The Barber of Seville CLASSROOM STUDY GUIDE MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE Department of Education and Community Programs www.MichiganOpera.org Table of Contents Characters & Synopsis...........................................................................................3 The Creators.............................................................................................................6 A Closer Look..........................................................................................................10 Adaptations.........................................................................................................................12 18th Century Opera...........................................................................................................14 Opera in Popular Culture......................................................................................15 Discussion Questions............................................................................................16 In the Classroom.....................................................................................................17 Michigan Opera Theatre......................................................................................23 Contact & Sources................................................................................................25 MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 2 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE Characters & Synopsis Characters Rosina, Dr. Bartolo’s ward, mezzo-soprano Figaro, a barber and jack-of- all-trades, baritone Count Almaviva, a local nobleman, tenor Dr. Bartolo, Rosina’s guardian, bass Fiorello, a servant to the Count, baritone Berta, a servant to Dr. Bartolo, soprano Don Basilio, a music teacher, tenor Sergeant of the Guard, tenor Ambrogio, Dr. Bartolo’s servant “Figaro’s antics to unite two lovers have left audiences in stitches for generatio Filled with tunes familiar to audiences everywhere, it’s easy to see why this is o of opera’s best-loved works.” – M O T ' s P r i n c i p a l C o n ductor, Stephen Lord MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 3 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE The Story Act I. Seville. Count Almaviva comes in disguise to the house of Doctor Bartolo and serenades Rosina, whom Bartolo keeps conined to the house. Figaro the barber, who knows all the town’s secrets and scandals, explains to Almaviva that Rosina is Bartolo’s ward, not his daughter, and that the doctor intends to marry her. Figaro devises a plan: the count will disguise himself as a drunken soldier with orders to be quartered at Bartolo’s house so that he may gain access to the girl. Almaviva is excited and Figaro looks forward to a nice cash pay-off. Rosina relects on the voice that has enchanted her and resolves to use her considerable wiles to meet the man it belongs to—as Almaviva has led her to believe, a poor student named Lindoro. Bartolo appears with Rosina’s music master, Don Basilio. Basilio warns Bartolo that Count Almaviva, who has made known his admiration for Rosina, has been seen in Seville. Bartolo decides to marry Rosina immediately. Figaro, who has overheard the plot, warns Rosina and promises to deliver a note from her to Lindoro. Bartolo suspects that Rosina has indeed written a letter, but she outwits him at every turn. Bartolo warns her not to trile with him. Almaviva arrives, creating a ruckus in his disguise as a drunken soldier, and secretly passes Rosina his own note. Bartolo is infuriated by the stranger’s behavior and claims that he has an oficial exemption from billeting soldiers. Figaro announces that a crowd has gathered in the street, curious about the noise. The civil guard bursts in to arrest Almaviva, but when he secretly reveals his true identity to the captain he is instantly released. Everyone except Figaro is amazed by this turn of events. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 4 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE Act II. Bartolo suspects that the “soldier” was a spy planted by Almaviva. The count returns, this time disguised as Don Alonso, a music teacher and student of Don Basilio, to give Rosina her singing lesson in place of Basilio, who, he says, is ill at home. “Don Alonso” then tells Bartolo that he is staying at the same inn as Almaviva and has found a letter from Rosina. He offers to tell her that it was given to him by another woman, seemingly to prove that Lindoro is toying with Rosina on Almaviva’s behalf. This convinces Bartolo that “Don Alonso” is indeed a student of the scheming Basilio, and he allows him to give Rosina her lesson. With Bartolo dozing off, Almaviva and Rosina declare their love. Figaro arrives to give Bartolo his shave and manages to snatch the key that opens the doors to Rosina’s balcony. Suddenly Basilio shows up looking perfectly healthy. Almaviva, Rosina, and Figaro convince him with a quick bribe that he is sick with scarlet fever and must go home at once. While Bartolo gets his shave, Almaviva plots with Rosina to elope that night. But the doctor overhears them and furiously realizes he has been tricked again. Everyone disperses. Bartolo summons Basilio, telling him to bring a notary so Bartolo can marry Rosina that very night. Bartolo then shows Rosina her letter to Lindoro, which seems to prove that he is in league with Almaviva. Heartbroken and convinced that she has been deceived, Rosina agrees to marry Bartolo. A thunderstorm passes. Figaro and the count climb a ladder to Rosina’s balcony and let themselves in with the key. Rosina appears and confronts Lindoro, who inally reveals his true identity as Almaviva. Basilio shows up with the notary. Bribed and threatened, he agrees to be a witness to the marriage of Rosina and Almaviva. Bartolo arrives with soldiers, but it is too late. He accepts that he has been beaten, and Figaro, Rosina, and the count celebrate their good fortune. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 4 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE The Creators Composer: Giachino Rossini G i o a c h i n o A n t o n i o R o s s i n i , (born February 29, 1792, Pesaro, Papal States [Italy]—died November 13, 1868, Passy, near Paris, France), Italian composer noted for his oper as, particul arly his comic operas, of which T h e B a r b e r o f S e v i l l e (1816), C i n d e r e l l a (1817), and S e m i r a m i d e (1823) are among the best known. Gioachino Rossini was the son of Giuseppe Rossini, an impoverished trumpeter who played in miscellaneous bands and orchestras, and Anna Guidarini, a singer of secondary roles. Thus, Rossini spent his entire childhood in the theatre. At age 14 he entered Bologna’s Philharmonic School (now the G.B. Martini State Conservatory of Music) and composed his irst opera seria— D e m e t r i o e P o l i b i o (1806; staged in 1812)—for the Mombelli, a family of singers. At 15 he had learned the violin, horn, and harpsichord and had often sung in public, even in the theatre, to earn money. Rossini threw himself into the genre of o p e r a b u f f a (comic opera), with the debut of L a c a m b i a l e d i m a t r i m o n i o (1810; T h e B i l l o f M a r r i a g e ). The following year, two more of his comic operas were produced in Venice. Rossini broke the traditional form of opera buffa: embellished his melodies, animated his ensembles and inales, used unusual rhythms, restored the orchestra to its rightful place, and put the singer at the service of the music. (Cont. on page 7) MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE 6 THE BARBER OF SEVILLE (Cont. from page 6) Rossini irst saw the gre atest success in Venice with h is irst serious opera, T a n c r e d i (1813), and L ’ I t a l i a n a i n A l g e r i (1813; T h e I t a l i a n G i r l i n A l g i e r s ), opening doors to La Scala. Rossini’s fame soon spread to Naples, catching the attention of the reigning impresario in charge of the two great Neapolitan theatres, Domenico Barbaia. Barbaia offered him a contract of two operas per year. T he success of Colbran’s irst Rossini opera, E l i s a b e t t a , r e g i n a d ’ I n g h i l t e r r a (1815; E l i z a b e t h , Q u e e n o f E n g l a n d ) prompted an invita tion from Rome to spend the Carnival season of 1816. Rossini’s Rome operas including A l m a v i v a , soon to become I l b a r b i e r e d i S i v i g l i a (1816; T h e B a r b e r o f S e v i l l e ), were unsuccessful. The Romans, who knew and loved Giovanni Paisiello’s version of Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais’s play, took a dislike to this new setting, but when it was given elsewhere in Italy it was received with unbounded success. Written in less than three weeks, T h e B a r b e r o f S e v i l l e is a piece of inspired inventiveness that has delighted opera lovers ever since. In 1823, Rossini moved to England on advice from the manager of the King’s Theatre in London. He was already renowned in Paris and became the musical director of Theatre des Italiens there, and his popularity brought him a contract from Charles X to compose ive new operas in the span of a year. Between 1824 and 1829, Rossini composed two comic operas, L e C o m t e O r y , and Guillaume Tell. Afte r G u i l l a u m e T e l l , Rossini took a semi-retirement from operas but, continued to write cantatas and other songs.