One question that arises from Minnesota Opera’s production of Gioachino Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville”: how did such an inane story become so embedded in the consciousness of Western culture?

Musical themes from the opera appear in so many movies, TV shows, and commercials — from Looney Tunes to Seinfeld to Doritos commercials, it’s probably got some of the most recognizable music ever, and yet, the plot of the opera is unmemorable. It’s a credit to Rossini’s genius that the opera’s music remains ubiquitous in our cultural soundtrack.

It probably made for riotous comedy back when the opera first premiered in 1816. Count Almaviva, having fallen in love with a young lady named Rosina in Seville, disguises himself as a poor student so she’ll see him for more than his money and status. Rosina is the ward of the awful Doctor Bartolo who wants to marry her himself, and the count employs his old servant Figaro— who happens to be a barber— to help get past the Doctor and into Rosina’s heart. Many antics ensue.

One of the best parts of the opera takes place before any performers are seen onstage. The audience takes in the overture while looking at Allen Moyer’s set design showing a painted backdrop of red curtains contained within a proscenium arch as well as chandeliers that are lifted up at the end of the music.

The Minnesota Opera Orchestra, conducted by principal conductor Christopher Franklin, performs the innovative overture superbly. Rossini had a talent for creating thrilling contrasts of weight and lightness that make for a wholly absorbing piece of entertainment.

Throughout the opera, Moyer’s set design reveals ornate scenes, from a town square in the beginning to various rooms within the home of Doctor Bartolo. Often, Moyer used layers of drops to create perspective, even as the style of the paintings themselves are quite flat. They are focused more on decorative elements than creating something that looks realistic .

Matthew Anchel, from left, Katherine Henly, Kara Morgan, Stefan Egerstrom, and Lunga Eric Hallam in the Minnesota Opera’s production of “The Barber of Seville,” which runs May 3-18, 2025 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts in St. Paul. (Cory Weaver / Minnesota Opera)

The same could be said for Chuck Hudson’s stage direction. He takes a very theatrical approach, going for large, physical gestures rather than subtle expressions.

As an example, when Count Almaviva (played by Lunga Eric Hallam opening night in the double cast production) tries to serenade Rosina (played by Katherine Beck on opening night), he makes little attempt to make it seem like he’s actually playing the guitar he’s holding. It’s the sentiment he portrays — a man in love — that becomes what is transmitted to the audience, not the mechanics of his guitar fingering. Later, Almaviva pretends to be a piano teacher in order to see his love, and in that case, Hallam makes a joke of being surprised by the orchestral sound his harpsichord seems to make (which is actually coming from the orchestra pit).

Playing Figaro on opening night, Takaoki Onishi handles the physicality of the role well, and stops the show with the famous “Largo al factotum” aria, where he sings his name repeatedly and engages in quick patter singing.

Another crowd pleaser is Stefan Egerstrom as Don Basilio, the conniving sycophant. With his long black wig designed by Emma Gustafson, enormous black hat (in a delightfully morbid costume designed by Mathew J. LeFebvre) and deadpan delivery, Egerstrom is a hoot.

As Count Almaviva, Hallam taps into his character’s lovestruck air admirably, and sounds especially good when blending his voice with the lovely Katherine Beck, as Rosina. Throughout the opera, Rossini throws in wonderful fast-paced articulations and comedic zingers, but Rosina and Almaviva’s love duets add a sweet romantic touch.

The world is quite different today than it was in 1816, and some of the comedic elements don’t read for a modern audience, but the music endures, and this bright and boisterous production delivers on that score.

If you go

What: The Barber of Seville
When: 7:30 p.m. Thu., May 8 and Sat., May 10; 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11; 7:30 p.m. Sat., May 17; 2 p.m. Sun., May 18
Where: The Ordway, 345 Washington St. Saint Paul
Tickets: $25-$263 at mnopera.org.
Accessibility: Elevators access all floors of Concert Hall, accessibility seating for all mobility devices (request when buying tickets); service animals welcome (inform ticket representative); listening units and large print available upon request. One single occupancy, accessible restroom in the Music Theater lobby. Ordway.org/visit/accessibility.
Capsule: Minnesota Opera’s bright and boisterous production shows off Gioachino Rossini’s catchy music.

The PWHL regular-season champion Montreal Victoire bucked the standings on Sunday in selecting to open the playoffs facing the third-place Ottawa Charge rather than the fourth-place Minnesota Frost.

In making the announcement, general manager Danièle Sauvageau said the team followed a process that included consulting with her staff and players. Sauvageau, otherwise, didn’t go into detail in choosing to face Ottawa  Minnesota.

“There was a lot of considerations that went into it, there wasn’t just one ingredient,” she said.

The best-of-five semifinals open Wednesday, with second-place Toronto hosting defending champion Frost. Montreal will open its postseason on Thursday against the Charge, who are making their first postseason appearance.

There was very little to differentiate between Ottawa and Minnesota, given the teams finished in a three-way tie with Boston in having 44 points. Boston finished fifth based on having fewer regulation wins.

Montreal finished the season series going 4-2 against both Ottawa and Minnesota — though the Charge won the final two outings, including a 3-2 victory on April 26.

Since its launch in 2024, the six-team league adopted a rule in which the first-place team chooses whether to play the third- or fourth-place team rather than following the standings order.

Last year, Toronto finished first and went with the 1 vs. 4 matchup in selecting Minnesota as its first-round opponent. The Frost rallied from a 2-0 series deficit to eliminate the Sceptres before going on to claim the first Walter Cup in winning a five-game series over Boston.

The Victoire closed this season 4-4-2 and clinched first place on Saturday by virtue of Toronto’s 2-1 overtime loss to Ottawa.

Similar to how the PWHL’s inaugural regular season ended last year, the playoff race came down to the final day with Ottawa and Minnesota clinching the final two spots along with Montreal securing first place.

Ottawa secured its first playoff berth on Katerina Mrazova’s goal to seal the Charge’s 2-1 overtime win over Toronto. Minnesota clinched its berth while also eliminating Boston with an 8-1 win over the Fleet.

The New York Sirens finished last for a second straight season. The PWHL is expanding to eight teams next season with the additions of Vancouver and Seattle.

After a season of great promise and great frustration, Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov said the one thing that will not be a part of his next few months is any additional surgery.

His fifth NHL season was limited to just 41 games due to a midseason lower body ailment that required an operation, but after being a serious candidate for league MVP before Christmas, he returned to post nine points in six playoff games. In the coming days or weeks, he will travel back to the small Russian village where he says he feels most comfortable, away from the spotlight that shines so brightly on him in the NHL.

The warmer months will be spent with friends playing video games, hanging out on the water and occasionally fishing – something Kaprizov admitted he has never done in Minnesota despite the state’s propensity of places to wet a line. While he is relaxing, more than one Wild fan will be waiting anxiously to see just what Kaprizov’s future in red and green may look like.

The Wild have exclusive rights to sign Kaprizov to a contract extension on July 1, before he would become an unrestricted free agent a year later. At the start of the recently-completed season, there was talk that Kaprizov could command $12 million or more per year. After what he did on the ice before turning 28 during the playoffs, that speculation has inflated to $15 million or more. His current contract pays $9 million per year.

None of those numbers are important to Kaprizov, he said on Sunday in his first postseason meeting with reporters. All of his contract matters are in the hands of agent Paul Theofanus and Wild general manager Bill Guerin.

“This is my agent job, (to) talk with Billy. But we will see,” said Kaprizov. “I love everything here. But (it) should be all good. I don’t know what to say.”

Even before Kaprizov’s early-season heroics, Wild owner Craig Leipold vowed in the preseason that no team would offer more money or years to the offensive wonder. For the player to say things should be “all good” with the Wild are encouraging words, but none of it matters until a contract is signed. In the meantime, he will be back in his small town home, living a kind of reclusive life which sounds similar to summertime in Bemidji or Brainerd or other small towns that Wild fans know well.

“Last year I just stayed home all the time. I don’t go anywhere. I don’t like it,” he said. “I like staying in my village, don’t see a lot of people, just stuff like this. It’s like, simple life there. Just do nothing. Just go with the friends, see friends, go practicing then go fishing or something, camping. Simple, simple. Stay with family. Maybe go vacation with family if my family want. But I don’t, I just want to stay home.”

He also said that Minnesota has become like a second home over the past five years. Wild fans are definitely hoping he wants to stay “home” when the contract extension offer comes.

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BOSTON — At long, long last, it appears it is finally Royce Lewis time.

The Twins left Boston with a pair of big wins and on Tuesday, they appear poised to welcome back a couple big contributors. When the Twins begin their series against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday at Target Field, it seems as if they’ll have both Lewis and Willi Castro back after stints on the injured list.

The Twins have yet to announce the moves.

Lewis has yet to play a game for the Twins this season since spraining his hamstring running to first base in mid-March. Castro has been out since April 16 with an oblique strain. The Twins had initially hoped he could miss an injured list stint entirely, holding him out for a week before finally placing him on the IL. It appears likely that he will return without a rehab assignment.

Lewis, meanwhile, has been on rehab with the Triple-A Saints since April 25 and has played in six games. While the Twins had hoped to have him play in two full games in the field on consecutive days, rain on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio dashed that plan. Lewis played nine innings at third on Sunday and went 1 for 5 at the plate with a run scored.

How the Twins allocate playing time once they return will be something to watch.

Castro had primarily been playing second base before his injury, though can also see some time at third, short or in the outfield. The Twins have a number of second base options on the roster currently — including Edouard Julien and Mickey Gasper, both of whom have options and could potentially be the potential corresponding moves.

Brooks Lee, who has primarily been playing third base of late, can slot over there at second, as well, while also getting some playing time at third and even short. And Lewis will go back to third but could draw some at-bats at DH, as well.

Correa’s grab saves the day

As he raced back to track Jarren Duran’s pop up, Carlos Correa initially didn’t think he had a chance at it. The Gold Glover ran towards the outfield, his back fully turned away from the infield, and stuck out his glove, making a Willie Mays-style catch.

With a pair of runners in scoring position, the difference between catching it and having it drop would have been a one-run or three-run deficit. The Twins, at the time, were trailing 2-1 in the second inning and went on to beat the Red Sox 5-4.

“Honestly off the bat, I didn’t think it was possible I’m going to get it, but I just started running and then when I looked up, I felt like I was getting closer and closer,” Correa said. “I stretched my arm as far as possible and the ball landed there.”

The play, starter Chris Paddack said, was the highlight of the game for him, and helped keep the Red Sox lead in check long enough for the Twins to storm back late.

Briefly

The Twins have Monday off before welcoming the Baltimore Orioles to Target Field on Tuesday for a three-game set. Pablo López will take the ball opposed by Cade Povich, whom the Twins traded to Baltimore in a 2022 deal for reliever Jorge López.

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