Herbert Fritsch’s production of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Sivigla filmed at the Wiener Staatsoper in 2021 is strangely ambiguous.  At first blush it looks like the sort of hyper traditional production the WSO might have had in repertory for fifty years.  There are big wigs, knee breeches and so on but it soon becomes apparent that something more (or less) is going on.  Tje costumes are exaggerated.  The fabrics are elaborate and shiny and very not early 19th century at all.  The wigs are odd colours.  Rosina’s dress shows rather a lot of leg.  There’s virtually no scenery and the only props I recall in the whole piece are a ladder and Lindoro’s sword at the end of Act 1.

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