Is there any opera quite as fun as Rossini’s comic Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), which the Bardavon will broadcast as part of its The Met: Live in HD 2014/15 season this Saturday afternoon, November 22? It’s the stuff of Chuck Jones cartoon takeoffs and some of opera’s most memorable tunes (who cannot, after all, sing “Figaro, Figaro, FIGARO!” in the privacy of his or her car or shower, ad infinitum?). It has a fun storyline with feisty lovers and conspiring paramours, wacky plot machinations and a resourceful and charming barber at the center of it all, which opera stars consider one of the form’s great roles. It has been a resounding hit since almost its premiere in 1816, and will assuredly be one this weekend when this new performance from New York broadcasts live in high-definition performance transmissions to more than 900 theaters around the world.
In addition to the performance itself, the Bardavon will be presenting a special pre-show talk at 12:30 p.m. before the main performance, with Marist Music teacher and Almanac Weekly critic Leslie Gerber discussing the production, as well as the great Rossini work’s highlights.
The Barber of Seville live from the Met in HD, Saturday, November 22, 1 p.m., $26, Bardavon 1869 Opera House, 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie; (845) 473-2072, www.bardavon.org.
Join the family! 
