The Barber of Seville
A Musical Comedy by Gioachino Rossini
Prepare for an evening of laughter, romance, and dazzling musical fireworks in Gioachino Rossini’s beloved comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, one of the most entertaining and celebrated comic operas ever written. Filled with sparkling melodies, clever disguises, mistaken identities, and unforgettable characters, Rossini’s musical comedy has delighted audiences around the world for more than two centuries. With rapid-fire ensembles, hilarious situations, and some of opera’s most recognizable tunes, The Barber of Seville showcases Rossini’s extraordinary gift for combining vocal brilliance with theatrical excitement.
This lively production brings together exceptional singers, vibrant staging, and Rossini’s breathtakingly energetic score to create an experience that is both timeless and thoroughly entertaining. Whether you are a longtime opera lover or experiencing opera for the first time, The Barber of Seville offers the perfect introduction to the joy, humor, and artistry of the operatic stage. Rossini’s comic masterpiece remains one of the world’s most beloved operas, a celebration of music, laughter, and the triumph of love.
Saturday, May 15, 2027 at 7 pm
Natchez City Auditorium
207 Jefferson St., Natchez, MS
Tickets Available Soon
Rosina - Mala Weissberg
Praised for her “beauty of tone, admirable legato, and radiant stage presence” (Revue L’Opéra) and as a “resplendent coloratura mezzo-soprano with articulate, fluent, and authoritative vocal technique” (San Diego Story), Belgian-Israeli-American mezzo-soprano Mala Weissberg has performed roles including Angelina (La Cenerentola), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel), Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), Le Prince Charmant (Cendrillon), Ino (Semele), Miles (The Turn of the Screw), Cendrillon (Cendrillon), Fernando (Vivaldi’s Motezuma), Moritz (Max und Moritz), Lisea (Arsilda, Regina di Ponto) and more.
A passionate advocate for Baroque repertoire, she has appeared as a soloist with Tafelmusik in Toronto, at the Young Baroque Concert at the Innsbruck Festwochen der Alten Musik, and with ensemble I Gemelli in France. She is the winner of the 2026 Concours International d’Art Lyrique de Namur, a Special Award winner at the Cesti Baroque Competition, a finalist at the Froville Baroque Competition, a recipient of the State of Israel’s “Musical Prodigy” title, and a recipient of the Career Bridges Foundation Award.
Recent engagements include singing the role of Liesa in Vivaldi’s Arsilda, Regina di Ponto with Opera Neo in San Diego. She was also a Britten Pears Young Artist and made a special jump-in appearance at the Aldeburgh Festival, performing Brahms’ Zwei Gesänge with James Baillieu and Brett Dean. Mala was recently an Emerging Artist at the International Meistersinger Akademie in Germany. In August, she will sing the role of Stéphano in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette with Park City Opera in Utah. This fall, she returns to Oper Köln to perform the role of Claire in Der König verschenkt was by Philipp Matthias Kaufmann, and in January 2027 she will appear as a soloist in Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater with the Tel Aviv Chamber Orchestra.
Previous summer engagements include Opera Neo in San Diego, the Lachine International Vocal Academy, OperaFest Sewanee, Opera 5 in Toronto, The CoOPERAtive Program, Opera Viva! in Verona, and more. Mala earned her Bachelor of Music from Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) and her Master of Music from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University (Montreal, QC).
In her free time, Mala enjoys playing the violin and guitar, as well as hiking, cooking, painting, and caring for dogs and other animals.
Count Almaviva - Micah Perry
American tenor Micah Perry has been praised for his clear, natural, and agile voice and commanding stage presence. He is returning to Opera San José as a 2026-27 Artist in Residence, where he will cover Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and perform the roles of Perchik in Fiddler on the Roof and Robert Wilson in Dr. Atomic. Last season with OSJ, Perry covered the role of Ferrando in Cosí fan tutte and performed Beppe in Pagliacci. Micah returned to Opera Theatre of St. Louis this season as a Gerdine Young Artist, where he performed the role of Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. In addition to his Opera San José debut last season, he performed the role of Will Parker in Oklahoma! With Pensacola Opera, where he was a 2024-25 Jan Miller Studio Artist. In 2025 he was also a Second Place winner of the Gulf Coast Region Laffont Competition. Micah has been seen at Wolf Trap Opera, Austin Opera, American Baroque Opera, Landlocked Opera, Quisisana Resort, and Festival Napa Valley. Perry graduated from Baylor University with his M.M. in Vocal Performance in 2023 and from South Dakota State University in 2021.
Figaro - John Tibbetts II
Versatile baritone John Tibbetts, praised for his “unexpectedly rich voice” and “reverberating tones” (Palm Beach Post), serves as Artistic Director of Amelia Island Opera, where he recently sang Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and will perform the title role in Rossini’s Il Signor Bruschino. In 2024, he made his Opera Tampa debut as Masetto in Don Giovanni, a role he previously performed with Gulfshore Opera.
Tibbetts has appeared as a soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and performed Britten’s War Requiem and Orff’s Carmina Burana with the American Festival Orchestra and Utah Festival Opera. Internationally, he debuted as Adam in Edwin Huizinga’s film Angel with Toronto’s Opera Atelier. Other highlights include Ping in Turandot with Opera Grand Rapids and Le Dancaïre in Carmen with the Richmond Symphony alongside Denyce Graves.
A Benenson Young Artist with Palm Beach Opera, he was lauded for his “adept, well-characterized performance” as Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia. He has also performed with Cincinnati Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Sarasota Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Saratoga, Virginia Opera, and Hawaii Performing Arts Festival. He holds a Master’s in Voice from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.
Don Bartolo - Scott Levin
Bass-baritone, E. Scott Levin, described as having a “smooth, buttery voice,” “incredibly sharp timing,” and “a gifted comic actor,” has been making audiences laugh for more than two decades. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis and Graduate Certificate in Vocal Performance from the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. Since 2002, Scott has sung nearly seventy distinct roles in over thirty productions with Pacific Opera Project in Los Angeles and more than twenty with Union Avenue Opera in Saint Louis. He has also performed with Opera Santa Barbara, Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera, Long Beach Opera and Salt Marsh Opera. In 2015, Scott made his mainstage debut at Los Angeles Opera as Dr. Spinelloccio in Gianni Schicchi, starring Placido Domingo, and returned in May, 2019 as Hormigon in El Gato Montes, also starring Domingo.
Don Basilio - Jared Peterson
Jared Peterson, bass, graduated from the University of Arizona with a master’s degree in Vocal Performance, having previously earned his bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Washington State University. Leading operatic roles include Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Le Baron de Pictordu in Viardot’s Cendrillon, Mr. Ford in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor, Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas, and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte. In December 2024, Jared sang the title role of Duke Bluebeard, alongside Korby Myrick, in Passion Project: Opera!’s production of Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle. Recently, he made his Arizona Opera debut, singing the role of Soldier #2 in the Arizona premiere of Héctor Armienta’s Zorro. This summer, he joined the Chautauqua Opera Company as a Studio Artist in which he workshopped four operas still in development, and he covered the role of Vincent in the World Premiere of Ida by Lamplight by Jeremy Gill.
Jared is currently singing the role of The Big Bad Wolf in Arizona Operatunity’s production of Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, an adaptation of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. This November, Jared will perform his role debut of Count Walter in Verdi’s Luisa Miller with Passion Project: Opera! Next February, he will be playing the role of Jake Walace in Livermore Valley Opera’s production of Puccini's La Fanciulla del West.
Berta - Tori Franklin
Praised for a voice described as "beautifully powerful" (Arts Knoxville), American lyric soprano TORI PATRICIA FRANKLIN is rapidly establishing herself as a compelling presence on operatic and concert stages across the Southeast and beyond. A recent Encouragement Award winner at the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, her 2025–2026 season includes performing Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Nella in Gianni Schicchi with Knoxville Opera, following her debut in the latter role with Opera Roanoke. Recent concert highlights include her Knoxville Symphony Orchestra debut in Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and appearing as the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Oak Ridge Civic Music Association/Knoxville Opera).
Other notable roles include Alice Ford (Falstaff), Gertrud (Hänsel und Gretel), and the title roles in Susannah and Carmen. Ms. Franklin's extensive training includes residencies with Sarasota Opera and the Knoxville Opera Studio. She holds an M.M. In Vocal Performance from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a B.A. in Music Education from Brevard College. She resides in Knoxville, Tennessee where she regularly performs and operates a voice studio of her own. She currently studies under Marjorie Bennett Stephens.
Fiorello - Hosea Griffith
Hosea Griffith is a graduate of the University of Mobile, where he earned a Master of Music degree, and Mississippi College, where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree. A versatile performer with experience in both musical theatre and opera, Hosea has appeared in a wide range of roles in Jackson and beyond.
His musical theatre credits include Sister Act, Bright Star, A Christmas Carol, Little Women, and Come From Away at New Stage Theatre, as well as Songs for a New World with Uproar Theatre. His operatic credits include productions of Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte, The Magic Flute, and La traviata.
Hosea has also participated in workshops and concert readings of the new musical Slippin’ Through the Cracks in Jackson, New York, and Chicago at the Goodman Theatre. He is grateful for every opportunity to tell stories through music.
Ufficiale (Police Officer) - Philip McCown
Dr. Philip McCown is an emerging choral conductor based in Jackson, Mississippi, where he serves as Chorus Master for Opera Mississippi and Assistant Director of Music and Worship Arts at Galloway United Methodist Church. He previously served as Chorus Master for Druid City Opera in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and as Conductor and Chorus Master for the University of Alabama Opera Theatre. Dr. McCown has conducted and prepared choruses for operas including Il barbiere di Siviglia, Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, Lucia di Lammermoor, Suor Angelica, and Amahl and the Night Visitors. He has also prepared choruses for major choral–orchestral works including Messiah (Handel), Requiem (Fauré), Gloria (Vivaldi), and Requiem (Verdi).
Equally comfortable on the stage and the podium, Philip has performed numerous roles with opera companies across the United States. Recent credits include appearances with The Wagner in Vermont Festival (TUNDI Productions), Opera Huntsville, Opera Birmingham, Druid City Opera, The Atlanta Opera, the University of Alabama Opera Theatre, and the Indiana University Opera and Ballet Theater. Additionally, Dr. McCown has been a featured soloist with symphonies, music festivals, and choral groups for choral-orchestral works, including the Alabama Symphony Orchestra, Over the Mountain Festival, Walker County Christian Chorus, Alabama Civic Chorale, Prentice Concert Chorale, Christ Episcopal Church, and the Indiana University Choirs.
Dr. McCown holds degrees from Auburn University (BM), Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (MM), and The University of Alabama (DMA).
Notaio (Notary) - Jerry Morgan
Jerry Morgan is a native Mississippian residing in Brandon, Mississippi, with his wife, Shawn, his favorite soprano in the whole world. He is a graduate of Mississippi public schools, Mississippi State University with the degree of Bachelor of Music Education in vocal music, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he earned the Master of Church Music degree, and Jackson State University, where he was awarded the Education Specialist degree in school administration.
Mr. Morgan is a Vietnam-era veteran of the United States Air Force and is retired from service as a Mississippi public schools teacher. Over the course of his teaching career, he taught music at all grade levels, K-12. Mr. Morgan also has extensive experience in serving either full-time or bi-vocationally as Music Minister in Southern Baptist churches in Mississippi, Texas, and Florida. He stays active with choral music involvement by singing in The Mississippi Chorus, the Mississippi Baptist Singing Churchmen, and the Opera Mississippi Chorus. Among the productions in which he has sung as a member of the Opera Chorus are Carmen, Cavalleria Rusticana, La Bohème, Turandot, Die Zauberflöte, Die Fledermaus, L’elisir d’amore, and Madama Butterfly. Mr. Morgan has served on the Board of Directors for both The Mississippi Chorus and the Mississippi Boychoir. He is a member of First Baptist Church, Jackson, where he sings in the church choir. He remains active in church music leadership by making himself available to serve in interim and supply positions whenever called upon to do so.
Ambrogio - Michael Waycaster