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Opera San José Presents
The Barber of Seville
by Gioachino Rossini
Study Guide:
The Barber of Seville
Synopsis: The Barber of Seville
Act I, Scene 1
During a visit to Seville, Count Almaviva has glimpsed a beautiful girl, Rosina, and has
resolved to win her. Rosina, however, is kept a virtual prisoner in the house of her guardian,
Dr. Bartolo, who wants to marry her himself. One night, Almaviva comes with a band of
musicians to serenade his lady beneath her balcony (Ecco ridente in cielo, "There,
laughing in the sky"). When she fails to answer his song, he pays off his accompanists, who
thank him profusely. He hides as the barber Figaro bounds in, boasting of his busy life as
a jack-of-all-trades (Largo al factotum della città, "Make way for the factotum of the city").
When Almaviva steps forward, Figaro recognizes him; the barber, currently in Bartolo’s
employ, promises to help Almaviva win Rosina's heart. No sooner has Bartolo hobbled
from the house to arrange his marriage with Rosina than Almaviva launches into a second
serenade to the girl, describing himself as Lindoro, a poor creature who can offer nothing
but love (Se il mio nome saper voi bramante, "If my name you claim to know"). Peeking over
the balcony, Rosina replies she will take him as he is, but suddenly someone pulls her
inside. Figaro suggests that Almaviva disguise himself as a drunken soldier to gain access
to the house; as Almaviva dwells on his love, the barber happily anticipates his own reward
from the count (All'ida di quel metallo, "At the idea of that metal").
Synopsis (cont.)
Act I, Scene 2
Alone in the house, Rosina muses on Almaviva’s voice, which has touched her heart (Una
voce poco fa, "A voice just now"). She resolves to oppose Bartolo by a thousand tricks
so as to have her way. Figaro joins her briefly, but they scurry away on hearing footsteps.
Bartolo enters, soon joined by the music master Basilio, who announces that Almaviva is a
rival for Rosina’s hand and suggests slandering the count’s reputation (La calunnia è un
venticello, "Calumny is a little breeze"). Bartolo agrees, but Figaro overhears the plot.
Warning Rosina that Bartolo plans to marry her the following day, the barber promises to
deliver a note she has written to Lindoro (Dunque io son...tu non m'inganni?, "Then I'm the
one...you're not fooling me?"). Rosina, left alone with Bartolo, is subjected to his
suspicious interrogations and pompous boast that he is too clever to be outwitted by her
ruses (A un dottor della mia sorte, "To a doctor of my class"). Berta, the maid, goes to
the door in answer to violent knocking; she returns with Almaviva, who is disguised as a
drunken soldier in search of a night’s lodging. During a long argument with Bartolo, whose
name he pretends not to grasp, Almaviva gives a love letter to Rosina; when Bartolo
demands to see the paper, the girl cleverly substitutes a laundry list. Figaro dashes in to
warn that a crowd has gathered in the street, attracted by the hubbub within. He is too
late; the police arrive to silence the disturbance. As the confused officer in charge is about
to arrest Almaviva, the count shows his true identity and is released. Rosina, Berta,
Bartolo, and Basilio are all stupefied by this turn of events (Fredda ed immobile, "Cold
and unmoving").
Synopsis (cont.)
Act II:
Pleased with himself for getting rid of Almaviva, Bartolo admits to the house a young music
teacher, “Don Alonso” (Almaviva in a new disguise), who claims to be a substitute for the
ailing Basilio. Rosina enters, and quickly recognizing her suitor, begins her singing lesson
as Bartolo falls asleep in his chair. Figaro arrives to shave the doctor; when he goes to get
his utensils in the next room, breaking several of Bartolo’s best pieces of china in the
process, he steals the key to the balcony window. Basilio now comes in, looking the picture
of health. Bribed by Almaviva, however, the music teacher feigns illness, and after an
elaborate sendoff (Buona sera, mio signore, "Good evening, good Sir"), he departs.
Figaro shaves Bartolo while Almaviva and Rosina plan their elopement that night. The
lovers are overheard by the suspicious doctor, who drives Figaro and Almaviva from the
house and Rosina to her room. He then sends a servant to fetch Basilio. Berta, unnerved
by all the confusion, complains about the madness of love (Il vecchiotto cerca moglie, "The
old fool seeks a wife").
Synopsis (cont.)
Bartolo dispatches Basilio to get a notary and then tricks Rosina into believing
that “Lindoro” is really one of Almaviva's flunkies. After a violent thunderstorm
during which the room is deserted, the count climbs through a window with
Figaro to abduct Rosina. At first the girl rebuffs her 'Lindoro,' but when he
explains that Lindoro and Almaviva are one and the same, she falls joyously into
his arms (Ah! qual colpo inaspettato!, "Ah, what unexpected bliss!). Figaro
urges haste; before they can leave, however, their ladder is taken away.
Suddenly, Basilio enters with the notary. Though summoned to wed Rosina
and Bartolo, the official is instructed to marry her instead to Almaviva, who
bribes Basilio. Rushing in too late, Bartolo finds his ward already married, and
he admits he has been a fool; he is consoled, however, when the count gives him
Rosina’s dowry. With the others, he agrees that “all’s well that ends well”
(Amore e fede eterna, "Love and eternal faith"!.
Before the Performance……
Opera: An Introduction
Opera is an art form similar to a play in which a story is being told to an
audience. In opera, however, the entire story, including the dialogue
between characters and sometimes even the inner thoughts of those
characters, is sung, not spoken. The words of the opera are called the
libretto, while the music is called the score. Opera also "tells the story"
with accompaniment, stage action, sets, lights, costumes, make-up,
and wigs.
Before the Performance (cont.)
Opera originated in Florence, Italy, in the
late 1500s, with a small group of men
who were members of a Camerata
(Italian for Society) who decided
they wanted to set their poetry to
music. They laid down three
principles for their new art form:
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The text must be understood; the
accompaniment must be very simple
and should not distract from the
words.
The words must be sung with correct
and natural declamation, as if they
were spoken.
The melody must interpret the feeling
of the text.
The picture to the right is of
composer/singerJacopo Peri in one
of the first operas ever written
(Daphne), composed in 1597.
Before the Performance (cont.)
Operas are divided into scenes and
acts that contain different types of
vocal pieces for one or many singers.
An aria is a vocal solo that focuses
on a character’s emotions rather
than actions. A recitative is sung
dialogue or speech that occurs
between arias and ensembles.
The composer writes the score (music)
for the opera, pictured to the right.
Sometimes, the composer will also
write the libretto (words) for the
opera, although he often works with
a librettist. The story of the opera
is written as a libretto, a text that is
easily set to music.
Opera Singers…how do they do it?
The style we call "operatic" or "classical" singing developed in Europe a
few hundred years ago. It is characterized by a large vocal range, as well
as an increased volume and projection. You will notice that our cast of
Tosca does not use microphones. Opera singers must have voices
strong enough to sing louder than an entire orchestra – usually 30 to 50
instruments! Their voices must be able to carry through the vast spaces
of theatres which hold up to 3,000 people. This is the main difference
between opera singing and popular singing. Opera singers must learn
to breathe properly, using the natural resonance of their chest and nasal
cavities to project their voices. Projecting the voice over a full orchestra
requires as much "athleticism" as being a professional basketball or
football player!
Opera singers do not all sound the same. They sing as differently as
people speak; but within those differences, there are six basic "types" or
"ranges" of operatic voices:
Voice Types
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Soprano: The highest female
voice. Sopranos usually play the
leading lady but can also play
secondary roles.
Pictured right is soprano
Christina Major as Violetta in
the opera La traviata.
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Mezzo-soprano: The medium
female voice. Mezzo-sopranos
often play the maids or sister
roles, although they can be the
leading lady as in the opera
Carmen (Kerry Walsh – 1995
production.)
Voice Types (cont.)
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Contralto: The lowest female
voice. Contraltos often play the
grandmothers or queens.
(Michelle Berger as Azucena in
A Masked Ball.)
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Tenor: The highest male voice.
Tenors usually play one of the
leading male roles, and are often
“in love” with the soprano (Carlo
Scibelli as Count Almaviva in
The Barber of Seville.)
Voice types (cont.)
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Baritone: The medium male
voice. Baritones can also be the
male lead and “in love” with the
soprano. Baritones often
portray the villain or “bad guy” in
an opera (Joseph Wright as
Count Anackarstroem in A
Masked Ball.)
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Bass: The lowest male voice.
Basses often perform the role
of the father, priest and king,
and sometimes the villain (Carlos
Aguilar as the Commendatore
in Don Giovanni. )
Behind the Curtain:
The Creative Team
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Stage Director: The stage
director is the person who
“brings the opera to life,” and is
directly responsible for all the
action taking place on the stage.
The director also helps the
audience understand the
characters and the story by
planning the stage movement of
the singers. The director helps
bring out the drama or comedy in
a situation. Pictured right is
Jose Maria Condemi, the stage
director for The Barber of
Seville.
The Creative Team (cont.)
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The Costume Designer: The
singers’ costumes contribute to
the feeling of the realism of the
opera. The costume designer
makes sketches from which
patterns are made. After the
fabric is purchased, it is cut by a
cutter and the pieces assembled
by stitcher. At that point, the
singer tries on the costume to
see how well it fits. After the
fitting, the costume is altered by
the stitcher and refitted on the
singer. The average cost of a
costume is at least $400.
Pictured right is a costume from
the opera Don Giovanni.
Creative team (cont.)
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Make-up/Hair Designer: The
make-up and hair staff is
responsible for making each
singer look appropriate to the
part they are playing.
Sometimes people must be
made to look very old or very
young. Other times the
characters must appear ugly (or
beautiful!) Wigs are often used
to help the overall effect. The
make-up and hair staff also
contribute to making the
characters believeable. This is a
picture of soprano Cynthia
Clayton wearing a wig in the role
of the Countess from Mozart’s
opera, The Marriage of Figaro.
Creative team (cont.)
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Set Designer: Sets are also
very important to an opera. The
set designer first meets with the
stage director to discuss the
idea of the opera. Then, in much
the same way as the costumes
are made, the set is built. The
designer draws a sketch, the
master craftsmen build and paint
the set in a workshop and later
assemble it on the stage at the
theatre. Here is a set from The
Barber of Seville.
Creative team (cont.)
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Lighting Designer: The lighting
that illuminates the sets and
singers is designed by the
lighting designer. Lighting
designers work closely with the
director and the set and costume
designers. The lighting designer
attends many rehearsals so he or
she can plan lighting that will
highlight and accentuate the
action of the opera. The picture
to the right shows the lighting
designs used in the opera The
Flying Dutchman.
Creative team (cont.)
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Technical crew: The technical
crews, “techies,” do the
backstage jobs that vary from
one opera production to
another. They change scenery,
move lights, carry props, sweep
the stage or open and close the
curtain. “Techies” are definitely
the unsung heroes of every
opera.
A Night at the Opera: Etiquette 101
Going to the opera:
At a live performance you
not only share the
performance with the
actors or singers but also
with everyone else in the
hall. Everyone in the hall is
part of the performance, so
everyone needs to follow
certain guidelines if the
performance is to be a
success.
A Night at the Opera (cont.)
What to wear: Going to the
opera provides a unique
opportunity to wear your
best clothes. However,
you are welcome to wear
whatever makes you
comfortable. You’ll see
people in tuxedos and
gowns, but also people in
sports coats and jeans.
You make this event as
formal or informal as you
like.
A Night at the Opera
(cont.)
Performance etiquette: The lights in the hall will begin to
dim just before the performance starts. This is your cue to
settle in your seat and sit quietly. The orchestra will begin
to play when the lights go dim. This is called “tuning” and
is not a part of the performance. When they finish, a
bright light will come on and the conductor will enter. It is
polite to clap when the conductor enters. When the
conductor turns to the orchestra and begins the music, it is
your signal that the opera has started and you should
again sit quietly. Never bring a camera, video camera, tape
recorder, or cell phone to a performance. Unlike at a
movie, you may not eat food during an opera performance.
A Night at the Opera (cont.)
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When to clap: An audience claps to tell
the performers that they have done a
good job or to say “thank you” for the
performance. When a performance is
exceptionally good the audience will
stand and clap. This is called a “standing
ovation.” Times when it is appropriate to
clap include:
When the conductor enters the
orchestra pit
After the overture, at the end of an act
or scene
At the end of an aria
When the opera is over
When the singers take a bow
At an opera people will sometimes yell
“bravo” to the male singers, “brava” to
the female singers or “bravi” to a group
of singers to tell them they performed
very well.
Glossary
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Act n. One of the main divisions of a play or opera.
Aria (ah-ree-ah) n. A melody, especially long, complex and difficult from opera
or oratorio sung by one singer.
Bravo (brah-voh) interj. Italian, meaning “well done,” used for a single male
performer. “Brava” is used for a single female, and “bravi” is used for two or more
people singing together.
Choreographer (ko-ree-og-rah-fer) n. The person who designs the steps of a
dance.
Chorus (kor-us) n. A group of mixed voices or the musical passage sung by such
a group.
Coloratura n. A kind of vocal music that requires the singer to execute a variety
of technically brilliant and difficult passages. These may be fast runs (scales),
trills (rapid alternation of two notes), or other devices that embellish the vocal
line.
Conductor: n. The person who leads the singers and orchestra.
Diva: n. Literally, “goddess,” it refers to an important female opera star. The
masculine form is divo.
Glossary (cont.)
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Duet n. A song for two voices.
Dynamics n. How loudly or softly music is played or sung.
Intermission n. A break between acts of an opera. The lights go on and the
audience is free to move around. Intermissions usually last up to twenty minutes.
Libretto n. The text (words) of an opera.
Maestro n. Literally “master.” Used as courtesy title for the conductor, whether
a man or a woman.
Melody n. The tune of a piece of music.
Opera n. A play told through singing.
Opera buffa n. comic opera, often with elements of farce.
Orchestra n. The group of musicians who are led by the conductor and
accompany the singers.
Overture n. An orchestral piece several minutes in length played before the
beginning of an opera. Usually, but not always, it contains some themes from the
music of the opera.
Glossary (cont.)
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Principal n. A leading role or character in the opera.
Quartet n. A musical piece for four voices.
Range n. In reference to operatic voices, describes the highest to the lowest
note that a singer can successfully sing.
Rhythm n. A pattern in time, formed by long and short notes, or rest, and
influenced by accents, harmony and melody.
Recitative (reh-sit-ah-teev) n. A type of speech-like singing that allows a degree
of rhythmic freedom in performance.
Repertoire (rep-er-twar) French n. In music, the body of literature that is
available for performance.
Score n. The written music of a musical composition, such as an opera. It
includes the text that is sung, the orchestra music and any information from the
composer pertinent to performance.
Supertitles n. Translations into English of the original words, projected on a
screen above the stage.