Rossini’s famous opera was first performed on February 20, 1816 in Rome. Since that time it has remained one of, if not his most, popular work. The story is based on the Beaumarchais play of the same name written in 1775. The original play was part of a trilogy of which this story is the first. Mozart famously set the second play, The Marriage of Figaro, to music in 1786.
The work was famously written in three weeks. Anecdotally, the overture was said to have been written the night prior to its opening, employing some recycled material from his previous works. The overture has become one of the most famous sections of the opera, being used by the Beatles in the movie Help! and in Looney Tunes cartoons. It uses a hallmark of Rossini’s style, a long crescendo or gradual increase in volume. This can also be heard in Basilio’s aria, “la calumnia” (slander).
The Barber of Seville is categorized as an opera buffa in the Bel Canto style. Opera buffa was a style of comic opera, which featured raucous scenes of intrigue. They also frequently featured stock commedia dell'arte characters such as the old man seeking a young lover, in this case, Don Bartolo. His character also presents another characteristic of the style, patter, or very quick singing as can be seen in his aria “da un dottore della mia sorte” (a doctor of my standing). Patter is famously employed by Gilbert and Sullivan in such songs as “I am the very model of a modern major general”.
The Bel Canto style, literally translates to “beautiful voice”. It often featured florid passage work, giving the singer a chance to display his or her technique. This can be seen in Almaviva’s aria “Ecco ridente in ciello” (The heavens smile) and Rosina’s “Una voce poco fa” (A recent voice). Rossini’s opera, fuses these elements and many more to create the pivotal master work which has been celebrated for over two centuries.
The work was famously written in three weeks. Anecdotally, the overture was said to have been written the night prior to its opening, employing some recycled material from his previous works. The overture has become one of the most famous sections of the opera, being used by the Beatles in the movie Help! and in Looney Tunes cartoons. It uses a hallmark of Rossini’s style, a long crescendo or gradual increase in volume. This can also be heard in Basilio’s aria, “la calumnia” (slander).
The Barber of Seville is categorized as an opera buffa in the Bel Canto style. Opera buffa was a style of comic opera, which featured raucous scenes of intrigue. They also frequently featured stock commedia dell'arte characters such as the old man seeking a young lover, in this case, Don Bartolo. His character also presents another characteristic of the style, patter, or very quick singing as can be seen in his aria “da un dottore della mia sorte” (a doctor of my standing). Patter is famously employed by Gilbert and Sullivan in such songs as “I am the very model of a modern major general”.
The Bel Canto style, literally translates to “beautiful voice”. It often featured florid passage work, giving the singer a chance to display his or her technique. This can be seen in Almaviva’s aria “Ecco ridente in ciello” (The heavens smile) and Rosina’s “Una voce poco fa” (A recent voice). Rossini’s opera, fuses these elements and many more to create the pivotal master work which has been celebrated for over two centuries.
