The Barber of Seville
Categories: Cleanup from August 2005 | Operas by Gioacchino Rossini | Italian-language operas | Comic operas | Operas
The Barber of Seville is a theatre play by Beaumarchais, written in 1775, and originally entitled Le Barbier de Séville in French. A comic opera in two acts by Gioacchino Rossini was founded on Beaumarchais' comedy by Cesare Sterbini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia in Italian. An opera based on Beaumarchais's play has been previously composed by Giovanni Paisiello, Nicholas Isouard. Though the work of Paisiello triumphed for a time. Rossinii's later version alone has stood the test of time and has been the mainstay of the operatic repertoire, since its introduction at Rome in 1816.
The story of Barber of Seville is continued in Beaumarchais's play The Marriage of Figaro and the Mozart opera of the same name.
The opera was famously parodied in animated cartoons starring Woody Woodpecker (The Barber of Seville, 1944) and Bugs Bunny (Rabbit of Seville, 1950).
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Rossini's Cast of Characters
- Rosina, Bartolo's pupil (lyric coloratura or mezzo soprano)
- Don Bartolo, Rosina's guardian (bass)
- Count Almaviva, scion of his family. He uses the alias Lindoro (tenor)
- Figaro, the Barber of Seville (baritone)
- Fiorello, the Count's servant
- Basilio, Bartolo's accomplice, a music teacher (bass)
- Berta, servant to Doctor Bartolo (soprano)
Plot
- Place, Seville.
- Time, the seventeenth century.
Act I
Seville. Square before the house of Bartolo. Almaviva serenades Rosina, whom Bartolo desires to marry for her fortune. ("See, the morn appears.") Figaro approaches singing. (Aria: "Make way for the factotum of the city.") The count, who has heard of the merry barber, asks him for assistance in meeting Rosina. (Duet: "The shine of gold falls upon me.") Figaro advises the count to disguise himself as a soldier and by feigning drunkenness gain entrance to the house. For this suggestion he is richly rewarded.
Change of scene: Chamber of Dr. Bartolo. (Rosina's cavatina: "I ask my timid heart.") Knowing the count only under the name of Lindoro, she writes to him, and is leaving the room when Bartolo and Basilio enter. Bartolo suspects the count, and Basilio advises that he be put out of the way. (Aria: "Calumny is light as air.") When the two have gone Rosina and Figaro enter. The latter asks Rosina for a few words for Lindoro, which she has already written. (Duet: "Is it I that you mean ?") Surprised by Bartolo, she manages to fool him, but he is still suspicious. (Aria: "A doctor you are trying to fool!.") When the stage is empty, Berta tries to pass through the exit, but is met by the count disguised as an intoxicated soldier. She rushes to Bartolo for protection, being in fear of the drunken man: Bartolo endeavours to remove the supposed soldier, but does not succeed. The count manages to see Rosina, whispers that he is Lindoro, gives her a letter, and she hands the watching Bartolo the list of the wash. When Basilio, Figaro and Berta disappear, the noise attracts the watch. Bartolo believes that the count has been arrested, but Almaviva mentions his name to the officer and is released. Bartolo and Basilio are astounded, and Rosina makes sport of them. (Finale: "Cold and unmoving")
Act II
Almaviva again appears at the house of the doctor, this time disguised as a tutor, and acting as substitute for the supposedly ailing Basilio, who gives lessons to Rosina. In order that he may not be alone with Rosina, the doctor has himself shaved by Figaro. (Quintet: "What, Basilio! what do I see?") When Basilio suddenly appears he is bribed by a full purse from Figaro, to play the part of an invalid. Finally Bartolo detects the trick, drives everybody out of the room, and rushes to a notary to draw up the marriage contract between himself and Rosina. The stage remains empty, while the music describes a thunder storm, then the count and Figaro enter through a window. When Basilio arrives with the notary, he is again bribed, and he and Figaro witness the signatures to a marriage contract between the count and Rosina. The befooled Bartolo is pacified by being allowed to retain Rosina's dowry.
Famous Song
Largo al factotum, Figaro's aria from Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Largo al factotum della citta. Make way for the topman of the city. Presto a bottega che l'alba e gia. Rushing to his shop now that it's dawn. Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere Ah, isn't life good, how pleasant it is per un barbiere di qualita! For a barber of class! Ah, bravo Figaro! Ah, nice one Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo! Nice one, really nice one! Fortunatissimo per verita! I am the luckiest it's true to say! Pronto a far tutto, Ready for anything, la notte e il giorno night and day sempre d'intorno in giro sta. Always busy and around. Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere, A better lot for a barber, vita piu nobile, no, non si da. A more noble life cannot be found. Rasori e pettini Razors and combs lancette e forbici, Lancets and scissors, al mio comando At my command tutto qui sta. Are all here. V'e la risorsa, And there are `extras', poi, de mestiere Then, for the business colla donnetta... col cavaliere... With women... and with gentlemen... Tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono, Everyone asks for me, everyone wants me, donne, ragazzi, vecchi, fanciulle: Women, young people, old people, the golden haired; Qua la parruca... Presto la barba... What about the wig... A quick shave... Qua la sanguigna... Some leeches for bleeding... Presto il biglietto... Quick the note... Qua la parruca, presto la barba, What about the wig, a quick shave, Presto il biglietto, ehi! Hurry - the note, o me! Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!, ecc. Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! etc. Ahime, che furia! Heavens, what mayhem! Ahime, che folla! Heavens, what crowds! Uno alla volta, per carita! One at a time, For pities sake! Figaro! Son qua. Figaro! Here I am. Ehi, Figaro! Son qua. O me, Figaro! Here I am. Figaro qua, Figaro la, Figaro here, Figaro there, Figaro su, Figaro giu, Figaro up, Figaro down, Pronto prontissimo son come il fumine: Quicker and quicker the sparks fly with me; sono il factotum della citta. I am the topman of the city. Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo; Ah, nice one Figaro! Nice one, really nice one; a te fortuna non manchera. From you luckiness will not depart.
References
Plot taken from The Opera Goer's Complete Guide by Leo Melitz, 1921 version.
The Barber of Seville is used in a popular analogy of the Barber paradox.da:Barberen i Sevilla de:Il Barbiere di Siviglia es:El Barbero de Sevilla fr:Le Barbier de Séville it:Il barbiere di Siviglia (Rossini) he:הספר מסיביליה ja:セビリアの理髪師 pl:Cyrulik sewilski sl:Seviljski brivec sr:Севиљски бербер fi:Sevillan parturi sv:Barberaren i Sevilla