Gioacchino Rossini, "The Barber of Seville": a summary

The comedies of Pierre Beaumarchais "The Barber of Seville" and "The Marriage of Figaro", according to historians, were the herald of the French Revolution, as they were extremely relevant and written for the day's anger. Therefore it is not surprising that, for example, the plot of the first of these plays was repeatedly the basis of the libretto for operas. In particular, in 1816 a similar work was written by the Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini. "The Barber of Seville" in his version fell through during the premiere. However, today some arias from this work can be heard at many concerts of popular opera music.

Biography of Rossini before 1816

Before you tell how the opera "The Barber of Seville" was written, the summary of which is presented below, it is worth remembering who its author was. So, Gioacchino Rossini was born in 1792 in the Italian city of Pesaro, in the family of a singer and a trumpeter. His ability in music was discovered very early, and the parents immediately sent the boy to study in Bologna.

The first opera of the young composer (The Marriage Bill, 1810) attracted the public's attention to him, and in the next 2 years Rossini had no shortage of orders. Then he wrote the works "Tankred" and "Italian in Algeria", followed by an invitation to work for the theater "La Scala."

Prehistory of the "Seville Barber"

In 1816, Gioacchino Rossini concluded a contract with the Roman theater of Argentino, on which he undertook to write a new opera to the carnival. According to the existing practice at that time, the libretto had to be submitted to the censors for approval, but none of the options was approved. When there was almost no time left for the carnival, the composer recalled Beaumarchais' comedy "The Barber of Seville", which had already become the basis of the opera performances on the Italian stage three times before, and decided to go the beaten path, just not to break the contract.

The process of creating the opera and premiere

Immediately after obtaining permission from the censors, Rossini proceeded to work and completed it in record time, amounting to only 13 days. As for the libretto, according to which the place of the opera is Seville, and in time - the end of the 18th century, it was written by Cesare Sterbino.

So there was an opera "The Barber of Seville", which for almost 200 years of its existence has experienced hundreds of productions. However, the premiere of the brainchild Rossini was extremely unsuccessful. The fact is that in 1782 the work with the same plot was written by the coryphaeus of the Italian opera Giovanni Paiziello, who had a lot of admirers. The appearance of the new version seemed the last disrespect to the personality of the aged maestro, and they booed the actors performing Rossini's arias. Despite the failure during the premiere, the second performance was still held, and it was conducted by the author, not the frustrated author, but by the genius Paganini himself. The result was exactly the opposite, and the admiring spectators even arranged a torchlight procession in honor of Rossini.

Overture

Not many people know that Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville in the form in which she is known today is different from the original. In particular, instead of the familiar overture anticipating the appearance of the heroes of the play, during the premiere the audience was offered a kind of medley of Spanish folk dance melodies, which was to recreate the atmosphere of Seville. Then there was just a detective story: before the second performance it turned out that the score had mysteriously disappeared. Then Rossini, whose sloth in Italy was a byword, just rummaged through his papers and discovered an overture written for an unfinished work. It something since then and began to sound every time, when the next performance-statement of the opera "The Barber of Seville" began. And, the same melody in different variations and before that was used by the composer during musical performances.

"The Barber of Seville". Summary of the I action: picture I

In the house of Dr. Bartolo, Rosina lives, to which at first glance the Count of Almaviva falls in love. He invites musicians to sing the serenade under her windows. However, the girl does not go out on the balcony, and the young man is disappointed. Then there is Figaro - a local merry fellow and barber who is familiar to the count as a famous scoundrel. Almaviva enters into conversation with him and asks for a reward to help him marry Rosina. Figaro gladly agrees. Men begin to make a plan, but then Bartolo comes out of the house, who talks to himself and gives out his intention to immediately marry his pupil. He retires, and the Count, convinced that this time nothing will prevent him from seeing his beloved, again sings a serenade on behalf of singer Lindor. Rosina first answers him from the balcony, but then suddenly escapes. Figaro advises Almaviva to change into a soldier and go to Bartolo. There, the count must represent a drunk who is sure that he was sent to stay in this house.

Summary of the II picture of action I

Events take place in Bartolo's house. Begins the II picture (I action, opera "The Barber of Seville") Aria Rosina, in which the girl sings about her love for Leandro. Then Bartolo comes home and a little later Basilio, the teacher of the girl's music. He informs the doctor that the city is gossiping about Rosina and Almaviva, as lovers. Bartolo is outraged, and Basilio sings the famous aria of libel. In the next scene, Figaro tells the girl about Leandre's love and advises her to write a letter to a young man. It turns out that Rosina has already done it, and the barber with pleasure takes on the duties of the postman. Bartolo guesses everything and puts the girl under lock and key.

Almaviva appears, disguised as a soldier. Despite the doctor's assurance that his house was relieved of standing up, the count refuses to leave and imperceptibly lets Rosina understand that he is her lover Lindor. Bartolo tries to drive out the "soldier", who begins to row. To the verbal skirmish, Basilio, Figaro and the maid join too. Noise attracts the attention of city guards, but Almaviva is not arrested, since he informs his name and title to the officer.

"The Barber of Seville": the content of I picture II action

Almaviva is to Bartolo in the guise of a music teacher who allegedly came to replace the diseased Basilio. Thanks to this deception, he "gives a lesson" to Rosine. Their duet does not like Bartolo, who decides to show the pupil and "teacher" what songs and how to sing.

Comes Figaro and offers to shave Bartolo. While the doctor sits with a soapy face, the count agrees with his beloved about escaping. Unexpectedly is Basilio, but Figaro, Almaviva and Rosina begin to convince him that he has a fever. The earl manages to give the real teacher a purse - and he goes home, "treated." Bartolo starts to guess that he is being fooled, and turns everyone out, except Rosina and the maid.

The content of II pattern II action

The orchestra performs a fragment from the work of Rossini "Test stone". Next, the opera "The Barber of Seville" continues on the second floor of Bartolo's house. The window dissolves, and the Count and Figaro enter the room. Almaviva reveals to Rosina her real name, as the girl before that considered him a singer Lindor. Together with Figaro, he convinces her to escape. But at the last minute it is found that the ladder, through which young people got into the house, disappeared. As it turns out later, Bartolo took it away, who went for a notary.

Here come the notary and Basilio, called Bartolo, to register a marriage between him and Rosina. Almaviva bribes both and persuades to make a marriage between him and the girl until Bartolo returns. The notary assures the marriage contract, and then a doctor appears accompanied by a guard. Bartolo says that nothing can be changed already, and he has to come to terms with his destiny, especially since Almaviva refuses her dowry. Together they perform the final aria of reconciliation.

The first production of the "Seville barber" in Russia

Throughout the 19th century, opera art in Russia enjoyed extreme popularity. And specialized theaters existed not only in capitals, but also in the provinces. For example, the first production of the "Seville Barber" in our country was carried out in 1821 in Odessa. The performance was in Italian and was a great success. A year later, the "Barber of Seville", whose summary is known to all lovers of opera, was staged in St. Petersburg. From that time he was constantly present in the repertoire of the Italian opera troupe of the Northern capital, and for several seasons Rosina's aria was performed by the famous Pauline Viardot.

"The Barber of Seville" at the Mariinsky Theater

In 1783, Catherine the Second ordered the founding of the Bolshoi Theater in St. Petersburg, which later was renamed in honor of the Empress Maria Alexandrovna. In October 1882, the "Barber of Seville" was staged there. The Mariinsky Theater involved its best actors in this performance. Thus, Bartolo was performed by FI Stravinsky (the father of the famous composer Stravinsky), Almaviva by PA Lodii, Rosina by MA Slavin, and Figaro by Pryanishnikov. "The Barber of Seville" Mariinsky Theater for the second time staged in March 1918, with the participation of Rostov, Volevac, Karakash, Serebryakov, Losev, Denisov and Stepanov. In addition, there were two more productions - in 1940 and 1958. And in October 2014 the premiere of the "Seville Barber" took place with the participation of I. Selivanov, E. Umerov, O. Pudovoy, V. Korotich, F. Kuznetsov and E. Sommer.

Famous performers of the Rosina aria

It so happened that among fans of classical music, women's arias are more popular. In particular, one of the most frequently performed songs is a song sung by Rosina ("The Barber of Seville", Rossini) at the beginning of the second picture of the first act). One of the best performers is Maria Callas, who managed to perfectly convey the entire comic situation. After all, the content of the aria is as follows: Rosina is not averse to getting married and promises to be a submissive wife, but only if the spouse does not contradict her. If he does not want to indulge her whims, then she promises to become a real mugger and turn his life into a hell.

As for the Russian performers of this aria from the opera "The Barber of Seville", among them one can mention AV Nezhdanoff, VV Barsov, V. Firsov. In addition, this work brought wide popularity to one of the brightest opera divas of our time - Anna Netrebko. By the way, Rosina's aria was also performed by an actress with an unquestionable singing talent, Ekaterina Savinova in the movie "Come Tomorrow". This picture was a great success, and the main character - Frosya Burlakova - was remembered by everyone.

Aria of Figaro

Rossini's opera The Barber of Seville (the summary is presented above) is also known for interesting parts for male voices. For example, one of the most popular is the aria of Figaro. It is written for the baritone, and in it the merry barber boasts of its indispensability for the townspeople and lavishes praise on himself, shouting "Bravo, Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo! "Many connoisseurs of classical music even believe that this aria contributed to the fact that every year dozens of opera houses around the world put the play" The Barber of Seville ". Figaro was represented on the stage by many famous artists. Among them, Muslim Magomayev, and foreign performers, the great Italian baritone Titta Ruffo, can not be ignored.

Other parties

Another interesting party, decorating the opera "The Barber of Seville", reviews of which, in the performance of Fyodor Shalyapin, remained exceptionally admired - belongs to Basilio. It was also performed by such famous basses as Ruggiero Raimondi, Laszlo Polgar, Feruccio Furlanetto and Paolo Montarsolo.

"The Barber of Seville" is one of the most cheerful and positive operas that even people who are far from classical music listen with pleasure.