The Barber of Seville (Il barbiere di Siviglia)
Gioachino Rossini
Work background
Researched classical background
Figaro helps Count Almaviva outwit Rosina's guardian in Rossini's fast-moving comic opera. Disguises and mistaken identities drive the action, while elaborate ensembles let several characters pursue conflicting plans at once. The libretto adapts Beaumarchais's play, whose characters also appear in Mozart's later-set Figaro story. The opera's title identifies the complete stage work, not just its familiar overture.
Inspiration and creative background
The libretto adapts the comic intrigue of Beaumarchais's play The Barber of Seville.
Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) - Greek National Opera
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
A listening guide
Listen to how repeated musical patterns and accumulating voices increase the pressure in the ensemble finales.
Listening suggestions are editorial guides to the music.
Forces: Vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra
Premiere: 1816
Rossini wrote the opera for Rome; later productions do not date the original work.
This entry describes the musical work or cycle. Composition, premiere and publication dates describe different events. Performers and recordings can be explored through the external listening search.
Also known as: Il barbiere di Siviglia
Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) - Greek National Opera
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
Sources for this work
Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) - Greek National Opera
Work identity, chronology where stated, and the specific musical or historical context summarized in this entry. | Reviewed 2026-10-19
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