’s singing dominated the final scene, earning him a long and sustained audience ovation.
Maria Kataeva’s Rosina
[Photo: Maria Kataeva as Rosina; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.
Russian-born German mezzo-soprano Maria Kataeva was Rosina, the object of the Count’s affections.
Kataeva showed dramatic flair and vocal security when singing Rosina’s most famous aria ‘Una voce poco fa’.
The winner of the audience prize at the 2019 Operalia, Kataeva was a lively presence onstage.
Kataeva is an acccomplished zarzuela performer. She is a talented castanet player, at one point dancing flamenco while skillfully playing her castanets.
Renato GIrolami’s Doctor Bartolo
[Photo: Renato Girolami as Doctor Bartolo; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the Sa Francisco Opera.]
Performing the ‘buffo’ role of Doctor Bartolo, Rosina’s crotchety guardian, was Italian baritone Renato Girolami.
Throughout the performance, Girolami was masterful in playing the foil for the intrigues of Figaro, Rosina, and the Count.
Girolami showed the vocal agility required for Bartolo’s great aria ‘A un dottor della mia sorte’, one of the evening’s major highlights.
This was GIrolami’s second ‘buffo’ role at San Francisco Opera. He previously potrayed Donizetti’s Doctor Dulcamara [Review: Donizetti’s Delightful, ‘Must See’ “Elixir of Love” Starring Pene Pati and Slatka Zamecnikova – San Francisco Opera, November 19, 2023].
Girolami was a student of Italian baritone Sesto Bruscantini, one of most significant ‘buffo’ artists in San Francisco Opera history. It seems without question that Girolami will be one of his generation’s exemplars of the ‘buffo’ genre.
Riccardo Fassi’s Don Basilio and Other Cast Members
[Photo: Don Basilio (Riccardo Fassi) joins in a celebration; edited image based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
Italian bass Riccardo Fassi appears as Don Basilio.in both casts.
Fassi delivered Don Basilio’s aria ‘La calumnia’ impressively, which argues that an effecctive way to counter adversaries is to create damaging rumors about them. In this producction, the spread of calumny is represented by voluminous billows of cloth, covering much of the stage.
Later in the opera, Fassi’s Basilio arrives at an inopportune moment for the opera’s other characters, inspiring the ensemble ‘Buona sera, mio signore’, one of opera’s most hilarious ensembles.
This was the second role that I have seen Fassi perform. He appeared last summer in Santa Fe in the title role of Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” [Review: Ailyn Perez Joins Santa Fe Opera’s Excellent “Le Nozze di Figaro” Cast – July 31, 2025] and is Don Basilio in both casts of San Francisco’s “Barber”.
Others in the cast included California mezzo-soprano Catherine Cook as the maid Berta, a role that Cook has played in the majority of San Francisco Opera performances of “Barber of Seville” for the past quarter century.
[Photo: Olivier Zerouali (center right, front) as Count Almaviva’s servant Fiorello; edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera. ]
Delaware baritone Olivier Zerouali performed impressively as Count Almaviva’s servant, Fiorello.
Puerto Rican baritone Gabriel Natal-Baez was Doctor Bartolo’s servant, Ambrogio. Natal-Baez is a 2026 Adler Fellow, and was a winner of the 2026 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.
Welsh tenor and 2024, 2025 and 2026 Adler Fellow Thomas Kinch portrayed an Officer of Seville’s police force, who was investigating a distrubance at Doctor Bartolo’s residence.
[Photo: The Officer of the Force (Thomas Kinch, left) confronts – from center left to right – Don Basiio (Ricardo Fassi) Berta (Catherine Cook), Doctor Bartolo (Renato GIrolami), Rosina (Maria Kataeva) and Figaro (Joshua Hopkins); edited image, based on a Cory Weaver photograph, courtesy of the San Francisco Opera.]
San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus
The San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus performed with the authority and musical brilliance for which these operatic entities are renown.
The Orchestra was led by Illinois conductor Benjamin Manis, the chorus by Pennsylvania chorus master John Keene.
Emilio Sagi’s Production, Llorenc Corbella’s Set Design and Colm Seery’s Revival Choreography
Emilio Sagi’s production, utilizing Llorenc Corbella’s unit set design, was first performed at the San Francisco Opera in 2013 [Review: Lucas Meachem, Javier Camarena and Isabel Leonard Romp in Sagi’s Sprightly New “Barber of Seville” – San Francisco Opera, November 13, 2013.
The production was revived in 2015 [Review: Lucas Meachem, René Barbera, Daniela Mack in a Beguiling “Barber of Seville” – San Francisco Opera, November 29, 2015].
[Photo: a group of Seville residents hired by Count Almaviva wander around the courtyard below Doctor Bartolo’s apartments. ]
Recommendation
I recommend the Emilio Sagi production of “Barbiere di Siviglia” both for veteran opera-goers and to persons new to opera.
See also my review of the “Barber” – Cast Two, posted at: Review: Justin Austin, Jack Swanson and Hongni Wu Lead “Barber of Seville” Cast Two – San Francisco Opera, June 6, 2026.