The Barber of Seville | opera by Rossini | Britannica.com The Barber of Seville Alternative Titles: “Almaviva o sia l’inutile precauzione”, “Almaviva, or The Useless Precaution”, “Il barbiere di Siviglia” Related Topics musical composition The Barber of Seville, Italian Il barbiere di Siviglia, comic opera in two acts by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini ( libretto in Italian by Cesare Sterbini) that was first performed under the title Almaviva o sia l’inutile precauzione (Almaviva; or, The Useless Precaution) at the Teatro Argentina in Rome on February 20, 1816. With a plot based on Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais ’s 1775 play Le Barbier de Séville , Rossini’s opera remains one of the most frequently performed comic operas in the repertoire . The barber of the title is Figaro , whose impressive entrance aria (“ Largo al factotum ”)—with its repeated proclamations of his own name—is one of the best-known of all opera arias.

Background and context The Barber of Seville was commissioned by the impresario of the Teatro Argentina at the end of 1815, when Rossini was nearly 24 years of age. In deference to Giovanni Paisiello , a popular Italian composer who in 1782 had himself based an opera on the Beaumarchais play, Rossini called his own work Almaviva. (The title was permanently changed to Il barbiere di Siviglia for the Bologna revival August 10, 1816, after Paisiello’s death.) Nonetheless, the production was viewed by Paisiello’s supporters as an affront; a group of them came to Rossini’s premiere, and they booed and hissed throughout the performance. The work was barely ready, and the performers were underprepared. Overall, the opening night was plagued by mishaps and pranks. Gioachino Rossini. © Photos.com/Thinkstock Not surprisingly, for the opera’s second performance Rossini decided to stay home. But this time the audience—presumably lacking Paisiello’s disruptive fans—was wildly enthusiastic; afterward they took to the streets and gathered outside the composer’s house to cheer.

Before long, productions were mounted across Europe and beyond; in 1825 the opera became the first to be sung in Italian in New York City . Similar Topics Carmina Burana During the 19th and 20th centuries, performances of the opera reflected common changes in fashion, some of which can be heard in recordings that remain in circulation. In the 19th century it was common for operas to be split into additional acts so that elaborate scene changes could be accomplished. The Barber of Seville was turned into a three-act production by splitting Act I between the outdoors serenade scene and the interior scene at Bartolo’s house. The most frequent change to the opera was the transposition of Rosina’s part from the original mezzo-soprano into a higher soprano range to accommodate the usual leading singers; when that was done, Berta’s range was lowered to mezzo-soprano so that contrast between the women’s voices was preserved. (Rossini’s use of highly ornamented mezzo-soprano coloratura roles is distinctive and rare in the repertoire.) In addition to these large-scale changes, the opera became laden with errors and changes in orchestration and structure that accumulated to become performance tradition.

For example, in published scores Rossini’s piccolo part was changed to a flute part, extra bass and percussion parts were added, and copyists’ errors were perpetuated. There was nothing approaching an authoritative score—that is, one based on evidence from the composer’s original materials—until 1969. Count Almaviva , a young nobleman ( tenor ) Rosina, a young lady and ward of Doctor Bartolo (mezzo-soprano) Doctor Bartolo, Rosina’s guardian ( bass ) Don Basilio, a music teacher (bass) Fiorello, Almaviva’s servant (baritone) Berta, Bartolo’s housekeeper (soprano) Ambrosio, Bartolo’s servant (bass) Notary, constable, musicians, servants, soldiers Setting and story summary The Barber of Seville is set in Sevilla , Spain , in the 17th century. Act I Scene 1. Dawn, outside Dr. Bartolo’s house near Sevilla. Young Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina, ward of the cantankerous Dr. Bartolo.

With the help of some local musicians, he serenades her outside her balcony window (“ Ecco ridente ”), but she does not appear. Despairing, he dismisses the band. Just as they disperse, he hears someone approaching and hides. It is Figaro, barber and factotum extraordinaire, who will take on any job as long as he is well paid (“ Largo al factotum ”). Having recognized Figaro, Almaviva emerges from hiding and lays out his problem. The Count is in luck, for Figaro is frequently employed in Bartolo’s house as barber, wigmaker, surgeon, pharmacist, herbalist, veterinarian—in short, as jack-of-all-trades. They hide as Bartolo comes out of the house, instructing his servants to keep the door locked and chuckling to himself about his plan to marry Rosina. When he leaves, Figaro urges the Count to serenade Rosina again, this time in the guise of an impoverished student who calls himself Lindoro. Rosina responds to the serenade, but she is soon pulled away from the window by a servant.

Figaro suggests that the Count can get into the house disguised as a drunken soldier who will be billeted there. Marveling at Figaro’s creativity, the Count agrees, promising to bring a purse of money to him at his shop. The scene ends as the Count anticipates the joy of love—and Figaro the joy of money. (This is the point in the opera where difficulty changing the elaborate scenery led 19th-century opera companies to create a separate “act” for the following scene. Modern performances use Rossini’s two-act structure.) Britannica Stories Rosina recalls the voice of her suitor (“ Una voce poco fa ”) and writes him a letter, determined to win him despite the plans of her guardian. She has sent for Figaro; just as he is about to tell her about “Lindoro’s” identity, Bartolo arrives and Figaro hides. Bartolo is angrily looking for Figaro, who apparently gave the servants sneezing fits with one of his powders. Rosina pretends not to have seen him. She leaves the room, cursing Bartolo, who now also blames Figaro for turning Rosina against him. Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher, arrives.

Bartolo will need his help in getting Rosina to marry him by the next day. He already knows that Count Almaviva is Rosina’s secret lover (although she still does not know his name), and when Basilio tells him that Almaviva is in town, Bartolo fears the worst. Basilio suggests slandering the Count (“ La calunnia è un venticello ”), but Bartolo does not want to wait for that to work; instead, the two go to Bartolo’s study to draw up the marriage contract. Figaro then comes out of hiding, having heard everything, and relays the story to Rosina. He then tells her about his cousin “Lindoro,” who is in love with her. Rosina pretends to be surprised, but Figaro knows better. She is eager to see her lover, and Figaro suggests that she write him a letter. Rosina feigns bashfulness, then pulls from her bosom the letter she has already written. As soon as Figaro leaves, Bartolo returns and questions Rosina about a spot of ink on her finger, a missing piece of letter paper, and an obviously used pen on the writing desk.

He dismisses her false explanations, threatening to lock her in her room as he pompously declaims that she cannot fool him (“ A un dottor della mia sorte ”). Rosina manages to slip away, with Bartolo in pursuit. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Bartolo’s servant, Berta, enters grumbling about Rosina’s behaviour. She is interrupted by a knock at the door. It is the Count, disguised as a drunken soldier, shouting and staggering into the room. Bartolo comes in to see what the rumpus is about. The Count drunkenly addresses him by a number of insulting variations on “Bartolo,” then surreptitiously looks around for Rosina, who now enters. The Count whispers to her that he is “Lindoro.” He tries to follow her out to his “quarters,” but Bartolo claims to be exempt from laws requiring him to house soldiers. The Count challenges him to a duel. Bartolo demands to see a letter the Count has slipped to Rosina, but she hands him a laundry list instead. Berta and Basilio enter as Rosina and the Count triumph over Bartolo.

When Rosina feigns a fit of weeping, the Count again threatens Bartolo, and everyone calls for help. Figaro answers the call, warning them that a crowd is gathering outside. As the Count and Bartolo renew their altercation, the police arrive, intending to arrest the Count. He reveals his true identity to the police captain, who releases him. Confusion ensues as everyone simultaneously proclaims their view of the situation. Act II Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies Scene 1. Bartolo’s music room, later the same day. The Count arrives, this time disguised as “Don Alonso,” a music master sent to substitute for Basilio, who is supposedly ill (“ Pace e gioia ”). “Don Alonso” tells Bartolo that he happens to be lodging at the same inn as the Count. As proof, he produces Rosina’s letter, which he proposes to show her, claiming that he found it in the hands of another woman. Bartolo is thrilled with the idea. He takes the letter and leads Rosina in. She recognizes “Lindoro” immediately.

The couple sit at the harpsichord , and Rosina sings an aria (“ Contro un cor ”), working into the song both an appeal to her lover and insults to the unknowing Bartolo. Bartolo does not care for the aria and begins to sing his own song, dedicated to Rosina, in the style of a famed castrato . His dreadful falsetto performance is interrupted by Figaro, who states that he has come to shave Bartolo. Bartolo does not want to be shaved, but Figaro pretends that he is insulted, and Bartolo gives in. Figaro has a plan, and he needs one of Bartolo’s keys to open the balcony shutters. Bartolo gives Figaro the keys so that he can fetch the shaving basin. Bartolo whispers to “Don Alonso” that he suspects Figaro of complicity with the Count. A loud crash is heard, causing Bartolo to run off to see what has happened. Rosina and “Lindoro” exchange quick promises of love.

Bartolo and Figaro return, as Figaro explains that the room was so dark that he crashed into and broke all of Bartolo’s china; he secretly hands the balcony key to the Count. As Bartolo settles in to be shaved, Basilio unexpectedly arrives. Basilio has no idea why his arrival has occasioned confusion and is flabbergasted when the Count and Figaro “diagnose” him with scarlet fever. The Count slips him money, supposedly to buy medicine, and urges him to take to his bed (“ Buona sera, mio signore ”). Basilio, not inclined to ask questions about the windfall, at last leaves. Trending Topics Open Door policy Figaro begins to shave Bartolo; meanwhile, “Lindoro” arranges to elope with Rosina at midnight. When Bartolo tries to look at them, Figaro distracts him by feigning a pain in his eye . But Bartolo manages to figure out at last that “Don Alonso” is an imposter and flies into a rage as the others attempt to calm him. Scene 2. Dr. Bartolo’s house, later the same evening.

Bartolo returns with Basilio, who confirms that “Don Alonso” must be the Count. Bartolo sends Basilio to get a notary. Calling for Rosina, he shows her the letter she had written to “Lindoro” and tells her that “Lindoro” loves another woman and is plotting with Figaro to acquire her for Count Almaviva. Rosina, crushed, reveals the elopement plans to Bartolo, who vows to stop the wedding. As a violent storm rages, Figaro and the Count, who is still in character as “Lindoro,” climb in through the window to keep the midnight appointment with Rosina. She repels “Lindoro,” accusing him of betraying her love and trying to sell her to Count Almaviva. “Lindoro,” delighted, reveals himself to be none other than the Count. As the lovers express their joy, Figaro congratulates himself on a job well done, but danger still lurks. Looking out the window, Figaro sees two people at the front door and raises the alarm.

This gets the lovers’ attention, but as the three try to sneak quietly out the balcony window (“ Zitti, zitti, piano, piano ”), they discover that the ladder has been removed. They hide as Basilio enters with the notary, calling for Bartolo. Figaro boldly steps forward and tells the notary to perform the wedding ceremony for Count Almaviva and Figaro’s “niece.” The Count silences Basilio’s protests by paying him off. The lovers sign the contract, with Figaro and Basilio as witnesses. Their happiness is interrupted by the arrival of Bartolo with a police officer, but the Count once again avoids arrest by revealing his identity—this time to everyone. Bartolo at last bows to the inevitable as everyone celebrates the triumph of love. The opera novice: The Barber of Seville by Rossini - Telegraph The opera novice: The Barber of Seville by Rossini Not for nothing was the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini nicknamed Signor Crescendo, finds Sameer Rahim.

Style and grace: Kitty Whately as Rosina Photo: Alastair Muir By Sameer Rahim , Assistant Books Editor 10:34AM GMT 21 Mar 2012 Follow You won’t find two more different composers than Richard Wagner and Giaochino Rossini, the creator of the lightest, most joyous music I've heard so far in opera. So I was intrigued to learn they admired one another and even met. In 1860 Wagner had just finished Tristan and Isolde and was nearing the peak of his powers; Rossini, after a hugely successful career as a young man, had written little for 30 years. The Italian composer told Wagner’s he liked his March from Tannhäuser, adding – somewhat defensively? – “I preferred to deal with comic rather than serious subjects. But I never had much choice in librettos.” His best-known work, The Barber of Seville, is a prequel to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Rossini said he got paid 1,200 francs for it, “plus a hazel-coloured suit”. That wasn’t bad for what he claimed was 13 days’ work.

“You see, despite everything,” he boasted, “I earned a big salary!” In his heyday of the 1810s and 1820s, Rossini was an operatic superstar. Girls shouted his name in the street and begged him for an autograph or lock of hair. The French novelist Stendhal wrote a cash-in biography of the composer when he was at the height of his fame. In this chatty Life he praised now less familiar works such as The Touchstone and Otello; but he also wrote an entertaining chapter on his enduring hit, The Barber of Seville, which I saw last week at the Hackney Empire performed by English Touring Opera. Seeing it at Covent Garden last year, I was taken with the hummable tunes, silly plot and comic energy – and I couldn’t wait to go again. Thomas Guthrie’s new production for ETO is set in period costume in Seville. Experienced opera-goers might think this rather trad but in my experience novices – one of the groups ETO would like to attract as they tour the country – prefer it that way. I’d like to get to at least my fifth Barber before I see the one set in Ibiza.

The first night in 1816 was a failure. After a series of calamities – a cat wandering on stage, a singer tripping on a loose board – the audience was booing (and meowing) so loudly you could barely hear anything. On the second night Rossini locked himself in his room and had to be coaxed out to receive the standing ovation. Since then it has rarely failed to please audiences. Related Articles The opera novice: passion for Puccini's Tosca 03 Feb 2012 Count Almavira (Nicholas Sharratt) serenades his love Rosina (Kitty Whately) under her window every night. Rosina’s guardian has designs on the wealthy orphan and so keeps her under strict lock and key. The Count engages the local barber and town fixer Figaro (Grant Doyle) to think up ruses to get into her home. Cue much comic high (and low) jinx involving dropped letters, quick-thinking bribery and pretending to be a drunk soldier. Rossini’s music is incredibly familiar – possibly because as kids we all saw the Bugs Bunny version .

Even if you're hearing the overture for the first time, though, it's instantly memorable – especially the bit two minutes in when the violins set off like race horses, first trotting steadily then building up to a full gallop. You’re never more than a short recitative from another blistering song. Not for nothing was Rossini nicknamed Signor Crescendo. The most famous aria is also one of the most famous in all opera: “ Largo al factotum ”, or “Make way for the guy who can do anything”. This is a riff by Figaro on how brilliant he is – “Ah, bravo Figaro/ Bravo, bravissimo”. When I heard it sung in English here, if anything it sounded funnier with its talk of wigs, beards and leeches. But I must say I missed the smooth rhyming of the Italian vowel endings.

An equal hit on the night was Rosina’s aria sung from the seclusion of the house, “ Una voce poco fa / qui nel cor mi risuono ”, “A little voice just echoed in my heart.” Whately did a great job of showing the switch from love-lorn innocent to combative woman: after claiming to be pliant, she says she’ll respond like a viper to anyone who challenges her. Stendhal did not approve: “There is a good deal of unnecessary self-assertiveness in this song of this innocent young ward, and a good too little love.” And what of the self-assertiveness of Rossini’s music? Like any catchy tune you could imagine it driving you mad. What redeems it though is a knowing, even cheeky, quality. “That intelligent face,” said Wagner when he saw his portrait, “that ironic mouth – it could only be the composer of the Barber.” Cheat sheet: The Barber of Seville | Opera Australia The Barber of Seville Cheat Sheet: The Barber of Seville Everything you need to know about Rossini's most famous comedy Conversation starters Who was the composer?

Rossini is a giant of the Italian opera world (both in terms of output and girth—he was a gourmand as well as a musical genius!). How do you know you’re listening to Rossini? People called the composer Signor Crescendo, because he often used the musical device of starting soft and getting louder, louder, louder as the action gets crazier on stage. One scholar describes Rossini’s crescendos as “tempests in teapots [which] begin in a whisper and rise to a flashing, glittering storm.” Some of his music is dazzlingly difficult to perform—he wanted to show off the technical skills of his artists. He wrote forty operas before the age of 40 and promptly retired to enjoy his fortune. Photograph of Giaochino Rossini by Étienne Carjat What happens in the story? Handsome Count Almaviva has fallen head over heels for the pretty Rosina, but wants to make sure she's into him, not his title. He disguises himself as a poor student and serenades her. But he's getting nowhere, and if Rosina's guardian Bartolo has his way, no suitor will get anywhere near his ward.

Thwarted, he enlists the help of Figaro, a neighbourhood barber with plenty of tricks up his sleeve, and more importantly, access to Bartolo's household. Will disguise and deception be enough to win the day for romance? Who are the main players? Figaro: a barber, fix-it-man, all round helpful guy! Rosina: the pretty young ward of Dr Bartolo Count Almaviva: a young, rich man, in love with Rosina Dr Bartolo: Rosina's cantankerous old guardian, a doctor Don Basilio: Rosina's music teacher What’s the big hit? 'Largo al factotum' Where have I heard that before? In countless ads, in animated cartoons including Bugs Bunny, in Mrs Doubtfire, in The Simpsons. 'The Rabbit of Seville' is a classic Bugs Bunny episode. What should I listen out for? Rossini was a master of his craft, and often took musical devices and used them in new ways. Listen out when Figaro introduces himself in the famous aria 'Largo al factotum' for a prime example of patter singing—where a comic character sings at a very, very fast tempo with just one syllable to each note.

The rhythm patterns are difficult and the lyrics are often tongue-twisters. As the action gets crazier and crazier on stage, Rossini can make it feel frenetic in the music—getting faster and louder as things get out of control. Don Basilio's ' La callunia ' is a good example. As Basilio describes how a lie can go from a whispered rumour to a full blown town scandal, the orchestral accompaniment builds and builds in volume, until the teacher sings 'like a blow on the cannon' and the percussionist pounds on the bass drum. You can just imagine the volume of gossip in the town! Rossini also perfected the double aria: beginning with a slow section to show off the singer's beautiful voice (and his own beautiful melody), followed by a fast, difficult section which shows off a singer's agility and technique (in other words, the perfect audition piece!). This production is… Elijah Moshinsky 's take on the most popular comic opera in the world. It is set in the 1920s and draws on popular archetypes from silent films of the era.

Paolo Bordogna as Figaro and Kenneth Tarver as Almaviv in our production of The Barber of Seville at Sydney Opera House in 2016. Photo: Keith Saunders A little history… Rossini was young, but immensely successful when he began work on The Barber of Seville, daringly choosing to work on a Beaumarchais play with an already famous setting by an older composer, Paisiello. With a new libretto by Cesare Sterbini, it premiered on February 20, 1816 at the Teatro Argentina in Rome, to a very hostile audience. Legends about that disastrous opening night abound—from a singer tripping over a loose board, to a cat wandering onto the stage, to an awkward pause while the tenor tuned his guitar before beginning a serenade! It's possible that the audience was filled with Paisiello's supporters, and the loud whistling and catcalls obscured much of the music that night. Whatever did happen, we know it did not go well, and Rossini was convinced the opera was a failure. The second performance was a very different story—the opera was a triumph, and soon enough, Paisiello's earlier effort was forgotten.

The opera contains some of the most familiar opera music in the world today, and the work is the 7th most performed opera around the world. Conversation starters Born in a leap year, Rossini enjoyed the idea that he only had a birthday every four years. On his 76th birthday, he invited friends around to celebrate his 18th! Rossini plagiarised from himself all the time, so if you’re wondering if you’ve heard that melody before, it might have been from a different Rossini opera. He was arrogant of his talents, famously boasting: “Give me a laundry list and I’ll set it to music!” Beethoven (who had no love for Rossini) famously praised the composer saying, "above all, make more barbers!" The original overture to The Barber of Seville was lost—and Rossini replaced it with one he'd written for an earlier opera. That's the famous work we know today—which contains none of the music from the actual opera. The Barber of Seville in a nutshell The composer: Rossini. An Italian composer famous for his comedies. The music: Rossini wrote beautiful and catchy melodies, often with fiendishly difficult embellishments for his singers to perform.

The big hit: 'Largo al factotum' The setting: Originally set in Seville in the late 1700s, this production updates the action to the 1920s, drawing on the archetypes of silent films. The history: Everything went wrong on opening night, and the première was a disaster. Second night was a different story and it's now Rossini's biggest hit. A quirky fact to impress your date: Born in a leap year, Rossini enjoyed the idea that he only had a birthday every four years. On his 76th birthday, he invited friends around to celebrate his 18th! The Barber Of Seville | Operas | Season And Tickets | Opera Carolina The Barber of Seville The barber will see you now Saturday, October 22nd - 8:00 pm Thursday, October 27th - 7:30 pm Sunday, October 30th - 2:00 pm Buy Tickets The Barber of Seville / Il barbiere di Siviglia Bugs Bunny once did a version of The Barber of Seville. But Rossini did it first.

The comic opera lends itself to being lampooned and “cartooned.” It’s a wild adventure filled with gossip and secrets where a happy ending is guaranteed. Synopsis Rossini’s The Barber of Seville is so embedded in popular culture, Bugs Bunny sampled its songs. It’s a madcap romp involving disguises; false identities; and a busybody, matchmaking barber. Multiple suitors are vying for the same woman’s affections in an opera so slapstick, it was suitable material for a cartoon. In the original version, the tunes aren’t looney. They’re lyrical. Libretto by Cesare Sterbini from the comedy by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais The story takes place in 18th century Seville. Accessibility Options English Supertitles Provided During The Performance Act I Count Almaviva comes, in disguise, to the house of the elderly Dr. Bartolo to serenade his young ward, Rosina. Dr. Bartolo intends to marry Rosina, and he’s confined her to his house. Figaro, the titular barber, has access to the homes of Seville’s elite. He knows the town’s secrets and scandals. He arrives at Dr.

Bartolo’s home and pledges his help to Count Almaviva, who takes on the persona of “Lindoro,” a poor student who hopes young Rosina will love him not because he’s a nobleman, but for himself. To enter Bartolo’s house, Figaro devises a plan: The Count will disguise himself as a drunken soldier with orders to be quartered at Dr. Bartolo’s. Then, he can declare his love for Rosina. Scene Two. Alone in the house, Rosina reflects on the voice that has enchanted her and resolves to use her considerable charm to meet “Lindoro.” Dr. Bartolo enters with Rosina’s music master, Don Basilio, who warns him that Count Almaviva (Rosina’s admirer) has been seen in Seville. Dr. Bartolo decides to marry Rosina immediately – before any other suitor can have her. Figaro overhears this, warns Rosina and promises to deliver a letter from her to “Lindoro.” Disguised as a drunken soldier, Almaviva passes Rosina a note, which she manages to hide from Dr. Bartolo, who argues that he has exemption from housing soldiers.

An argument ensues between the Count and Dr. Bartolo. Figaro enters and announces that a curious crowd has gathered in the street. The city guards burst in to arrest the drunk and disorderly soldier. The Count quietly reveals his true identity to the captain of the guards. He’s released, to Dr. Bartolo’s chagrin and everyone’s amazement. Act II Dr. Bartolo, alone in his study, suspects the “drunken soldier” was a spy. The Count returns, this time disguised as Don Alonso, a music teacher and student of Don Basilio. He says he’s come to give Rosina her music lesson instead of Basilio, who’s at home sick. “Don Alonso” tells Dr. Bartolo he’s staying at the same inn as Almaviva and has found Rosina’s letter. He offers to tell Rosina it was given to him by another woman, proving Lindoro is toying with her. This convinces Dr. Bartolo that “Don Alonso” is a true student of Don Basilio, and he allows him to give Rosina her music lesson. Figaro arrives to give Dr.

Bartolo his shave and manages to snatch the key that opens the balcony shutters. The shaving is about to begin when Don Basilio shows up looking perfectly healthy. To get the meddlesome Basilio out of the way, Figaro convinces him he has scarlet fever and should go to bed at once. With Basilio out of the way, the shaving begins and distracts Dr. Bartolo from hearing Almaviva plotting with Rosina to elope that night. But Dr. Bartolo hears the phrase “my disguise” and realizes he’s been tricked again. Later that evening, Basilio is summoned by Dr. Bartolo and is told to bring a notary so Rosina and Bartolo can be married. Dr. Bartolo then shows Rosina her letter to Lindoro as proof that Lindoro is tricking her. Convinced she’s been deceived, she agrees to marry Dr. Bartolo and tells him of the plan to elope with Lindoro. After a thunderstorm, Figaro and the Count climb over the wall into Bartolo’s house. Rosina is furious with them, until Almaviva reveals his identity and professes his love for her.

Basilio arrives with the notary. Bribing and threatening him, Basilio agrees to be a witness to the marriage of Rosina and Count Almaviva. Dr. Bartolo arrives with soldiers, but it’s too late. Count Almaviva explains tells Dr. Bartolo that it’s useless to protest, and Dr. Bartolo accepts he has been beaten. Figaro, Rosina and the Count celebrate their good fortune. POPOpera Facts If you think opera is nothing but drama and death, you haven’t seen Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. But you’ve undoubtedly heard its music. Both Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker sampled its songs. The Looney Tunes version, The Rabbit of Seville, is almost as zany as Rossini’s original. If you like the antics of The Three Stooges, then The Barber of Seville is not too silly for you. Disguises, false identities and a busybody, matchmaking barber are all part of the plot. The comedy is broad and physical. It’s no wonder cartoons adapted the theme and music. And after all the laughs, there is, of course, a happy ending.

Meet the Composer Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) Known as Italian opera’s comic genius and the leading opera composer of the first half of the 19th century, Gioachino Rossini was the master of simple melody and clear rhythm. Born in 1792 to a musical family – his father a trumpet player, his mother an opera singer – Rossini mastered the trade at an early age, writing his first opera at age 8 and becoming a national celebrity by the time he was 21. From Venice to Milan, from Rome to Naples, Rossini gained a reputation for his notable style and his uncanny speed at producing operas. Between 1808 and 1829, Rossini composed no fewer than 40 operas. Among his greatest successes are The Barber of Seville (1816), La Cenerentola (1817), La Gazza Ladra (1817), Semiramide (1823) and William Tell (1829). His comic masterpiece, The Barber of Seville, has delighted audiences of all ages for nearly 200 years.

Also bearing the title The Useless Precaution, the opera was an instant sensation in Italy and shortly thereafter throughout Europe as the quintessential opera buffa. (That’s Italian for “comic opera.”) Based on Beaumarchais’ play , The Barber of Seville is sometimes referred to as the first modern Italian opera. Written by the then-23-year-old composer, The Barber of Seville came at a time when Italian audiences were still amused by the farcical operatic conventions of opera buffa. While The Barber is often referred to as an Italian opera buffa, it is the true precursor to subsequent lyric comedies such as The Elixir of Love, Don Pasquale and even Verdi’s Falstaff. Rossini composed The Barber of Seville in just three weeks, with the exception of the now famous overture, which he borrowed from his own opera Aureliano in Palmira. In 1822, Rossini settled in Paris and became the Royal Composer and Inspector General of Singing in France. Despite his enormous success – even Beethoven congratulated him on The Barber of Seville – Rossini stopped composing at the age of 37.

Living off the wealth of his achievements, Rossini lived lavishly until his death in 1868. He was buried in Paris but 19 years later his remains were re-interred in the church of Santa Croce in Florence. Meet the Cast Why Gioachino Rossini's music is so funny - CSMonitor.com Why Gioachino Rossini's music is so funny Latest News Bugs Bunny appears in 'The Rabbit of Seville.' The 1949 animated short revolves around the overture from Gioachino Rossini's 'The Barber of Seville.' Youtube View Caption of In 1822, hotshot opera composer Gioachino Rossini got a bit of advice from Ludwig van Beethoven : Stick to comedy. At age 30, Rossini was already an international superstar, with nineteen operas under his belt, when he met the crotchety, near-deaf German composer in Vienna . "So you’re the composer of The Barber of Seville ." Beethoven said. "I congratulate you. It will be played as long as Italian opera exists.

Never try to write anything else but opera buffa [comic opera]; any other style would do violence to your nature." Rossini politely reminded Beethoven that he had already written several well-received serious operas; he had even sent them to Beethoven for a look. "Yes, I looked at them," the old man retorted. "Opera seria is ill suited to the Italians. You don’t know how to deal with drama." Recommended: You've heard Gioachino Rossini's music, even if you've never heard of him Beethoven’s words turned out to be eerily prescient. Rossini was renowned for his dramatic work during his life, but those historically fell by the wayside in favor of his comic operas, chiefly "The Barber of Seville." Later use of Rossini’s works in cartoons, commercials, and sitcoms further cemented his reputation as one of the opera world’s great comic minds. His 220th birthday (or 55th, since it’s a leap year) is today. Photos of the Day Photos of the Day 01/17 If you own a TV, chances are you’ve heard Rossini’s music.

His "William Tell" overture has been used in countless commercials, cartoons, and sitcoms (think galloping horses, or any race scene). "The Barber of Seville, " praised by Beethoven was immortalized in cartoons, most notably the classic "Rabbit of Seville" episode of Looney Tunes. "His pieces each have a very broad character and a distinct personality. This makes them perfect for cartoons," says musicologist Steven Ledbetter. He points to the four distinct sections of the William Tell overture. "You can hear that and say, oh, that’s perfect for a day in the country, or a storm scene, or a day at the races." Adding to the comic potential for Rossini’s work may have been the personality of the man himself. According to Dr. Ledbetter, the prolific composer had a finely tuned sense of humor and was, in himself, a very funny man. "For one, he was unbelievably lazy. He liked to compose while lying in bed or chatting with his friends." According to one legend, Rossini once dropped a piece he was working on, and in lieu of getting out of bed to retrieve it, started over.

When a friend fetched the dropped music for him, he turned that into a completely different piece. Despite this, he completed an average of four operas a year during his formative composing years, some in as little as two weeks. "Writing opera was really like writing sitcoms in television today," Ledbetter says. "The style involved little emphasis on the orchestra and mostly focused on keeping the singers happy. Rossini was a wonderful singer, so he knew how to do that." In pleasing his singers, Rossini created character types and scene structures that can to pervade comic opera, as well as Bel Canto opera in general. One of his frequently appearing character types is a "patter baritone," a man who spits out words at breakneck speed in a hilarious yet impressive display of vocal agility. In "Barber" it’s the character Figaro, who complains of the multitudes of people begging for his services in the famous "Figaro aria." "The way it piles up, plus sheer speed of it, is really funny," Ledbetter notes. Rossini, too, was one of the fathers of the frantic Act I finale now common in stage productions of every stripe. You can spot it in sitcoms, too.

"In the first act, things are constantly changing, dragging on, and getting, more complicated and more frantic," Ledbetter says. "By the end, everyone is running around like crazy. Then in the second act they solve everything. Rossini took that idea and made it a formula." In his early years, Rossini didn’t focus much on orchestrations, probably because they are more time consuming and complicated to write than vocal lines (lazy). But when he did, he was cognizant of the opportunities for humor there as well. "He is very careful about how he uses instruments," says Phillip Gossett, a professor emeritus of music at Chicago University , and one of the leading scholars on Rossini. "In the Barber overture, for instance, he uses a bass drum. Then we don’t hear bass drum again until the middle," in a moment of perfect comic timing. Frequent use of the crescendo technique, where the music gradually builds in volume and speed to a climax, was another Rossini calling card, earning him the nickname "Monsiueur Crescendo" during his career. "[Barber] has a sense of laughing at itself and the whole genre, " Dr. Gossett adds.

"Great fun within the opera taking advantage of techniques that are characteristic of opera and using them pointedly. There’s a self irony there, and he’s very aware of it." As a result, filmmakers and commercial directors have mined Rossini for comedy countless times. For instance, "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiam" creator Larry David is a frequent Rossini user: The Seinfeld episode "The Barber" is scored entirely from the opera. But Rossini wasn’t all laughs: At the height of his fame, he was better known for his serious operas, most of which faded entirely into obscurity until very recently, owing mostly to the popularity of his later contemporaries, Verdi and Wagner. Their work was weighty and genre-bending, making Rossini’s tragedies seem safe and outdated by comparison. In 1816, Rossini wrote an operatic adaptation of "Othello," for example, that had a happy ending, which hewed to the formal constraints of opera at the time. When Verdi wrote his Othello some 70 years later, the ending was true to Shakespeare. So, is Rossini’s comic reputation fair, or should he be regarded in a more serious light?

"I don’t think we want him to recover from it," says Gossett. "I want him to get credit as more complex, but I don’t want him to recover because it’s very funny, and it functions extremely well." For more on how technology intersects daily life, follow us on Twitter @venturenaut . And don’t forget to sign up for the weekly BizTech newsletter . Next up Get the Monitor stories you care about delivered to your inbox. Daily Gioachino Rossini: Composer's life & music | Classic FM Gioachino Rossini Biography Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces. Life and Music Having produced a whirlwind series of 38 operas, following the premiere of William Tell in August 1829, and with close on 40 years of life still remaining, he laid down his operatic pen for ever.

Perhaps Rossini had finally had enough, as he was once reputed to have remarked: "How wonderful opera would be if there were no singers!" Rossini was born in Pesaro in 1793, the son of a town trumpeter-cum-inspector of slaughterhouses, whose questionable political sympathies once resulted in a short jail sentence. The family was otherwise constantly on the move, Rossini's mother appearing as a principal singer in a series of comic opera productions, while the budding young composer learned his craft, based in Bologna. He composed his first opera, Demetrio e Polibio, while still a student at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna, where his love of Mozart led to his being nicknamed, "the German". Such was its success that it led to a series of operatic ventures which initially culminated in the Barber of Seville.

When Donizetti heard that Rossini had composed it in a matter of just three weeks, he remarked sardonically: "Rossini always was a lazy fellow." Rossini's stage output culminated in the premiere of William Tell in Paris in 1829, after which he virtually stopped composing, save for a few songs, piano pieces and two famous large-scale choral works - the Stabat Mater and the Petite Messe Solennelle . Rossini died at his villa in Passy on 13 November 1868 following a short illness. Having initially been buried in Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris, his remains were subsequently moved to Santa Croce in Florence in 1887. Did you know? For Rossini's 70th birthday celebrations in 1862, a number of his friends clubbed together in order to have a statue built in his honour. His reaction was typically boisterous: "Why not give the money to me and I'll stand on the pedestal myself!" Summary of �ｿｽgThe Barber of Seville�ｿｽh in 3 Minutes - Opera Synopsis First performed February 20, 1816.

Libretto by Cesare Sterbini (in Itarian), after Beaumarchais. A Summary of �ｿｽgThe Barber of Seville�ｿｽh Act 1 In the 18th century, at the house of a doctor, Bartolo, keeps his niece, Rosina, confined in his house. He is her guardian. Rosina inherited a great deal of money from her parents. Bartolo attempts to get both the beautiful girl and extensive inheritance by getting her to marry him. Count Almaviva, an aristocrat in Spain, falls in love with Rosina. Almaviva calls himself �ｿｽgLindoro�ｿｽh, a poor student, to conceal his high status, and he serenades her. But he can�ｿｽft meet her for Bartolo�ｿｽfs stringent control. Count Almaviva asks Figaro, a barber in Siviglia, to help with the success of his love. Figaro as the barber enters Bartolo�ｿｽfs house, and he suggests to Almaviva to disguise himself as a drunken soldier billeted to Bartolo�ｿｽfs house.

But Bartolo is skeptical about Almaviva disguised as a soldier. This plan doesn�ｿｽft go well. Act 2 The following plan becomes successful. Almaviva disguises himself as a pupil of a music teacher, Basilio. Basilio is Bartolo�ｿｽfs right hand man. Almaviva can enter Bartolo�ｿｽfs house, and during a music lesson is able to make promise with Rosina to run away and marry. Then, Figaro steals the key of the balcony window while he shaves Bartolo. After Almaviva and Figaro leave Bartolo�ｿｽfs house, Bartolo tells Rosina that Lindoro attempts to sell her to Count Almaviva. Rosina gets angry, and says she will marry Bartolo or any man. Bartolo is pleased, and calls a public notary over. That same night, Almaviva and Figaro steal into Bartolo�ｿｽfs house through the balcony window. At first Rosina rebuffs �ｿｽgLindoro,�ｿｽh but when Almaviva explains that Lindoro and Almaviva are one and the same person, her confusion is cleared up.

At that moment, the notary arrives, so Almaviva marrys Rosina in the room. Bartolo enters the room, but it is too late now. Almaviva tells Bartolo to take Rosina�ｿｽfs extensive inheritance for himself. So Bartolo is satisfied with the outcome, too. A Comment on �ｿｽgThe Barber of Seville�ｿｽh Many operas around the world cover on the subjects of love, sorrow, and death, that is to say, they are tragic dramas. If you are not good at such negative stories, I recommend you see this opera-�ｿｽgThe Barber of Seville.�ｿｽh I�ｿｽfm sure we will burst into laughter many times, because there are some comical points in this opera. You should especially pay attention to the dialogue between Bartolo and Almaviva. Almaviva disguises himself as Bartolo�ｿｽfs right hand man in Act 2. The audience frequently burst into laughter. Gioachino Rossini who composed this opera is a musical genius. The overture of this opera is very famous.

And Rossini�ｿｽfs melodies are bright and smooth, so the opera�ｿｽfs story flows freely. Do you know the �ｿｽgRossini Crescendo�ｿｽh? This is Rossini�ｿｽfs unique method of composition to increase sound volume gradually in steps. The Rossini Crescendo probably excites both orchestra and audience at the same time. Do you suspect that Figaro, the barber in Siviglia, is the Figaro in Mozart�ｿｽfs opera �ｿｽgThe Marriage of Figaro�ｿｽh? Well, you are right! Actually, �ｿｽgThe Marriage of Figaro�ｿｽh is a sequel to �ｿｽgThe Barber of Seville.�ｿｽh You should see both operas. You would enjoy opera twice over. Gluck, C. W. (1714-1787)

Question: Who wrote the opera ‘The Barber of Seville’?
Answer: Gioachino Rossini