The Barber of Seville - 15 July at 7.30pm

Composer
Gioachino Rossini

Director
Patrice Caurier
Moshe Leiser

Conductor
Antonio Pappano 

CAST

Figaro
Pietro Spagnoli

Rosina
Joyce DiDonato

Count Almaviva
Juan Diego Flórez

Fiorello
Changhan Lin

THE STORY

Disguised as the student Lindoro, Count Almaviva serenades Rosina - the ward of Doctor Bartolo. The Count sees Figaro and tells him that he is in pursuit of a beautiful girl whom he believes to be the doctor’s daughter. Rosina appears on the balcony with a note for her serenader. Bartolo enters demanding to know what the paper is. Rosina drops it from the balcony sending Bartolo to fetch it. The Count reaches it first. Figaro tells the Count that the doctor plans to marry Rosina for her money. The Count asks Figaro to help him. Figaro advises the Count to disguise himself as a drunken soldier billeted on Bartolo.

The music master Don Basilio arrives and warns Bartolo that Count Almaviva has come to Seville and is Rosina’s secret admirer. Worried that time is running out, Barolo takes Don Basilio off to draw up a marriage contract. Figaro overhears and tells Rosina. She asks about the man she saw Figaro with outside the house and gives him a letter she has written to Lindoro.

The Count, disguised as a drunken soldier, tells Bartolo that he is to be billeted on him. Bartolo protests and during their altercation the Count passes a letter to Rosina. The uproar attracts an officer of the watch and soldiers to the house. The soldiers are about to arrest the Count when he produces his identity papers.

The Count enters disguised as Don Basilio’s assistant, saying Don Basilio is ill. To win Bartolo’s confidence he gives him Rosina’s letter, suggesting Bartolo show it to Rosina and pretend it has been given to him by another of the Count’s lovers. Delighted Bartolo takes the letter. Rosina arrives for her music lesson and recognizes her lover. Bartolo falls asleep and the Count promises to help her escape.

Figaro comes to the house to shave Bartolo. Figaro creates a diversion and steals the key to the balcony window. As Figaro shaves Bartolo the Count tells Rosina that he will come at midnight to rescue her. Bartolo realizes that a plot is being hatched, he sends for Don Basilio and urges him to fetch the notary to organize the wedding immediately.  With the letter Bartolo tricks Rosina into believing that her beloved is unfaithful. Rosina agrees to marry Bartolo and tells him of the plan to carry her off. Bartolo leaves to fetch the police.

Figaro and the Count climb into the house up a ladder through the balcony door. Rosina denounces them as traitors, come to sell her to Count Amaviva. The Count reveals his true identity and they are reconciled. Figaro discovers that the ladder at the balcony has gone. Don Basilio enters with the notary, looking for Bartolo. Figaro tells the notary that Count Almaviva is on hand to marry his niece. The couple are married. Bartolo arrives with soldiers, but the Count and Rosina are already married.