Opera in the Pines will world premiere “The Barber of the Cape” on May 16, 2025.

The showcase, set to take place at Cape Neddick Lobster Pound in Maine, is an adaptation of Rossini’s famed “Il Barbiere di Siviglia.” In this version, Rosie, a waitress, falls for a visitor from Manhattan. In order to find her happy ending, she must manage her uncle Bart, the restaurant owner. The opera stars Matthew Cossack as Figaro, Kaileigh Riess as Rosie, Jared Vigue as the Chief, John David Adams as Bart, Jaco O’Shea as Basil, and Jöelle Morris as Bertha.

“I hope audiences will leave ‘The Barber of the Cape’ reassured that opera is for everyone, and can be designed with everyday places in mind, as a supplement to the splendor of operas performed in large concert halls,” Artistic Director, Sable Strout, told OperaWire. “More importantly, the heart of our story has been adapted to send audiences home with the moral: “Love thy neighbor – yes, all of them!”

There will be subsequent shows on May 17 and 18, 2025. Tickets include lunch or dinner. The performance has a duration of 80 minutes.

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