The Barber of Seville: 5 Facts You Must Know!
1.) Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! Figaroooooo!
If you were to ask someone on the street to sing something from an opera, we bet a fair number would come back with: ‘Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! Figaroooo’... And they’d be right! What they may not know, however, is that the aria ‘Largo al factotum della città’ (its original title), is not from The Marriage of Figaro, rather from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville! Have a listen!
Which brings us to our next fun bit of trivia...
2) The prequel to The Marriage of Figaro?
French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais wrote a series of three plays: 1.) The Barber of Seville | 2.) The Marriage of Figaro | 3.) The Guilty Mother
Later turned into operas, they were all based around the delightfully cunning character called ‘Figaro’. And it’s in The Barber of Seville that we’re first introduced to the beautiful Rosina, later known as the Countess in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro.
3.) Vocal Gymnastics
Rossini is somewhat notorious for his incredibly difficult and FAST vocal lines! Rightfully acknowledged as one of the hardest arias in the tenor repertoire, have a listen and take a look at Count Almaviva’s ‘Ecco, ridente in cielo’ ... If this aria had a hashtag, it would be this: #SingAllTheNotes.
4.) Bugs Bunny & The Overture
That’s right – we can credit Bugs Bunny for helping The Barber of Seville‘s overture make its way onto the TVs (and into the hearts) of many. Immediately recognisable and delightfully energetic, we dare you to watch ‘The Rabbit of Seville’ without cracking a huge smile.
5.) 1st is the worst, 2nd is the best...
It’s almost impossible to imagine, but in 1816 when The Barber of Seville was first performed, it was was met with a roar of disapproving boos. Famously, on the second night, Rossini was so upset he locked himself in his room and and almost refused to come out. Thankfully, it was the audience’s thunderous applause he heard this time around – the opera was a total success!
Perhaps a good lesson to us all... if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!
The Barber of Seville opens at Leeds Grand Theatre on 7 October. For more performance dates and venues, please visit our website.