Il Barbiere di Siviglia
by Gioacchino Rossini
Libretto by Cesar Sterbini
based on Beaumarchais' play
Premiered: Teatro Argentina, Rome, February 1816

February 3, 4, 10, 11, 8:00 p.m.
With Opera Insights at 7:00 p.m.
Conductor: Uriel Segal
Stage Director: Kay Walker Castaldo
Designer: C. David Higgins

Click here for media photos

SYNOPSIS

Act I. A Square in Seville, where Dr. Bartolo’s house is.

A lovely young girl, Rosina, lives with her guardian, Dr. Bartolo, who though ancient, intends to marry her and her dowry. However, Count Almaviva has fallen in love with Rosina and with the help of his servant Fiorello, has gathered a band of musicians to serenade his beloved, who to all appearances does not respond. Even though he asks the musicians to leave quietly, his meager payment causes a ruckus. Figaro, a barber and composer, is heard from a distance as he enters the town square. Figaro also happens to be Dr. Bartolo’s barber and he immediately devises a plan so that the Count can meet Rosina, who has noticed him. The Count and Figaro devise a plan by which the Count will disguise himself as a soldier and demand to be billeted in Dr. Bartolo’s house.

In her room, Rosina dreams of her lover and of escape. Meanwhile, Dr. Bartolo confides in his friend and Rosina’s music teacher, Don Basilio , that he suspects Rosina has an unknown admirer. Don Basilio recommends a campaign of rumor and intrigue to run him out of town. When Basilio and Dr. Bartolo have left, Figaro contrives to tell Rosina that his cousin Lindoro is madly in love with her and that she should write him a note. Rosina surprises Figaro by having a note already prepared. Bartolo senses her budding independence and comes in to warn her of the futility of trying to deceive him. Count Almaviva, who has taken Figaro’s advice, presents himself at Bartolo’s house in his soldier’s disguise, pretending to be drunk and demands to be billeted, ignoring the waiver which Bartolo shows him. A battle ensues. Hard knocking at the door announces the arrival of the police, and this ushers a scene with everyone giving their version of what has transpired. One of the soldiers, at the point of arresting Almaviva, springs to attention instead when Almaviva shows him who he really is. Dr. Bartolo observes these events thunderstruck and motionless, and the act ends in complete pandemonium.

Act II. Also takes place in Dr. Bartolo’s house.

Dr. Bartolo has begun to suspect that the drunken soldier is in fact an emissary of Count Almaviva. But his reverie is interrupted by the arrival of a music teacher (Almaviva in another disguise) ostensibly sent by the sick Don Basilio, to give Rosina her lesson. His obsequious and annoying manner finally make Dr. Bartolo explode in irritation. ‘Don Alonso,’ as the music teacher is called, wins the confidence of Dr. Bartolo, and Rosina’s music lesson begins with Bartolo in attendance. At the end of the lesson, Bartolo attempts to demonstrate how much better music was in his day, but is interrupted by the arrival of Figaro who has come to shave him. Bartolo tries to refuse, but Figaro will not be deterred and proceeds to create a disturbance during which he obtains the key to the balcony, and Rosina and ‘Don Alonso’ contrive to have a word together. Don Basilio inopportunely arrives, and Figaro and the Count, with the aid of a bribe, have to convince him that he is very sick and needs to go home After Don Basilio leaves, Figaro starts shaving Bartolo, while the Count and Rosina plan their elopement. But Figaro gets distracted for one minute, and Bartolo espies the lovers talking, gets wind of the whole affair, and sends them all packing.

Berta, the housekeeper, wonders why it is that the old want to marry the young and the young want to marry at all! She admits that she shares the same symptoms as everyone else. Bartolo in the meantime uses Rosina’s letter to prove to her that Lindoro is selling her to the infamous Count Almaviva for her ruin. Rosina is heartbroken at the betrayal and reveals the plan for elopement. A huge storm blows up and just at the end Figaro and the Count arrive. The lovers are reconciled and Figaro joins in the celebration before Figaro discovers that the ladder is gone and their plan is ruined. When the Notary arrives, engaged to marry a mysterious young couple, he is persuaded to marry the young lovers. The Count offers Dr. Bartolo to replace Rosina’s dowry which helps him to be reconciled to idea of loosing her. All ends well.