Rossini's significant innovation in opera was the expansion of brass in his orchestra and the writing of loud orchestral sections.

Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts honored those notions in its extroverted performance of Rossini's The Barber of Seville as the opener of its season.

Singers and orchestra were forceful while still mindful of the quick grace notes and all the other intricacies of the score. This was noticeable right from the overture, with its bouncy melodies reinforced by more brass than composers used in operas before this work's premiere in 1816.

It also was vividly apparent in the storm scene of the second act. Conductor Richard Raub drew sustained soft playing from the orchestra, too, as in the perpetual-motion strings that accompanied Figaro's shaving of Dr. Bartolo in the next-to-last scene.

The acting was on the boisterous side, as if to mirror the brashness of the score, and that channeled the youthful energy of the AVA resident artists. Baritone Steven LaBrie reveled in his playing to the audience as Figaro the barber. He was ideal with his rich yet flexible voice, good looks and charismatic personality.

Other dramatic choices by stage director Marc Verzatt went too far. Patrick Guetti played Don Basilio with over-the-top broadness. His towering presence and booming bass voice were impressive, but subtlety went out the window. There was too much fussiness in the show's action, but all the singers displayed pleasing personalities.

Sydney Mancasola was a charming and attractive Rosina. This is a part written for a coloratura mezzo, of course, while Mancasola's voice is higher. She sang "Una voce poco fa" in its original key of E major rather than one key up as other sopranos favor. And her Lesson aria was two keys lower than what most sopranos sing. Despite that, she had no problems with the bottom notes while she added high unwritten-but-traditional flourishes. In the AVA's additional performances the role will be sung by mezzos Chrystal E. Williams and Shelley Jackson in the same keys, but they will sound different because of lower ornamentation and the darkness of their voices.

Diego Silva was sweet-voiced with good breath control as Count Almaviva who falls for Rosina at first glance. (His character later will marry her and she will be the neglected wife in Beaumarchais's and Mozart/Da Ponte's The Marriage of Figaro.)

Musa Ngqungwana, who has played the salesman of love elixirs in L'elisir d'amore and Hoffman's nemesis in The Tales of Hoffmann, here was Rosina's guardian who wanted to marry her. This was a much different character and he was convincing. His powerful bass-baritone made his Dr. Bartolo a menacing adversary for the young lovers and not just a bumbling foil. It also was a pleasure to hear his modulation of his large voice for his rapid fast passages.

Margaret Mezzacappa brought her rich voice and presence to the minor role of Berta.

The sets by Peter Harrison were attractive after we got past a dull opening scene dominated by laundry hanging on lines.