Jarrett Ott makes K.C. debut in Barber of Seville

Jarrett Ott (Photo: Dario Acosta)

Jarrett Ott will be making his debut at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and returning to the title character in Rossini's The Barber of Seville, which he first sang with the Dayton Opera. Performances are on April 28 and May 2, 4, and 6 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and tickets and cast information is available online.

Rossini's opera premiered on February 20, 1816 with the title "Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione (The useless precaution)." The famous overture was actually recycled from two of his earlier operas, Aureliano in Palmira and Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra and contains none of the thematic material from the opera.

The opera was first performed in the United States on May 3, 1819 in English at the Park Theatre in New York and was the first opera ever to be performed in Italian in New York, when it was performed at the Park Theater on November 29, 1825.

The famous "Largo al factotum" is one of the most difficult baritone arias to perform and has become an audience favorite, largely due to it's tongue twisting patter. The aria has been frequently used in cartoons, including by Michigan J. Frog in One Froggy Evening, as well as in Rhapsody Rabbit, Long-Haired Hare, You Ought To Be In Pictures, Notes To You and Back Alley Oproar.

Jarrett Ott will join the Ensemble of Staatsoper Stuttgart beginning in 2018-2019.