Il barbiere di siviglia
opera by Gioacchino Rossini

ACT I
Scene one – A street in Seville. In front of Doctor Bartolo’s house, Count Almaviva serenades the beautiful Rosina, Doctor Bartolo’s ward, introducing himself as Lindoro (Almaviva’s aria). Barber Figaro arrives, a cheerful and insightful young man (Figaro’s aria). For money and kind words, he agrees to help the count meet his beloved girl. However, the old Doctor Bartolo jealously guards Rosina, because he wants to marry her. Figaro advises the count to disguise himself as a soldier and requisition an apartment in Doctor Bartolo’s house (duet).

Scene two - Rosina enthusiastically sings a love aria in Doctor Bartolo’s house. She loves Lindoro, but she does not know that he is none other than Count Almaviva (Rosina’s aria). Doctor Bartolo arrives with Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher, and they decide to create false rumours and suspect the count in front of Rosina (Don Basilio’s aria). They rejoice in the power of premeditated slander. Figaro enters, talks about Lindoro and realises that Rosina is already in love with Lindoro, that is, the count. Rosina gives him a letter for Lindoro and Figaro happily leaves (duet). Suddenly, a soldier enters the room, apparently drunk. It’s the count in disguise. Bartolo comes in and a big fight ensues. Bartolo brings the guard to arrest the drunken soldier, but the disguised count shows his sword with the coat of arms to the commander of the guard, who greets him most politely. Bartolo is astonished and cannot pull himself together (grand finale).
ACT II
Almaviva arrives disguised as a music teacher to give a singing lesson (duet). Figaro shaves Doctor Bartolo and hides the lovers, who arrange to meet again and elope. Don Basilio suddenly appears and is “sent to bed” (quintet). Figaro distracts Bartolo from the young couple, however, this arouses suspicion in Bartolo, who finally realises the deception and begins to pursue them.

Berta, the governess, is grieving as she is unhappily in love with Bartolo (Berta’s aria).
At Bartolo’s invitation, Don Basilio arrives and he should call a notary to write the marriage contract, because Bartolo wants to put an end to this matter by marrying Rosina.
An orchestral intermezzo creates a thunder storm.
Almaviva and Figaro return and Rosina also arrives in a wedding dress (tercet).
Don Basilio and the notary also arrive and Almaviva coerces them into marrying him to Rosina. Doctor Bartolo arrives too late when the marriage is already complete. Celebration ensues and Bartolo, seeing that he has been tricked, agrees to everything (finale).