Rossini's The Barber of Seville: A Short Guide to a Great Opera

By Michael Steen

The première in 1816 in Rome of Gioachino Rossini's famous opera was a fiasco comparable to those of Wagner's Tannhäuser and Bizet's Carmen. But Il barbiere di Siviglia was soon recognised as being among the greatest of comic operas, comparable to those of Mozart. Even Beethoven was enthusiastic.

Figaro, Seville's barber, is confident of a good pay-off for facilitating the elopement of Rosina with the Count of Almaviva. Her guardian also has designs on her and her fortune. Who will get there first? The story is based on a comedy by the French playwright Beaumarchais, whose The Marriage of Figaro was used by Mozart.

The Barber is packed with famous tunes, displaying Rossini's glittering coloratura, trademark crescendos and patter: Figaro's famous Largo al factotum and Zitti, zitti, piano, piano; the Count's serenade with guitar, Ecco ridente; Rosina's Singing Lesson and Una voce poco fa; Doctor Bartolo's patter song A un dottor; Don Basilio's La calunnia. These are just some of the ingredients of this feast of humour and good tunes.

Written by Michael Steen, author of the acclaimed The Lives and Times of the Great Composers, 'Short Guides to Great Operas' are concise, entertaining and easy to read. They are packed with useful information and informed opinion, helping to make you a truly knowledgeable opera-goer, and so maximising your enjoyment of a great musical experience.

Other 'Short Guides to Great Operas' that you may enjoy include The Marriage of Figaro, Così fan tutte and Lucia di Lammermoor.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Icon Books
• Release date: Feb 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781848316041

Book preview

Front coverTitle page

Published in the UK in 2013 by Icon Books Ltd,

Omnibus Business Centre, 29–41 North Road, London N7 9DP

email: [e-mail]

www.iconbooks.net

ISBN: 978-1-84831-604-1 (ePub format)

ISBN: 978-1-84831-605-8 (Adobe ebook format)

Content previously published in Great Operas, published in the UK in 2012 by Icon Books Ltd

Text copyright © 2012, 2013 Michael Steen

The author has asserted his moral rights.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any means, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

Typesetting by Marie Doherty

CONTENTS

Title page

Copyright

PREFACE

USING THIS EBOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ROSSINI’S THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

THE OPERA AND ITS COMPOSER

WHO’S WHO AND WHAT’S WHAT

THE INTERVAL: TALKING POINTS

Features of Rossini’s style: coloratura, crescendo, and patter

Characterisation: Rosina

Paisiello, the first composer of ‘The Barber’

ACT BY ACT

Act 1

Act 2

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Sources of quotes

Other sources

NOTES

Short Guides to Great Operas

PREFACE

This guide is aimed at the ordinary opera-goer and opera-lover, usually a busy person who wants to know the essentials of the opera but has little time to grasp them.

It provides key background information to The Barber of Seville, told engagingly by someone who knows the opera intimately.

It is light, easy to read, and entertaining. Relevant information has been carefully selected to enhance your appreciation of Rossini’s work.

It is authoritative, but not dense or academic. It is unburdened with the clutter that can easily be obtained elsewhere. It concentrates on information that it will help you to know in advance.

Read quickly before going to the opera or listening to it at home, you will get the very best out of the performance and have a truly enjoyable experience.

Opera can be a great social occasion. Being knowledgeable and well-informed, you’ll appreciate this magical art-form much more if you read this first.

I hope you enjoy the opera!

Michael Steen

USING