In 1772, Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais wrote the first of a planned four plays about a character named Figaro, titled Le barbier de Séville — The Barber of Seville. It would go on to inspire a slew of operas, the most well-known of which are these four:
In 1776, composer Friedrich Ludwig Benda created a German version with a libretto by Gustav Friedrich Wilhelm Grossman.
an Italian version by composer Giovanni Paisello with a libretto by Giuseppe Petrosellini in 1782; an Italian version by composer Giovanni Paisello with a libretto by Giuseppe Petrosellini in 1782; an Italian version by composer Giovanni Paisello with a libretto by Giuseppe Petrosellini in 17
composer Nicolas Isouard’s Italian version, based on the same libretto as Paisello and set around 1796; and
Gioachino Rossini’s Italian version, based on a libretto by Cesare Sterbini.
Rossini’s version of The Barber of Seville is a commedia dell’arte in two acts that premiered in Rome on February 20, 1816 at Teatro Argentina, despite the fact that it is said to have been written in 1816. What gives that this is possible? In 1860, Rossini boasted to Richard Wagner that he wrote The Barber of Seville in only twelve days! The first night of the opera was a disaster, with stage accidents and Paisello supporters causing havoc. However, the opera quickly became a hit, and it is now one of the most popular operas of all time.
The Barber of Seville is set in Seville in the 1600s, and it tells the story of Count Almaviva’s romantic interest in Dr. Bartolo’s ward, Rosina, whose guardian goes to great lengths to protect her because he wants to marry her. The Count is disguised as a student named Lindoro because he wants Rosina to love him for himself, not his money. The Count and Figaro, the Barber of Seville, meet after an ineffective serenade by Rosina, and the Count learns that Figaro is frequently in Dr. Bartolo’s house due to his role as barber, etc. As they converse, Rosina appears on the balcony and leaves a message for “Lindoro.” Dr. Bartolo isn’t quite aware of this, but he is aware that something is going on, so he goes off to finalize his wedding plans while issuing orders that no one enter the house.
To respond to the note, Lindoro sings a serenade, but Rosina is interrupted before she can respond, and the men decide to break into the house and devise a plan that involves the Count disguising himself as a drunk soldier billeted at the house. Figaro enters and converses with Rosina, which enrages Bartolo. Don Basilio, the town’s music teacher and marriage broker, arrives and agrees with Dr. Bartolo that haste is required, especially since the attractive Count Almaviva is rumored to be in town, and they plan to slander him in order to force him to leave. The act concludes with the appearance of the soldier, followed by the entrance of Basilio and Figaro, great confusion, and an attempted arrest of the soldier, who manages to elude detention.
Almaviva arrives at the house disguised as Don Alonso, a music teacher sent by Don Basilio, who is said to be indisposed, in Act II of The Barber of Seville. Don Alonso gains Dr. Bartolo’s trust by revealing that he has intercepted a note from Count Almaviva to Rosina and that he will persuade Rosina that the Count is untrustworthy during the music lesson. Despite this promise, the Count waits until Bartolo falls asleep and then uses the lesson to court Rosina even more.
When Dr. Bartolo discovers that Don Basilio is unaware of Don Alonso, he realizes what has happened and decides to marry Rosina right away, enlisting the help of a notary. He also informs Rosina that Lindoro is acting on the Count’s behalf, which enrages her, so Figaro and the Count will have a lot of explaining to do when they arrive, having climbed a ladder to the balcony rather than using the door. Someone removes the ladder during the time it takes to persuade Rosina of the Count’s good intentions. However, when Don Basilio arrives with a notary, he is bribed with a ring and a death threat, and witnesses Rosina’s marriage to Count Almaviva instead of Dr. Bartolo, who arrives with soldiers too late. Dr. Bartolo concedes defeat, and everyone rejoices.