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ENCORE OPERA FOUNDED BY STEVE SCHWARTZ For November 25, 2019 DOWN-STAIRS & UP-STAIRS This Week’s Program BY GENE MARTIN Il Barbiere di Siviglia My elementary school for several years THE USELESS PRECAUTION had seven grades in six rooms, one of by Gioacchino Rossini which was for the furnace. When my with English Subtitles family moved to Cincinnati, my school was ————- so big they had stairs you were only to use Runtime: 140 minutes • Staged at Del to go up and others only for down. My Teatro Alla Scala, 1972 • DVD re-issued 2005 by Deutsche Grammaphon • MPAA navigation skills were quite inadequate for not rated • ASIN: B0007P0LOS a while. This week and the next few thereafter, our skills getting to the Encore Don Basilio, basso, Rosina’s music teacher: Theater may also be challenged when the Paolo Mlntarsolo renovation closes our stairs or elevator. Berta, mezzo, Bartolo’s servant: Stefania Malagú Keep in mind. that there are THREE ways Fiorello, basso, Almaviva’s valet : Renato Cesari to get to the Theater. In addition to the Ambrogio, Bartolo’s silent servant: Hans Kraemmer usual stairs and lobby elevator, there is an Claudio Abbado conducts the Orchestra e Coro elevator in Forest Crossing that will get del Teatro alla Scala you downstairs to the Theater. The Lakeside Renovation folks have tried to Staged & Directed for Jean-Pierre Ponnelle keep us up to date on when one or more NOTES by STEVE SCHWARTZ of these will be closed but construction is “The Barber of Seville,” one of the unpredictable. I just suggest (hope!) that most popular operas in the repertory, if your usual route is closed when you get there, there will always be at least one of premiered in 1816, when Rossini was just those ways to get to the opera. 24 years old. That event was sabotaged by some members of the audience who NEXT WEEK were partisans of a composer who had On December 6th, a whole week from set the same Beaumarchais play a now, we will see Mozart’s comic opera generation earlier, however the damage Cosi Fan Tutti, recorded live at the Kleine they did lasted only that evening. Festspielhaus, Salzburg in 1983 and conducted by Riccardo Muti. Rossini’s opus is based on the first of the “BARBER’S” PRINCIPAL CAST triad of plays by the 18th century French Count Almaviva, tenor, a Nobleman: Luigi Alva author Pierre de Beaumarchais starring his fictional character Figaro which was Rosina, mezzo-soprano, a young lady: Teresa Berganza followed by The Marriage of Figaro. In an inversion of the chronology, Mozart Figaro, baritone, barber and jack-of-all-trades: Herman Prey set “Marriage” to music forty years Don Bartolo, baritone, Rosina’s guardian: Enzo Dara before Rossini wrote this opera. Page !1 of !4 ACT ONE (Question: Will true love triumph? After the famous and well-known Answer: What do you think?) overture, we see a street in 18th Next, we’re in the great room in century Seville, just before dawn. Our Bartolo’s house, and meet Rosina, our hero, Count Almaviva, has hired a heroine. In the famous aria, “Una voce local band to serenade the young lady poco fa,” (I heard a little voice nearby who lives in a house on the square. just now) she quickly lets us know that The Count’s valet Fiorello sets up the while she usually seems meek and band and our hero sings but gets no subservient, she’s shrewd -and can also response. Actually she hears the be a viper when necessary, especially serenade, and is receptive, but she’s when she is crossed. the ward of the master of the house, Despite Bartolo’s rigid control of her Don Bartolo, a grump, who carefully daily life, she is determined to win the keeps her from any eligible men since man she loves (whom she knows only he plans to marry her himself. The as “Lindoro”) and she sings that she band is paid and leaves. knows how to overcome her old Figaro arrives and sings “Largo al guardian’s efforts. Factotum,” bragging that his vocation Figaro enters and starts talking with makes him the town’s most important Rosina. Bartolo comes in, warns her personage. The Count tries another to stay indoors, and leaves. Figaro serenade, accompanying himself on returns to talk to her about “Lindoro.” Figaro’s guitar, but Rosina’s receptive After a sparkling duet with Figaro, she reaction is cut short by someone knows that “Lindoro” also loves her. inside the house. (Guess who?) Bartolo returns and is immediately The Count recognizes Figaro as a suspicious. He interrogates her former employe and asks his help. closely, hoping to trap her a la “How can I get inside the house to Sherlock Holmes. woo Rosina?” he asks. But, she has an answer for everything “‘Easy” says Figaro. “Disguise yourself he throws at her. So he tries to as a soldier in the army regiment that’s intimidate her with an aria “A un coming to Seville and claim that dottor della mia sorte” (a doctor of my Bartolo’s house has been designated as standing is too smart for you, so don’t your quarters.” Almaviva likes that and try to pull the wool over my eyes) that gives him a bag of cash. For another tell’s us he’s a blowhard. bag from the Count, Figaro gets a Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher, second idea: “Act drunk – that will arrives to warn Bartolo that Count cause Bartolo to be less suspicious.” Almaviva is in Seville and is pursuing This is their plan for getting the Count Rosina. Bartolo is upset; something to meet the fair damsel face to face. has to be done, and quickly. Page !2 of !4 Basilio’s solution is his aria “La the opera). Bartolo sings an aria while Calunnia” (slander): “I have a sure-fire the lovers secretly agree on their plan. way to get rid of your rival.” ‘“I’ll spread Basilio arrives unexpectedly. false rumors about the Count that are Omi’gosh. How to overcome this new so vile that he’ll slink out of town.” obstacle? Simple. Almaviva slips But Bartolo can’t wait. He decides to Basilio a bribe. Everyone wants him marry her this very day and sets off to out of the house (for different make arrangements. Then his reasons) so they all tell him he looks housemaid Berta admits a drunken sick and must go home at once. soldier (Almaviva in disguise). Basilio doesn’t get it, but with the Bartolo’s return sets off a host of Count’s cash in hand, he doesn’t much h i g h - j i n k s w h i c h b r i n g Ro s i n a care. So he leaves. Bartolo is getting downstairs. The “drunk” lets her know more suspicious, but the ever- he is “Lindoro” and they sneakily and resourceful Figaro arrives and diverts comically exchange love letters under Bartolo’s attention by pressuring him Bartolo’s nose. The police come to to submit to a shave… right now! investigate the noisy household and Now a new twist. Earlier, we saw that, the sergeant starts to arrest the to keep from being thrown out, “soldier.” But he backs off when Almaviva as a soldier gave Bartolo the Almaviva covertly shows the soldier letter he’d received from Rosina, that he’s a titled aristocrat. saying this showed Lindoro to be a The act ends with the kind of opera stooge for Almaviva. On that basis, finale at which Rossini excelled: all the Bartolo invited him to stay and help principal singers and a male chorus him keep Rosina and Lindoro apart. (the cops), all on stage, singing loudly But Bartolo shrewdly shows Rosina with an even louder orchestra! this letter to prove Lindoro intended to ACT TWO trap and seduce her and does not love Having struck out in his first attempt to her at all. She buys it and tells Bartolo be alone with Rosina, Almaviva arrives she will get even by marrying him. dressed in an outfit just like Basilio’s, Elated, he leaves at once to get the claiming to be the teacher’s pupil who notary and the marriage license. will give Rosina her music lesson since After a storm that Rossini sets to Basilio is sick. This disguise allows the exciting music, Figaro and the Count Count to sit next to Rosina at the arrive with a ladder and climb to piano. Bartolo suspects he’s a spy for Rosina’s room; Figaro filched the key Almaviva, so he stays close. Still, the when starting to shave Bartolo. As the lovers manage to get in a few private two enter Rosina’s room, she accuses words. Rosina sings an aria that’s the Lindoro of being in the Count’s employ subtitle of the opera “The Useless and wholly rejects him. Ecstatic at Precaution” (you’ll get the gag later in Page !3 of !4 this, he tells her he is Count Almaviva; CLOSING COMMENTS now she’s ecstatic! They would I want you to know that the feedback celebrate but Figaro looks out the from so many of you about your window to see the ladder is gone. pleasure watching Encore operas is Bartolo removed it to prevent the what makes all our effort worthwhile. elopement and they’re trapped! We share your pleasure; seeing world- Worse yet, Basilio arrives with the class artists applying their talents to notary and the license which lacks the work of world-class composers in only the groom’s name and the world-class opera houses around the signature of two witnesses.

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