ENO - The Barber of Seville
Synopsis
The Barber of Seville (in Italian Il barbiere di Siviglia) is an opera in four acts by Italian composer Gioachino Rossini. Despite a disastrous opening night ā the music teacher tripped over and had a prolonged nosebleed and an unexpected cat wandered on stage ā it has gone on to be āperhaps the greatest of all comic operasā. Indeed, Rossini himself stayed at home for the second night, until he was awoken by the sound of applause and cheering and his opera has delighted audiences ever since. Based on a play called Le Barbier de SĆ©ville by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais, this is the first of three plays about a character called Figaro. His second play, Le Mariage de Figaro, was the inspiration for another opera ā The Marriage of Figaro by Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Rossiniās The Barber of Seville, therefore, is considered a prequel to the story of Mozartās opera, although it was composed 30 years later.
Where to watch
Not currently available to stream in United States.
