Tenor Dave Monaco is set to make his North American debut at the Canadian Opera Company, performing one of his signature roles: Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia on stage on 5, 7, 11, 13, and 15 February. Acclaimed for his stylish vocalism and vivid stage presence, Dave brings fresh energy to the role of the ardent nobleman, a character he has portrayed to great success on prestigious stages. His debut with the COC marks an important milestone in his career and introduces Canadian audiences to one of today’s most in-demand young Rossini tenors.

When asked about the opera and his approach to the character, Dave said:
“A masterpiece of perceptiveness, merriment and style that opens with a love serenade was destined to overturn more than the mainstream theatrical norms of the second decade of the 1800s as Rossini, with trademark impetuosity, presented a note of realism, thanks to a believable plot animated by believable characters. And perhaps that first famous fiasco on 20th February 1816 was none other than the audience’s surprise at being confronted with theatrical antics and a stream of music such as had never been experienced before. The opera’s overwhelming success, from the second performance on, shows us that when a masterpiece reflects the times, it is welcomed by the audience and handed down with the same enthusiasm to successive generations. For over two hundred years, Il Barbiere di Siviglia has been entertaining audiences and giving them cause to reflect. Productions change, the musical and structural interpretations of the conductor change, but all over the world The Barber never fails to cut it. My Count Almaviva, who is about to take the stage at the Canadian Opera Company, will be a volcano of theatrical frenzy dressed up in crazy colours, but the music with which Rossini depicted this aristocratic figure, forced to come to terms with the advance of the times, is always the same: perfect and irresistible. I can’t wait for this opportunity to win over the Canadian audience, so I wish myself, conductor Daniela Candillari, stage director Joan Font, and the cast of friends and colleagues with whom I’ve been relishing rehearsals in true Rossini style, in bocca al lupo!”.