Sarasota Opera season starts early

Opera lovers can look forward to a special treat this fall as the Sarasota Opera collaborates with the Florida West Coast Symphony for the production of "The Barber of Seville," beginning Nov. 7. Having a fall production will be a first for Sarasota Opera, which usually begins its season in the winter.

The Gioacchino Rossini opera is a comic love story where a poor student named Count Almaviva tries to woo a rich maiden he's deeply in love with named Rosina. But the count has competition as someone else intends to marry her, but solely for her money.

Though the Sarasota Opera and the Florida West Coast Symphony have joined forces before, this event is the first full-stage production they have done together. "The Barber of Seville" will be a part of the opera's 50th anniversary season.

Performances are Nov. 7, 9, 12, 14 and 16 at the Sarasota Opera House. Tickets are now on sale as part of a five-opera subscription series. Single tickets go on sale Sept. 1 and will be available from $25 to $115.

For more information, call the Sarasota Opera box office at 366-8450, ext. 1 or visit www.sarasotaopera.org.

— January Holmes