"[Director Sir Thomas] Allen has been helped by the excellent ensemble cast Scottish Opera has gathered together for this production and which he marshals expertly. Among the smaller roles, Paul Carey Jones is an ebullient Fiorello, Giles Tomkins a suitably slimy Don Basilio, and Karin Thyselius a perpetually flustered Berta - superb in her one aria."
Matthew Rye, The Daily Telegraph, 5th October 2007
"It is good to see an opera production that will clearly be revived and revived... Paul Carey Jones is a mobile Fiorello"
Raymond Monelle, The Independent, 5th October 2007
"Thomas Allen’s new production for Scottish Opera buzzes with adrenaline and excitement. Even during the overture, Paul Carey Jones’ Fiorello is busy organising clowns, tradesmen and city guardsmen into a chorus of musicians for Adrian Dwyer’s aloof Almaviva. Quite where they all come from is unclear, but they certainly fit into Simon Higlett’s crowded design of early 20th century faded grandeur.
"The early energy keeps on coming right to the end, with Carey Jones leading in the city guards, and plenty of energy from Karin Thyselius as Berta and Giles Tomkins as Don Basilio. An crowd-pleasing production that has enough complexities and theatrical depths to bear many, and no doubt welcome, returns."
Thom Dibdin, The Stage, 9th October 2007
"...we get true wit rather than tiresome gags... it is a very beautiful staging, that takes inspiration from the crumbling, pastel-coloured palacios of Havana.
"Giles Tomkins supplies louche, Lord Lucanesque presence as Don Basilio, Paul Carey Jones is a good comic foil as Fiorello, and Karin Thyselius makes a manic Berta."
John Allison, The Sunday Telegraph, 14th October 2007
"It's a wonderfully busy production of Il barbiere di Siviglia that Sir Thomas Allen has put together for Scottish Opera, a busyness which creates a reality for its duration... Yet for all that is going on, it never once distracts from the drama, from the classiness of the singing, both of soloists and chorus, and playing of the orchestra.
"Nicholas Folwell is a pompously portly Dr Bartolo, Giles Tomkins a black-clad functionary as Don Basilio. The sneezing Berta (Karen Thyselius) consoles her single state by emptying every glass she can lay her hands on. Paul Carey Jones, doubling as Fiorello and the Officer of the guard, is forever busy with something or other, a Figaro in the making. Karen Cargill, singing Rosina, is as sweet and devious and loving and petulant as she should be."
Catriona Graham, The Opera Critic,
26th November 2007
"This new production of The Barber of
Seville, directed by Sir Thomas Allen, was quite simply a delight. Full
of zest, the obvious enjoyment of the cast couldn't help but infect the
audience. In fact, this was arguably quite the best full-scale
production the now-stable and more confident company has done for a
long time.
"Paul
Anwyl, Paul Carey Jones and Karin Thyselius gave superb support as
Ambrogio, The Officer and Berta respectively
"For a rollicking evening's
entertainment, you could scarcely better this production."
Neil Jones, Opera Now, January 2008
