A Story of Love, Disguises, and a Very Clever Barber
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Based on Le Barbier de Séville by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais
What happens when a young man falls in love with a clever young woman — but her guardian is determined to keep them apart?
You call Figaro.
Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia is one of opera’s great comedies: fast, playful, full of disguises, secret letters, misunderstandings and music that seems to run faster and faster as the story unfolds.
At the centre of it all is Figaro, the barber of Seville.
He knows everyone.
He hears everything.
And if there is a problem to solve, Figaro usually has a plan.
Well…
almost always.
Act I
A Serenade in Seville
It is early morning in Seville.
Outside the house of Doctor Bartolo, a group of musicians quietly gathers in the street.
A young man named Count Almaviva is waiting below a balcony.
He has fallen in love with a young woman he has seen only from afar.
Her name is Rosina.
The Count begins to sing beneath her window.
He hopes Rosina will hear him.
Unfortunately, nothing happens.
No Rosina.
No answer.
And the musicians are not exactly helping.
When Almaviva finally pays them, they thank him so loudly and enthusiastically that the quiet romantic serenade turns into complete chaos.
So much for being discreet.
Here Comes Figaro
🎵 “Ecco, ridente in cielo” — Almaviva’s serenade
Luigi Alva brings an effortless elegance to this famous serenade — light, graceful and full of charm. His refined bel canto style feels perfectly at home in Rossini’s music.
Suddenly, someone approaches.
He is singing.
Confidently.
Very confidently.
It is Figaro, the most popular barber in Seville.
Figaro does much more than cut hair and trim beards. He visits houses all over the city, carries messages, knows people’s secrets and seems to have a solution for almost everything.
“Figaro here!”
“Figaro there!”
“Figaro everywhere!”
And everyone wants something from him.
🎵 “Largo al factotum” — Figaro’s entrance aria
Peter Mattei brings Figaro to life with effortless charisma, wit and confidence. A wonderfully lively introduction to Seville’s most resourceful barber.
Almaviva recognizes him immediately.
Even better, Figaro knows Doctor Bartolo’s household.
That could be useful.
Very useful.
Who Is Rosina?
Rosina lives with Doctor Bartolo, her elderly guardian.
Bartolo plans to marry her himself.
Rosina has other ideas.
From her balcony, she has noticed the young man outside.
She does not know that he is Count Almaviva.
He has introduced himself simply as Lindoro, a poor young man.
Why?
Because Almaviva wants Rosina to love him for himself, not for his title or his money.
Rosina manages to drop a note from the balcony.
Bartolo almost catches her.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
“A piece of paper?”
“Oh, that? Just… a laundry list.”
Bartolo is suspicious.
Rosina is quicker.
Rosina Has a Plan of Her Own
It would be easy to imagine Rosina as a young woman waiting to be rescued.
She is not.
She already knows exactly what she wants.
She likes Lindoro.
And she intends to find a way to meet him.
In her famous aria, Rosina describes herself perfectly.
She can be sweet and obedient…
when people treat her well.
But if someone tries to control her?
That is another story.
🎵 “Una voce poco fa” — Rosina’s aria
Joyce DiDonato captures Rosina perfectly — charming and graceful, but with a spark of mischief and determination. A brilliant portrait of a young woman who already knows exactly what she wants.
Rosina begins writing a letter to Lindoro.
By the time Figaro arrives to help her, the letter is already finished.
Figaro is impressed.
He may have found someone who can keep up with him.
Figaro’s First Plan
Meanwhile, Almaviva needs a way into Bartolo’s house.
Figaro thinks.
Then he smiles.
“I have an idea.”
Almaviva will disguise himself as a drunken soldier.
Soldiers are sometimes quartered in private homes, so Bartolo may be forced to let him inside.
There is only one small problem.
Almaviva must be convincing.
Very convincing.
So the elegant young Count transforms himself into an extremely noisy, extremely confused soldier.
The plan begins.
A Very Drunk Soldier
Almaviva arrives at Bartolo’s house in disguise.
He stumbles around.
He shouts.
He pretends not to understand anything.
Bartolo is horrified.
“I cannot have a soldier staying here!”
The “soldier” ignores him.
Rosina enters.
She recognizes Lindoro.
Now the two must somehow communicate while Bartolo watches them.
A secret note changes hands.
Bartolo sees something.
“What is that paper?”
Rosina quickly replaces it with another piece of paper.
“This?”
She hands it to him.
Bartolo looks.
It is a laundry list.
Again.
Poor Bartolo.
Everyone Talks at Once
The argument grows louder.
Bartolo shouts.
Almaviva shouts.
Rosina joins in.
Figaro appears.
Then the police arrive.
Everyone tries to explain what has happened.
At the same time.
The officer is about to arrest the troublesome “soldier” when Almaviva quietly reveals his true identity to him.
The officer immediately stops.
Bartolo cannot understand why.
“What is happening?”
Nobody gives him a useful answer.
Soon everyone is singing at once.
Words tumble over words.
The music becomes faster and faster.
The characters feel as if their heads are spinning.
And Act I ends in magnificent confusion.
🎵 Act I Finale — “Fredda ed immobile” / “Mi par d’esser con la testa”
Act II
A New Disguise
The drunken-soldier plan did not exactly go smoothly.
So naturally, Figaro has another idea.
Almaviva returns to Bartolo’s house in a completely different disguise.
This time he is Don Alonso, a music teacher.
He claims that Rosina’s usual teacher, Don Basilio, is ill.
Bartolo is suspicious.
Again.
But “Don Alonso” knows something useful: he has Rosina’s letter to Lindoro.
He tells Bartolo that the letter can be used to convince Rosina that Lindoro is deceiving her.
Bartolo begins to trust him.
The music lesson can begin.
Rosina’s Music Lesson
Rosina enters and immediately recognizes Almaviva beneath his disguise.
Bartolo, of course, notices nothing.
Rosina begins her singing lesson.
But this is not really a lesson.
It is a chance for Rosina and Almaviva to speak to each other while pretending to practise music.
Bartolo sits nearby, trying to stay awake.
Romance is happening directly in front of him.
And he has no idea.
🎵 Rosina’s lesson scene — traditionally “Contro un cor”
Joyce DiDonato turns Rosina’s music lesson into a delightful little performance of its own — playful, clever and full of theatrical charm. Rosina may be pretending, but she is clearly the one in control.
Figaro and the Razor
Then Figaro arrives.
He has come to shave Bartolo.
Perfect.
If Figaro can keep Bartolo busy, Rosina and Almaviva may have a moment alone.
Figaro prepares his tools.
Razors.
Combs.
Towels.
Everything a barber needs.
But Figaro has another purpose.
While moving around the house, he manages to get hold of the key to Rosina’s balcony.
Now the escape plan is becoming possible.
Rosina and Almaviva will leave together that night.
At last, everything seems to be working.
Which, in this opera, usually means something is about to go wrong.
Don Basilio Arrives
The door opens.
It is Don Basilio.
The real music teacher.
He looks perfectly healthy.
Everyone freezes.
Bartolo looks at “Don Alonso.”
Then at Basilio.
Then back at “Don Alonso.”
Figaro reacts immediately.
“Don Basilio! You look terrible!”
Rosina agrees.
“Very ill.”
Almaviva agrees too.
“Extremely ill.”
Basilio is confused.
“I am?”
Yes.
Apparently he is.
Almaviva quietly gives him some money.
Suddenly Basilio begins to feel much worse.
Perhaps he really should go home.
He leaves.
Problem solved.
For now.
🎵 “Buona sera, mio signore” — the ensemble sending Basilio away
One of the opera’s most delightful comic ensembles: everyone joins forces to convince the bewildered Basilio that he is terribly ill — and should go straight home. Rossini turns the growing confusion into pure musical comedy.
Bartolo Discovers the Trick
Eventually, Bartolo realizes that something is wrong.
Very wrong.
He discovers the deception and throws Figaro and Almaviva out of the house.
Now he is determined to marry Rosina immediately.
He shows her the letter she wrote to Lindoro and tells her that Lindoro is only helping Count Almaviva win her for himself.
Rosina is hurt.
She believes him.
So she agrees to marry Bartolo.
Then she reveals the escape plan.
Bartolo rushes away to arrange the wedding before it is too late.
A Storm
Night falls over Seville.
A storm begins.
The wind rises.
Rain pours down.
Thunder rolls through the city.
And while the storm grows outside, the story is preparing for one last burst of confusion.
🎵 “Temporale” — the storm music
No voices are needed here. Rossini lets the orchestra tell the story, as a distant rumble grows into a full-blown storm — a wonderfully vivid musical picture before the final rush of events.
Figaro and Almaviva climb into the house through the balcony.
They expect Rosina to be ready to escape.
She is not.
She is furious.
She accuses Lindoro of betraying her.
Almaviva finally tells her the truth.
“I am Lindoro.”
Rosina stares at him.
“And I am also Count Almaviva.”
Everything changes.
The poor young man she loved was never real.
But the love was.
Rosina is delighted.
Now they only have to escape.
Easy.
Except…
the ladder has disappeared.
The Notary Arrives
Bartolo has arranged for a notary to come and prepare his marriage to Rosina.
But the notary arrives while Bartolo is away.
Figaro sees another opportunity.
Why waste a perfectly good notary?
The marriage contract is quickly changed.
Instead of Rosina marrying Bartolo…
Rosina marries Count Almaviva.
Don Basilio is persuaded to act as a witness.
Once again, a little money helps him make up his mind.
By the time Bartolo returns, it is too late.
Rosina and Almaviva are married.
Bartolo has lost.
But Almaviva lets him keep Rosina’s dowry.
Bartolo thinks about it.
Perhaps things are not quite so terrible after all.
All Is Well
The disguises are over.
The misunderstandings are cleared up.
Rosina is free to choose whom she loves.
Almaviva has won her without relying on his title.
Bartolo has survived the most exhausting day of his life.
And Figaro?
Figaro has done exactly what Figaro does best.
He has talked, planned, improvised, shaved, lied, negotiated and somehow turned complete chaos into a happy ending.
Everyone celebrates.
🎵 “Di sì felice innesto” — Final ensemble
After all the disguises, tricks and confusion, everything finally falls into place. Rossini brings the whole company together in a joyful finale — a sparkling celebration of love, laughter and a very happy ending.
In the end, Il barbiere di Siviglia is not only a story about a clever barber.
It is a comedy about people trying to control what cannot easily be controlled — love, freedom and other people.
And whenever the plans become too complicated?
There is always Figaro.
Figaro qua.
Figaro là.
Figaro su.
Figaro giù.
Beyond the Story
What Happens Next?
The Barber of Seville may end happily, but Figaro’s story is far from over.
Years later, we meet Figaro, Count Almaviva and Rosina again in The Marriage of Figaro. The Count and Rosina are now married, while Figaro is preparing for a wedding of his own — to Susanna.
Beaumarchais wrote their adventures as part of a trilogy of plays. Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia tells the first story, while Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro takes us into the next chapter of their lives.
Same characters, a few years later — and a whole new set of problems.
Continue the story → Le Nozze di Figaro