2. The Barber of Seville. Gioacchino Rossini (1792–1868) was not the first to set the first of the trilogy of plays by Pierre Beaumarchais (1732–99) based around the character of Figaro. Three other composers had done so before him, and the 1872 setting by Giovanni Paisiello (1740–1816) had become a staple of the repertoire. Partly because of this, Rossini’s version was not a success at its premiere at the Teatro Argentina in Rome in 1816, but it soon went on to eclipse all its rivals. The libretto by Cesare Sterbini (1784–1831) removes all the political and satirical content of Beaumarchais’ original, and brings the play closer to its origins in the traditional commedia dell’arte, with clearly-defined characters executing well-tried comic machinery involving plots, counterplots, and outrageous disguises. We will dissect some scenes from a somewhat traditional production in the first hour, then sample four others in the second act, to discover whether this particular opera needs updating, or whether it can even take it.

If you don't know, or don't remember, the story, look at the synopsis included in the Handout above, or watch this Long Story Short video, in which a very personable young lady gives a pleasantly irreverent run-down. [Note, however, that the brief examples in this are taken from an odd and rather drab production from Oslo that I decided not to include in the class.]

 
The script, videos, and images will be posted immediately after class.