Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Accessible opera booklet

Gioachino Rossini

Introduction

Il Barbiere di Siviglia
by Gioachino Rossini

Opera in two acts.

Libretto by
Cesare Sterbini

This is the accessible program booklet for Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini.
It provides audio versions of the texts, audio descriptions, and videos in ISL, International Sign Language. The texts can be easily zoomed in and out, and the contrast of the display can be increased. The “Audio Text” button plays the audio of the texts read by a male voice while the “Audio Description” button plays the audio descriptions of the pictures read by a female voice. The “ISL” button plays videos in International Sign Language.
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Introduction

Synopsis

Act 1

Seville. The Count of Almaviva seeks the help of the cunning Figaro, the town barber, to win the heart of the beautiful Rosina, who is constantly watched over by her guardian, the elderly doctor Don Bartolo, who intends to marry her and pocket her inheritance. Rosina herself is determined to meet the man of her dreams (whom she believes is named Lindoro), unaware of his true rank or name. Meanwhile, Don Bartolo, worried that the famous Count is courting his ward, seeks advice from Don Basilio, a businessman and music teacher, who advises him to discredit his rival through slander. Upon discovering their plan, Figaro warns Rosina and suggests sending Lindoro a note, but deceiving the guardian proves much more difficult than expected. To complicate matters further, the Count bursts into the doctor's house disguised as a drunken soldier, causing such confusion that the civil guard are called in.

The stage is dominated by a part of a circular labyrinth of concentric semicircles that vary in height. The semicircles are made up of enormous green hedges set upon a raised circular base. They are surrounded by 8 giant red roses made out of papier-mâché. The roses have long green stems coming up from the floor of the stage with leaves of the same color. Figaro is in front of the labyrinth at center stage. Behind him is a wooden chair with a straw seat. To his left is a piece luggage on the ground. Given the colossal dimensions of the labyrinth and the roses, Figaro appears to be minute in comparison.

Act I

Count Almaviva is in front of the labyrinth, sitting upon a raised circular structure. His right arm is across his chest. To his right there is a wooden ladder leaning against a hedge held by a supernumerary. The man is dressed in a suit with a waistcoat, a coat and breeches made of dark green satin with burgundy decorations. He is wearing a dark chestnut brown wig with the hair pulled to the back. Count Almaviva is wearing a cotton suit that is yellow ocher in color with thin brown and dark red stripes. The waistcoat comes down below the waistline and is buttoned in front, while his breeches are knee length with red stockings beneath. Over his waistcoat, he is wearing a padded jacket made of heavy cotton, which is yellow ocher in color with dark red polka dots. The wrists of his shirt have pink ruffles and his shirt has a pink jabot ruffle around the neck. On his feet he is wearing squarish white shoes with a low heel that have a large gold buckle above the neck of the foot. He is wearing a chestnut colored wig with the hair pulled back and tied in a tail with a ribbon.

Picture 1
Count Almaviva.

Act II

The Count returns to Don Bartolo's house, disguised as a music teacher, and despite Figaro's best efforts to distract the tutor, their ruse is uncovered. Amidst the chaos, the maid Berta wonders what it is about love “that drives everyone to madness”. Taking advantage of the situation, Don Bartolo convinces Rosina that Lindoro is deceiving her, leading her to reluctantly agree to marry the doctor. Despite a storm raging outside, Figaro and the Count manage to reach Rosina and resolve the misunderstanding. With the arrival of the notary, the two lovers seize the opportunity to wed, and even Don Bartolo, realising the futility of resistance, blesses the newlyweds.

The stage is entirely taken up by the labyrinth resting on the circular base. It is surrounded by 12 roses, and, on the left, there is a giant colorful butterfly made out of papier-mâché. Its wings are open and it is positioned on top of a long pole fixed to the floor of the stage. In front of it stand approximately 20 danseurs and ballerinas dressed in splendid eighteenth-century costumes, along with the rest of the characters in the opera who are also wearing clothing of the same period. Among them are also the Count and Rosina who are holding each other’s hands. At the far left and right of the scene, there are approximately 30 chairs on each side. Some are bright green in color and others are orange. Near the chairs stands the chorus.

Act II

Figaro and Rosina are standing next to each other at center stage in front of the labyrinth. Figaro is wearing a bright blue satin suit consisting of a buttoned waistcoat and knee length breeches with orange stockings below them. Over the waistcoat he is wearing an orange velvet jacket that is open in the front. The jacket is shorter and straight in the front and longer and pleated in the back. The shoulders are padded and accented with blue and orange inserts, while the wrists and collar have bright orange ruffles. On his feet he is wearing squarish shoes with a low heel and a large blue flower at the neck of the foot. He is wearing a chestnut colored wig with the hair pulled back and tied in a tail with a ribbon. Rosina is wearing a gown made of light cotton with a wide skirt that falls to her ankles. The top consists of reinforced bodice that is a darker shade of sky blue with red trim. The sleeves are short and light blue. The skirt is light blue, wide and layered. The top layer is accented with lace. On her feet she is wearing squarish shoes with a low heel. Her is a light chestnut brown color, almost orange. It is pulled back on the nape of her neck and falls down to her shoulders. She is holding a blue hand fan that is closed.

Picture 2
Figaro and Rosina.

Synopsis

Characters

Count Almaviva, Lindoro in disguise [tenor]
Don Bartolo, doctor, Rosina’s guardian [bass]
Rosina, a wealthy young lady by Bartolo’s [soprano]
Figaro, a barber [baritone]
Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher [bass]
Berta, by Bartolo’s old servant [soprano]
Fiorello, Almaviva’s servant [bass]
Ambrogio, Bartolo’s servant [bass]

An officer, a mayor or magistrate, a notary, constables or police officers, soldiers, musicians.

Characters

Director’s Notes

Hugo de Ana's Il Barbiere di Siviglia debuted at the 2007 Festival and has then become a recurring guest at the Arena di Verona. The opera aims to entertain, leaving aside any psychological considerations. There is no particular symbolism or double meanings. The idea is that of a light and effervescent production that avoids realistic comedy in favor of a game of pure abstraction. The Argentinian set and costume designer calls upon Rossini's irresistible humour and Leda Lojodice's choreography to evoke a rococo party, the style of which is reflected in the costumes.At the same time, the director stages the story and its comical characters, who at times recall the munchkins of the renowned Wizard of Oz, as if through a magnifying glass. The action takes place in an elegant Italian garden which deftly recreates exteriors and interiors that are functional to the narrative, with its ever-changing maze of hedges, colossal red roses and huge butterflies, as though inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. In this magical setting, the characters move as though on a gigantic carillon, like puppets manipulated by the brilliant Sevillian factotum Figaro. At times, he appears to be a little man at the mercy of the comic events surrounding the love story between the Count and Rosina, caught up in a tempest with a happy ending.

Director’s Notes

Credits

The texts and images contained in this accessible program booklet have been provided by Fondazione Arena di Verona.

Design, planning, texts and descriptions
Elena Di Giovanni, Francesca Raffi (Università degli Studi di Macerata)

Technical supervision
ALI – Accessibilità Lingue Inclusione

Technical design, planning and digital development
Tadao Agency

Voices
Marco Quaglia (texts)
Giulia Heathfield Di Renzi (descriptions)

Videos in ISL
Daniel Bongioanni

Disclaimer

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Credits