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University
Microfilms
International
300 N. Zeeb Road
Ann Arbor, Ml 48106
 8526128

Little, Ricky Ricardo

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF "LE BARBIER DE SEVILLE", THE ORIGINAL

PLAY, AND THE TWO OPERAS, "IL BARBIERE Dl SIVIGLIA" BY GIOVANNI
PAISIELLO AND GIOACHINO ROSSINI

The Ohio State University D.M.A. 1985

University
Microfilms
International 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106

Copyright 1985
by
Little, Ricky Ricardo
All Rights Reserved
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF "LE BARBIER DE SEVILLE", THE ORIGINAL
PLAY, «ND THE TWO OPERAS, " IL BARB IERE Dl S IV IG L IA " BY
GIOVANNI PAISIELLO AND GIOACHINO ROSSINI

Document

Presented In P a r t i a l F u l f i l l m e n t o f t h e Requirements f o r

t h e Degree Do c to r o f Musical A r t s In t h e Graduate

School o f t h e Ohio S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y —

By

Ricky Ri ca r do L i t t l e , B . A . , M.A.

* * * * *

The Ohio S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y

1985

Reading Committee: Approved by:

Marshal I Barnes
7 )r ty d /r
Paul H Ic k fa ng
AdvIser
Mary T o l b e r t School o f Music
 C o p y r i g h t by

Ricky Ri cardo L I t t l e

1985
T h i s work I s l o v i n g l y d e d i c a t e d t o my wonderf ul fam ily.

I t hank God f o r a l I o f you.

II
 PREFACE

"Le B a r b l e r de S e v i l l e ” has been acclaimed a ma s te r pi e ce In t h e

areas o f t h e a t e r and ope ra . W i t h o u t q u e s t i o n I t has proved I t s e l f to

be a fa vo rite among c r i t i c s and fans In bot h areas. When f i r s t

co ncei ved Its creator, the playwright/composer Pierre A ug u s t i n Caron

Beaumarchais, re c og ni ze d Its potential as a musical form and t h u s s e t

It as an opera. Unable to get his composition performed he later

rewrote the lib re tto as a play which was soon crowned w i t h great

success t h r o u g h o u t t h e European c o n t i n e n t r i v a l i n g t h e g r e a t works o f

Mol I e r e . The play a l s o became a f a v o r i t e o f t hose who worked In t h e

w o r l d o f music. The most c o n v i n c i n g evidence which speaks t o I t s g r e a t

popularity amongst m u s i c i a n s Is the fact that "Le B a r b l e r " has been

transformed I n t o operas by no l e s s t han t h i r t e e n composers. There a r e

two o bvi ou s r e a s o n s why I t has appealed t o so many m u s i c i a n s . F irs t,

It Is a d e lig h tfu l, excellently w ritten work. Second, It contains

sever al scenes which r e q u i r e t h e use o f music. T h i s makes I t e a s i e r t o

adapt t o musical settings. Examples o f t hese musical scenes a r e : the

Count's serenade t o Roslne ( Act I); Roslne's music lesson w i t h t he

Count ( Ac t III); B arth o lo 's song which he s in gs as an example o f h i s

f a v o r i t e music ( Act 111); and B a z l l e ' s calumny speech, wh ic h, though I t

does n o t r e q u i r e any music In t h e p l a y , Is n a t u r a lly g i ve n t o musical

c o m p o s i t i o n because of t h e wo r di n g and c o n t e n t o f t h e t e x t .

The two composers who have achi eved t h e g r e a t e s t success w i t h "Le

Barbler" a r e Giovanni P a lslello and G l o a c h l n o R o s s i n i . Of t h e many

ill
composers who have s e t t h i s work, o n l y t h e operas o f t he se two men have

been acclaimed as "m asterpieces." Though Pal si el I o ' s version has

succumbed t o R o s s i n i ' s In t er ms o f popularity and a pp eal , It Is s t i l l

c o ns i d e r e d a f i n e example o f e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y opera b u f f a . Rossini's

work has been h a i l e d as t h e greatest nineteenth century opera buffa

ev er w r i t t e n .

T h i s document has t h r e e c e n t r a l objectives. The f i r s t objective

Is t o show t h e o r i g i n and development o f "Le B a r b i e r " as It evol ved

from the life and tim es of Its creator, P ierre Beaumarchais. The

second o b j e c t i v e I s t o det er mi ne what t r e a t m e n t was accorded t h e play

as It was t r a n s f o r m e d Into lib re tto form by t h e lib re ttis ts Giuseppe

P e tro se llln l and Cesare S t e r b l n l . The f i n a l o b j e c t i v e o f t h i s work Is

m u lti-fo ld . It I n v o l v e s an a n a l y t i c a l s tudy which I s designed t o make

a comparison of the s im ila ritie s and d i f f e r e n c e s found In t h es e two

o pe ra s. The areas which w i l l be e x p l o r e d Include, structural format

and s i z e o f each opera, voice c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s of c h arac te rs, t h e music

of each c h a r a c t e r , vocal demands, musical development o f t h e p l o t , and

t h e use o f Instrumentatio n. T h i s comparison w i l l a ls o p o in t out other

s ig n ific a n t s ty lis tic f e a t u r e s which a r e evidenced In t he se two works

as p e c u l i a r t o each composer.

I would like t o expr ess my s i n c e r e g r a t i t u d e to Professor Mario

A l ch who has served as my adviser for the e n tire ty of my doctoral

studies, but due t o o bliga tions In Europe c o u l d not contin ue t hr ou gh

th e completion of t h i s document. My deepest t ha n ks a r e a l s o extended

t o Dr. Marshal I Barnes who n ot o n l y served as a member o f my c ommi tt ee,

but also accepted the added re sp o n sib ility of bei ng my a d v i s e r once

Professor Alch could no longer continue. To my voice teacher and

friend, Professor Paul Hickfang, I am g r e a t l y Indebted for t h e many

y ear s o f unceasing hard work which he has I nvest ed t o make me I n t o a

singer. My s i n c e r e t ha nk s a l s o go t o P r o f e s s o r Mary T o l b e r t f o r her

continued s u pp o rt and t h e l ess ons which she has t a u g h t me In c r e a t i v e

thinking. Fi nal thanks go t o Karen Hubbard f o r her generous h el p In

p r e p a r i n g t h i s document f o r p r i n t .

v
 VITA

J u l y 11, 1954 Born, Wi nston-Salem, North C a r o l i n a

1980 B a c h e lo r of A r t s Degree, Oakwood C o lle g e,

H u n f s v l l l e , Alabama

1980-82 Special U n i v e r s i t y F e llo w , The O h i o S tate

U niversity

1981 M a s te r of A rts D egree, The O hio S ta te

U niversity

1981-85 D octoral S tudies In Music, The O h i o State

U niversity

1982-85 G ra d u a t e T e a c h i n g Associate, The Ohi o State

U niversity

1984 P r o f e s s i o n a l S t u d i e s and P e r f o r m a n c e s , The

American I n s t i t u t e o f Musical S t u d i e s , Graz,
A u s t r i a , S ex t on , I t a l y , and T o b l a c h , I t a l y .
D I e t h e r H a enl ke G r a n t , R a f f a e l Nedomansky—
StlpendI a t

MaJ o r F i e l d : Voi ce Performance

S t u d i e s In A p p l l e d V o i c e : P r o f e s s o r Paul H i ck f an g

S t u d i e s In O r a t o r i o and O p e r a t i c L i t e r a t u r e : P r o f e s s o r Ma ri o Alch
P r o f e s s o r Roger Stevens

S t u d i e s In German A r t Song L i t e r a t u r e : P r o f e s s o r Mari o Alch

S t u d i e s In Contemporary A r t Song L i t e r a t u r e : P r o f e s s o r Irma Cooper

S t u d i e s In Music H i s t o r y : Professor C h ar le s A t k i n s o n
Professor Herbert L iv in g s to n
Professor Al ex an der Main
Professor Keith MIxter

S t u d i e s in Music Theory : P r o f e s s o r Ma r sh a ll Barnes

P r o f e s s o r David B u t l e r

S t u d i e s In Vocal Pedagogy: P r o f e s s o r Helen Swank

vl
B a r i t o n e s o l o i s t In Messa PI G l o r i a by Glacoma P u c c i n i , and Carmlna
Burana by Carl O r f f . Performed on Tuesday, March 2, 1982 a t 8 : 0 0 p.m.
In Weigel A u d i t o r i u m .

Presented In p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t of the requirements for t he degree

Do ct or o f Musical A r t s .

Pr-Q.gran

Messa DI G l o r i a . .................................................... Giacomo P u cc i n i

Mark D a v i s , t e n o r
Ricky L i t t l e , b a r i t o n e
David Dennis, bass

The Ohio S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y Symphonic C h o i r

Li nda Nolan, o r g a n i s t
Maurice Casey, co nd uc to r

Carmlna B u r a n a .......................................................................................................Carl O rff

L o r i Borden, soprano
Dave Johnson, t e n o r
Ricky L i t t l e , b a r i t o n e

The Ohio S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y Symphonic C h o i r

C h i l d r e n ' s C h o i r , W o r t h i n g t o n P u b l i c Schools,
Rebecca Bur ns, d i r e c t o r

Carol Schwartz, Li nda Nolan, p i a n i s t s

C a l v i n B o l t o n , B r e t K u g l e r , Joe S t o l l , S co tt Sorle y, p er c us si o n
John C u r t I s , t l m p an l
Maurice Casey, c on du c to r

Rsci±aJ,_ 1

Rick y L i t t l e , baritone G ra d u a tin g R e c ita l S e rie s ,

1 9 8 3 -8 4 , T u es d a y , A p r i l 17,
1 9 8 4 , 8 :0 0 p . m . , W e ig e l
A u d i t o r I urn.

Mary Kanpp, piano

S uperv ised by: P r o f e s s o r H i c k f a n g

Present ed In p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t of the requirements for the degree

Do ct or o f Musical A r t s .

vl I
 fragr-am

"Why do t h e n a t i o n s so f u r i o u s l y rage t o g e t h e r ? " ............................... George

from t h e o r a t o r i o Messiah F r l e d e r l c h Handel

II

L l e d e r el nes f ahrenden Gesel l e n Gustav Mahler

Wenn mein Schatz H o c h z e l t macht

GIng heut Morgen l i b e r ’ s Feld
Ich hab1 e l n gliihend Messer
Die zwel blauen Augen von melnem Schatz

IntermIsslo n

" E r l t u che m a c c h l a v l " ..........................................................................Giuseppe Verdi

from t h e opera Un B a l I o In Maschera

IV

P s y c h e ................................................................................................................. E. Pal ad 11 he
Beau S o l r ........................................................................................................ Claude Debussy
F l e u r J e t e e ...................................................................................................... Gab ri el Faure

Ride On, King J es us.............................................................................. a r r . H a ll Johnson

He re ’ s O n e .............................................................................................. a r r . Ricky L i t t l e
Your T i r e d C h i l e ................................................................................. a r r . Roland Hayes
L i t ' I Boy a r r . Roland Hayes
My Souls Been Anchored In de L o r d .........................................a r r . Fl ore nce P r i c e

Recital 3

B a r i t o n e s o l o i s t In t h e S t a b a t Mater by Gl oach ln o R o s s i n i . Performed

on S at ur day , May 12, 1984 a t 6 : 0 0 p.m. In t h e Oakwood Co l le g e c h ur c h ,
H u n t s v i l l e , Alabama.

Presented In p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t of the r e q ui r em e nt s for the degree

D o ct or o f Musical A r t s .

S t a b a t Mater . G l o a c h l n o Rossini
 M i c h e l e Cleveland-Ammons, soprano
B e v e r l y Vaughn, mezzo-soprano
S t a n l e y Ware, t e n o r
Ricky L i t t l e , b a r i t o n e

The Inez L. Booth Choral S o c i e t y

Members o f t h e H u n t s v i l l e Symphony O rc h e s t r a
John T. Dennison, c o nd u ct o r

R ecital 4

Ricky L i t t l e , baritone G ra d u a tin g R e c ita l S e rie s ,

1984-85, Wednesday, May 1, 1985,
6 : 0 0 p . m. , Weigel A u d i t o r i u m

Mary Knapp, piano

Supervised b y : P r o f e s s o r H i c k f a n g

Presented In p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t of the requirements for t h e degree

Doct or o f Musical A r t s .

Ppagr.am

RIvolg ete lu l lo s g u a rd o W.A. Mozart

II

Johannes Brahms

Denn es gehet dem Menschen

Ich wandte mlch
0 Tod, wie b i t t e r b l s t du
Wenn Ich m l t Menschen und m l t Engelszungen r e d e t e

III

Don O u i c h o t t e ..................................................................................................Maurice Ravel

Chanson romanesque .
Chanson eplque
Chanson a bo I r e

Intermissio n

Ix
 IV

Five Mystical Songs . ............................................. Ralph Vaughn WII I lams

Easter
I g o t me f l o w e r s
Love bade me welcome
The c a l I
Ant i ph on

" I Got P l e n t y O ' N u t t I n ' " Geroge Gershwin

from Porgy and Bess

Crown and Bess Du et................................................................................ Geroge Gershwin

from Porgy and Bess
a s s i s t e d by G l o r i a Johnson

x
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

D e d i c a t i o n ....................................................................................................................... N

P r e f a c e .......................................................................... Ill

V i t a .................................................................................................................................... vl

Chapter I. Beaumarchais and H is F i r s t M a s t e r p i e c e ................................. 1

Chapt er I I . "Le B a r b l e r de S e v i l l e " ................................................................ 11

The PI o t ................................................................................................................... 11
The C h a r ac t e r s ................................................................................ . . . . . 15
The Mu si c................................................................................................................... 19

Chapter I I I . " I I Barb I e r e dI S I v I g l l a " By Giovanni

P a l s l e l l o and G l o a c h l n o R o s s i n i . ...... ................................................ 22

P a l s l e l l o and R o s s i n i : The Composi ti on o f t h e Two " B a r b i e r e " . 22

Comparison o f t h e L i b r e t t i and t h e P l a y ................................................ 32
Musical A n a l y s i s ................................................................................................. 60

Chapt er IV. Summary................................................................................................... 83

Append I x A ............................................................................... 84

Append I x B ....................................................................................................................... 86

B l b l lography . .......................................................................................................... 88

xl
 CHAPTER ONE

BEAUMARCHAIS AND H IS FIRST MASTERPIECE

P i e r r e - A u g u s t l n Caron Beaumarchais was a v e r y c o l o r f u l personality

In h i s t i m e . He was In t h e t r u e sense a man o f many t a l e n t s . Within

his life tim e he occupied a vast array of occupations and ma i nt ai n ed

d i v e r s e a s s o c i a t i o n s (personal and b us i n e s s ) which n o t o n l y c o n t r i b u t e d

t o his fame and f o r t u n e but a l s o t o h i s m i s f o r t u n e and p o v e r t y . His

l i f e was one c o n t i n u o u s , u n f o l d i n g drama o f t h e h i g h e s t i n t e r e s t , which

c o n t a i n e d enough intrigue to f i l l the live s o f t h r e e average people.

Some of his a c tiv itie s , accomplishments, and o c cu p a tio n s Included

wa tchmaker and Inventor o f the modern wa tch e s cap eme nt ; o f f i c i a l

"Watchmaker t o the K ing;" Controleur Clerc d'O fflce de la Maison du

R o i ; music t e a c h e r t o t h e f o u r dau ght er s o f King L o u i s XV; d e s i g n e r o f

a new pedal system f o r t h e har p; financial w i z a r d and busi ne ss man —

an e n tre p re n e u r who made several fo rtu n e s ; a su cce ssfu l

dueler-swor dsman; a Judge a t t h e L ouvre T r i b u n a l — " L i e u t e n a n t General

des Chasses aux B a i l l a g e e t Capltalnerie de la Varenne du Louvre";

husband three times and father of t wo; received by Ch a r l e s III of

Spain; lite ra ry giant and publisher of his famous memoirs, and the

complet e works o f V o lta ire ; playw right, co ns i de r ed one o f t h e b est of

a ll t i m e s, lib re ttis t, and music composer; prisoner (more t han o n ce ) ,

e xile , and c i t i z e n with restricted c iv il rig h ts; i n v ol ve m en t f o r many

y e ar s In several huge l a w s u i t s ; f o r e s t e r ; s e c r e t agent f o r L o u i s XV and

L o u i s XVI; r e c e p t i o n by Empress Marla Theresa, Empress o f Germany and

mother of Marle-AntoInette — wife of Louis XVI; owner o f Roderlgue

1
Hortalez and Cl e — an o r g a n i z a t i o n secretly backed by the French

government, whi ch, under Beaumarchais' s d i r e c t i o n , s u p p l i e d arms t o t h e

Americans d u r i n g much o f t h e American R e v o l u t i o n ; a c tiv is t In h e l p i n g

p la yw rlte s obtain t h e i r fu ll rig h ts under French law; and owner o f a

smalI naval fle et.

Beaumarchais was a collage of creative talents. He possessed

d arin g, vlbrance, pride, resilience, re sourcefuln ess, charm, naivety

and a tremendous w i t , which a l l c o n t r i b u t e d t o h i s success In l i f e . It

I s no s u r p r i s e t h e n , t h a t as a hobby, he c o u l d produce such g r e a t works

as "Le B a r b l e r de Sev11l e" and "Le Marlage de F i g a r o . " Not a f u l l - t i m e

w r i t e r , Beaumarchais w r o t e mo s tl y In h i s l e i s u r e t i m e .

P i e r r e was born I n t o t h e f a m i l y o f Andrea and M a r l a - L o u l s e Caron,

on January 24, 1732. He was t h e t h i r d e l d e s t and o n l y s u r v i v i n g son o f

t h e s i x Caron c h i l d r e n ( f o u r died In I n f a n c y ) . The home o f t h e Carons

was l o c a te d on t h e t op level of a small house on t h e Rue S a i n t - D e n i s ,

which was loca te d In a v e r y busy s e c t i o n o f P a r i s . The ground l e ve l o f

the house was used as a wo rkshop for P ie rre 's father, who was a

watchmaker. I n t o these humble s u rr o u n d i n g s P i e r r e was born, with the

prospect that he too as the only son would follow In his fa th e r's

footsteps In becoming a watchmaker.

At t h e age o f nine, P i e r r e was se nt t o a b oa rd in g school l o c at ed

In t h e P a r i s suburb o f A l f o r t t o r e c e i v e h i s f ormal education. Bef ore

t h i s time he was t u t o r e d by h i s mother. He was a l s o g i v e n r e l i g i o u s

Instruction by an e l d e r l y monk a t Vincennes, which was l o c at e d near

A lfo rt. P i e r r e ' s t r a i n i n g a t t h e boa rd in g school l a s t ed o n l y u n t i l he

was t h i r t e e n ye ar s o l d . I t was c u t s h o r t because he was n o t a v er y

d ilig e n t student. Upon h i s removal, he was b r ou gh t home and made an

apprentice In his fa th e r's watch shop. The f i r s t months In his new

p o s i t i o n were t r y i n g ones f o r t h e young Caron. I t was n o t a p a r t of

h is nature t o s i t hours on end t o l l i n g o v e r work In which he had very

little Interest. P ie rre 's la x w o r k i n g habits, combined with other

problems, b rought him and h i s f a t h e r I n t o c o n s t a n t c o n f l i c t s which soon

resulted In P ie rre 's expulsion from the home. A fte r a period of

re co ncilia tion , however, P i e r r e was a l l o w e d t o r e t u r n . Over t h e next

t h r e e years t h e young lad developed a s e r i o u s Interest in t h e sci enc e

of watch making. Hi s d i l i g e n t study and r e s o u r c e f u l n e s s resulted In

the I n v e n t i o n of a new escapement f o r t h e watch, whi ch, according t o

Gr e nd e l, "revolutionized a cra ft that had e x i s t e d for five centuries

before" his time, and which has lasted until the p r e se nt day, two

centuries la te rJ P ie rre 's I n v e n t i o n was q u i c k l y s t o l e n by a Monsieur

Lepaut e, an acquai nt an ce o f t h e e l d e r Caron. He was a " g i a n t " in t h e

watchmakers t r a d e , and h el d t h e o f f i c i a l title of "Watchmaker t o t h e

K ing." P i e r r e charged Monsieur Lepaute w i t h the ft before the Royal

Academy of Science which j u s t l y returned a v e r d i c t In P i e r r e ' s favor.

Lepaute was discredited and his position as t h e "Watchmaker to the

K i n g " was g i ve n t o t h e t w e n t y - t w o year o l d Caron.

This new p o s i t i o n elevated P ie rre 's social status and gave him

access t o the court of V ersaille s which was t hen under the rule of

Louis XV. Because of his invention, P ierre was also granted an

audience w i t h t h e k i n g who placed an o r d e r w i t h t h e young i n v e n t o r f o r

^ F r e d e r i c Gre nd el , Beaumarchais; The Man Who was F i g a r o , t r a n s .

Roger Greaves (London: Macdonald and J a n e ' s P u b l i s h e r s L i m i t e d , 1977),
p. 6.
 4

a watch which was t o go t o the K in g 's m istress, Madame de Pompadour.

P i e r r e was f u r t h e r ent renched In t h e ways o f r o y a l t y when he purchased

the appo in tmen t "Controleur Cl ere d 'O f f l e e de la Mai son du R o i " from

P ierre-A ugustin F r an cqu et who was a l s o "C on tro lle r of the M ilita ry

Chest." Francquet's wife, M a d e l e ln e - Ca t he r I n e, had actively pursued

P ierre, fa lle n in love w i t h him, and was most in flu e n tia l In h e l p i n g

him s ecur e t h e p o s i t i o n o f " C o n t r o l e u r " from her husband. A deep love

grew between t h e two and was evidenced In t h e i r m a r r i a g e , which took

place In November, 1756, ten months a f t e r Monsieur F r a n c q u e t ' s death

which o c c ur r ed two months a f t e r P i e r r e bought t h e a pp oi nt men t. A fter

h is marriage P i e r r e ' s life took a new d i r e c t i o n . He adopted t h e "nom

de g u e r r e " o f Beaumarchais which was t h e t i t l e of an e s t a t e owned by

h i s new w i f e . T h i s was a common custom p r a c t i c e d In France d u r i n g that

tim e . He a l s o gained I n d e pe n de n ce f r o m h is f a t h e r 's house and

separated him se lf f rom the trade of watchmaker. U n fortu n ate ly,

however, t en months a f t e r t h e i r m a rr i ag e , Madame Beaumarchais died o f

what i s t h o u g h t t o have been t y p h o i d f e v e r .

In 1759 Beaumarchais was I nt r oduced t o t h e f o u r d aught ers o f L o u i s

XV by Due de la V a llle re , a ve ry Influe ntial nobleman who had met

Beaumarchais a t V e r s a i l l e s . Beaumarchais developed a r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h

the four p rin cesses which la sted for four years, w ith Monsieur

Beaumarchais assuming t h e p o s i t i o n o f music t e a c h e r and f r i e n d . Around

the same t i m e he became a c l o s e friend of Joseph P a r I s - Du v er n e , who,

a l o ng with his three brothers, were f o u r of the most powerf ul men

e c o n o m i c a l l y and p o l i t i c a l l y In a l l of France. Through t h i s Important

a s s o c i a t i o n Beaumarchais was a bl e t o make many s t r i d e s In l i f e , one o f

which I ncl uded e a r n i n g h i s f i r s t f o r t u n e . Beaumarchais' s I n a u g u r a t i o n

i n t o r o y a l t y o c cur r ed In 1761 when he became a nobleman by pur cha si ng

the o ffic e of "L ie u te n a n t General des C h a s se s aux B a i l l a g e et

C a p l t a l n e r l e de l a Varenne du L o u v r e . " He served In t h i s c a p a c i t y as a

judge f o r a t o t a l o f t w e n t y - t w o y e ar s .

Hi s I n s t a l l m e n t I n t o r o y a l t y marks t h e h a l f - w a y p o i n t In h i s life

at wh ich time he began to devote his energies to the w ritin g of

lite ra tu re . Beaumarchais wr ot e h i s f i r s t "Pa ra de s" In 1757.2 He used

them as evening e n t e r t a i n m e n t for hfs fa m ily and f r i e n d s . Hi s f i r s t

major drama, " E u g e n i e , " premiered on January 25, 1767, a t t h e Th ea tr e

Frangals (la te r renamed Comedle F r a n g a l s e ) , eight y ear s a f t e r he had

begun work on t h e play. It did n o t have v e r y much success a l t ho ugh

Beaumarchais took g r e a t pai ns t o d r a f t seven d i f f e r e n t v e r s i o n s o f t h e

pi a y . ^ H is n ex t drama, "Les Deux A m i s , " was f i r s t performed a t the

Comedle Frangalse on January 13, 1770. Lemaltre states that It was

w ritte n "to Illu s tra te the life of the businessmen o f the time, with

p a rtic u la r emphasis on t h e moral p rin cip le s that the best of them

fo llo w e d in tra n s a c tio n s and d e a l i n g s . "4 T h is p la y was

2
"A sketch u s u a l l y played by t h e a c t o r s o f t h e t h e a t e r s l o c at ed a t
fairgrounds. I t was performed o u t s i d e t h e t h e a t e r In o r d e r t o e n t i c e
t h e p u b l i c t o a t t e n d t h e main p e r fo rm a n c e . T h i s g e n r e became
I n c r e a s i n g l y p o p u l a r a t t h e end o f t h e r e i g n o f L o u i s XIV, when t h e
people, harassed by t h e m i s e r i e s o f t h a t p e r i o d , found seme d i s t r a c t i o n
In such ske tc he s. F o l l o w i n g t h e model o f t h e Commedia del I ' a r t e , t h e
parades were l a r g e l y I mprovised. With t h e advent o f t h e e i g h t e e n t h
c e n t u r y , t h e y were no l o n g e r meant t o a t t r a c t common f o l k o n l y . "
(Joseph Sungolowsky, Beaumarchals. CNew Y o r k : Twayne P u b l i s h e r s , I n c . ,
1974), p. 6 3 . ]

■^Rene Dels^me, Beaumarchal £: 1732-1799, t r a n s . Hannaford B en n et t

(New Y o r k : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1929), p. 66.
4
Georges L e m a l t r e , Bea uma rc hal s. (New Y or k : A l f r e d A. Knopf ,
1949), p. 85.
 6

a c ompl et e f a i l u r e , and was performed o n l y a v e r y few t i m e s.

F i ve y ear s l a t e r , In 1775, Beau ma rc hai s' s "Le B a r b l e r de S e v i l l e "

(ou "La P r e c a u t i o n In u tile ") was produced a t t h e Comedle Frangi as e on

Febr uary 23. A c c or d i n g t o L e m a l t r e , this comedy " p l a c e d Beaumarchais

a t the f o r e f r o n t of the p la y w rig h ts of h i s day and secured f o r him an

o u t s t a n d i n g p l ac e among t h e b es t French d r a m a t i s t s o f a l l t i m e s . "5 He

wrote the f i r s t d r a f t of "Le B a r b i e r " in 1766, a fter seeing a p r i v a t e

performance o f Noland de F a t o u v l l l e ' s "La P r e c a u t i o n Inu tile ."® Some

sch olars b e lie v e th a t "Le B a rb le r" h ad its o rig in s in one of

Beaumarchais' "P ar a de s ". "Le B a r b i e r " was f i r s t c oncei ved and w r i t t e n

as a comic opera w i t h spoken d i a l o g u e . It i n cl ude d Spanish a i r s which

Beaumarchais had b r o ug h t back from Madrid and had arra nge d, according

t o Lomenie, in t h e "French s t y l e . " ? Hi s opera was r e f u s e d per formance,

however, by "Cornedie-Ital ie n n e ," a company of Ita lia n actors, and

e v id e n tly the only company In P a ris w hich could h av e produced

Beaumarchais' opera. When Beaumarchais had f i r s t approached t h e a c t o r s

about t h e opera, they had seemed f a v o r a b l y disposed toward t h e work,

but la te r rejected it. The cause f o r th is refusal was a t t r i b u t e d t o

the principal actor of the troupe. I t seems t h a t t h e a c t o r , whosename

was C l a l r v a l , had been a b ar b er In h i s younger days, and d i d n o t want

t h i s p a r t i c u l a r epi sode of h is l i f e r e c a lle d on st age.

5JJlU L , p. 159.

6 1 b l d . P p. 81.

\ o u i s De Lomenie, Beaumarchais and Hi s Ti mes , t r a n s . Henry S.

Edwards, (New Yor k: Harper & B r o t h e r s P u b l i s h e r s , 1857), p. 249.
 Disappoin ted, b ut not defeated, Beaumarchais rewrote his opera

Into a four act comic play. It was t hen presented to the Comedle

Franglase, accepted and scheduled for It’s premiered performance on

February 12, 1773. U n fortunately, before opening n ig h t a rrive d ,

Beaumarchais had become I nvo lv ed In an open d i s p u t e o v er a lady f r i e n d ,

which resulted In his Incarceration. T his public embarrassment was

reason enough f o r t h e t h e a t e r t o postpone t h e pre mi ere o f "Le B a r b l e r " .

E xactly one y e a r la te r It was a ga i n rescheduled for Its premiere

performance but was stopped t w i c e and banned by a u t h o r i t i e s because o f

the controversy which surrounded Beau ma rc hai s' s t r i a l with La Blache

l a w s u i t and t h e r e l a t e d Goezman scandal.® I t was n ot u n t i l 1775 t h a t

the ban on "Le B a r b i e r " was lifte d and the p la y was a ll owe d to be

p er formed. T h i s was due ma i n l y to M arle-A ntolnette's Influence. By

t h i s t i m e t h e Goezman a f f a i r was o v er and Beaumarchais had served both

L o u i s XV and XVI as a s e c r e t agent.

Before t h e opening performance Beaumarchais decided t o add more

d i a l o g u e t o "Le B a r b l e r , " which s i g n i f i c a n t l y Increased Its size. The

reason for this addition was t h e ban which had been Imposed on t h e

pla y. The authorities had a s s er t e d that the p la y c o n t a i n e d attacks

a ga in s t the government which was n ot t r u e . The p la y had a l r e a d y passed

8 ••
Goezman was t h e j u d ge who t r i e d B ea uma rc hai s' s case a g a i n s t La
B lache ( h e i r a p p ar e nt o f Par Is- Duver ney — B eaumarchai s' s c l o s e f r i e n d
and busi ne ss p a r t n e r ) . La Bl ache c o n t e st e d t h e p o r t i o n o f D u v e rn ey ' s
w i l l which was bequeathed t o Beaumarchais. Goezman had accepted a
b r i b e from Beaumarchais as payment In exchange f o r t i m e In which he
c o u l d plead h i s s i d e o f t h e case (a w i d e l y p r a c t i c e d custom In t hose
days). A f t e r Goezman r u l e d In f a v o r of La B l ache , Beaumarchais sought
t o recover h is b rib e . A l l o f t h e t r a n s a c t i o n s had been handled by
Goezman's w i f e , who had r e f u s e d t o r e t u r n a I b ut f i f t e e n l o u l s o f t h e
bribe. A scandal s t a r t e d t o develop and Goezman was or der ed t o ask
P a r l i a m e n t f o r a legal I n q u i r y . Beaumarchais, Goezman and h i s w i f e
were a l l found g u i l t y and punished.
 8

police Inspection In 1773 and had been g i ve n the approval of Police

Censor F r an go ls Ma ri n, who had a l s o approved B ea uma rc hai s' s f i r s t two

dramas ("Eugenie" and "Les Deux A m i s " ) . To avenge th is unjust

a c c u s a t i o n , Beaumarchais decided t o I n c l u d e In h i s play t h e v e r y t h i n g s

which t h e a u t h o r i t i e s sought t o p r o h i b i t . Concerning t h i s he w r o t e , "I

am c a l l e d a rogue, a t h i e f and a lia r. I am n o t one or t h e o t h e r . To

show t h e people t h a t t he y a r e rig h t l e t me a c t as such. My p la y Is

s ai d t o c o n t a i n a t t a c k s and a l l u s i o n s which a r e n o t In I t . L e t me put

them In .B e a u m a rc h a is expanded " Le B arbler" to fiv e acts, and

a c c o r d i n g t o Dals&me, "Saturated i t with b itte r and r u t h l e s s g i b es a t

the t i me s and the courts; he I ncl uded the famous eul ogy of slander

delivered by B asil; overlaid It with t i r a d e s , Jeers and Innuendoes

aga in st a ll and sundry and l o ng drawn out and v a r i e d sc ene s of

unnecessary p ro lix ity ."^ Sungolowsky a l s o n ot es that "some of t he

a llu sio n s also pointed to Beaumarchais's CslcU m i s f o r t u n e s as an

author, to his t r i a l s , and t o h i s a dv en tu re s as a s e c r e t a ge nt , none of

which were d i r e c t l y r e le v a n t t o the p l o t . Ot her a d d i t i o n s were more

amusing and i n d i c a t i v e o f Beau ma rc hai s' s G a l l i c s p i r i t .

A huge crowd turned out to see "Le B a r b l e r " on opening night

(February 23, 1773), b ut was h i g h l y d i s a p p o i n t e d . The p la y t u r n e d o ut

to be long and b o r i n g . Beaumarchais was a dvi sed t o rework t h e p l a y ,

remove t h e unnecessary a d d i t i o n s , and r e t u r n t h e work t o its original

four act setting. This he did In record tim e, and by the second

9 \
Dal seme, op. c l t . . , p. 209.

10i L L £ k , p. 209.

^Sungolowsky, op. c l t . . p. 70.

perform ance, which was given on February 25, he had c r e a t e d a

masterpiece. The p u b l i c r e c e i v e d t h i s and a l l subsequent performances

w i t h overwhelming a pp la use, and a c c o r d i n g t o Dal seme, "Beaumarchais was

h a i l e d as t h e l e g i t i m a t e successor of Mol I e re. "12 Drummond a l s o notes

that, soon a fte r " Le B a r b l e r ' s " successful deb ut In Paris, It was

"translated I n t o n e a r l y every European language f o r performance In t he

major c i t i e s o f t h e C o n t i n e n t . " ^

Beaumarchais la ter added t o his cre d its "Le Mar I age de F i g a r o "

(1780) and "La Mere c o u p a b l e " (1 7 91 ) , both of which a r e sequels t o "Le

B arbler de S e v ille " and contain a llu s io n s to Beaumarchais's own

p er s on al life and vie ws. "Le Marlage de F ig aro," In p a rtic u la r,

contains much of Beaumarchais' own p o litica l sentiments, which were

c o ns i d e r e d t o be r e v o l u t i o n a r y . Grendel states t h a t, "when L o u i s XVI,

who was g e n u i n e l y fond of Beaumarchais, read the m a n us cr i p t of 'The

Marriage' In 1782, his reaction was Immediate: 'We should have to

destroy the B a s t i l l e If a performance of this play was n ot t o be a

dangerous b l u n d e r . T h i s man mocks e v e r y t h i n g t h a t must be re sp ec t ed In

a g o v e rn m en t. "14 Beaumarchais a l s o w r o t e t h e lib re tto for h i s opera

"T arare." He had o rig in a lly negotiated w ith the famous composer

Christoph Gluck t o w rite t h e music for t he opera, but Lemaltre says

t h a t "Gluck p o l i t e l y d e cl a re d t h a t he was much t o o o l d t o compose t he

m u sica l score of so Im p o rta n t a w o rk," and k in d ly d ire c te d

19
Dal seme, op. c l t . . p. 210.

^ J o h n D. Drummond, Opera In P e r s p e c t i v e . (London: J.M. Dent &

Sons, L t d . , 1980), p. 194.
14
Grendel, op. c l t . . p. 211.
 10

Beaumarchais' attentions to one of h i s b e st pupils, Antonio S a l i e r i ,

who subse que nt l y agreed t o u ndert ak e t h e t a s k J ^

As Is w e l l known, Beaumarchais' "Le B a r b l e r de S e v i l l e " and "Le

Marlage de F i g a r o " have both been I mmo rt al iz ed In t h e w o r l d o f music

t hr ough t h e operas o f P a l s l e l l o , R o s s i n i , and Mo zart . B e f o re d i s c u s s i n g

P a l s l e l l o ' s and R o s s i n i ' s musical treafment of "Le B a r b l e r , " a c l o s e r

exam ination wi l l be made of the play and the In flu e nce s which

c o n t r i b u t e d t o I t s s haping.

15
Lemaltre, op. c l t . . p. 296.
 CHAPTER TWO

"LE BARBIER DE SEVILLE"

The P l o t

The p lo t of "Le B a rb le r" d id not o rig in a te w ith P ie rre

B ea uma rc hai s. It existed l ong before his tim e and, according to

G r e nd e l , i s c o ns i d e r e d t o be "one o f t h e o l d e s t p l o t s In t h e w o r l d . In

France al one It has g i ve n rise to thousands of farces, pantomimes,

plays, and o p e r a s . "1 NIklaus s ta te s t h a t I t has a l s o been used In "a

thousand Ita lia n sce na rll."2 Sungolowsky s u p p o r t s t h e above s tat eme nt

with the f o l lo w in g comment: "In the f lo u r is h i n g age o f comedy, for

which t h e sevent eent h and e i g h t e e n t h century a re known, such a theme

had gained widespread p o p u l a r l t y . " 3 The p l o t o f "Le B a r b l e r " I s a very

s i m p l e one. Beaumarchais o u t l i n e d It In t h e f o l l o w i n g manner: "An o l d

man In l ove I nt ends t o marry h i s ward t omorrow; a young s u i t o r , more

a dro it than he, thwarts him, and marries the g irl t od ay under the

g u a rd ia n 's very nose and In his h o u s e . "4 The " r o o t s " o f this plot,

according to T ill, "has Its o rig in s In 'commedla del I ' a r t e , ' the

ancient I t a l i a n popular t h e a t r e . " In seventeenth

^ F r e d e r i c G re nd e l , Beaumarchais: The Man who was F i g a r o , t r a n s .

Roger Greaves, (London: Macdonald and James P u b l i s h e r s L i m i t e d , 1977),
p. 135.
2 ^

Ro b er t N I k l a u s , Beaumarchais: Le B a r b l e r de S e v i l l e . (London:
Edward A r n o l d P u b l i s h e r s , L t d . , 1968), p. 36.

^Joseph Sungolowsky, Beaumarchals. (New Y o r k : Twayne P u b l i s h e r s ,

Inc., 1974), p. 69.
4
Grendel, op. c l t . , p. 135.

11
 12

c e n t u r y France t h i s t r a d i t i o n was adopted by M o l i e r e and c o n t i n u e d by

Marivaux and Beaumarchais In t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y .

Some o f t h e works which have I n c o r p o r a t e d t h e use o f t h i s simple

p l o t Include, ' M i l e s g l o r l s u s , ' by P l a u t u s ; ' Les F o l l e s amoureuses, ' by

Regnard; 'La Precaution In u tile ,' by S c ar r o n ; 'Le Remede a la mode'

(a uthorship unsure — a 'p a ra d e '); 'Ecole des femmes,' 'L'E cole des

m a r l s , ' and ' L ' A v a r e , ' by Mol 1e r e ; and 'La P r e c a u t i o n I n u t i l e ' by Nolan

de F a t o u v l l l e . 6 Wade g iv e s t h e f o l l o w i n g comment when d i s c u s s i n g t h e

p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f how Beaumarchais came acro ss t h e p l o t :

Mol i e r e bequeathed t h i s p l o t t o t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y where

I t was used se ver al t i m e s ; n o t a b l y In C a l l h a v a ' s 'L e t u t e u r
dupe' (1756) and S e d a l n e ' s 'On nes ' a v i s e j a m o l s de t o u t '
(1 7 61 ) . E x a c t l y where Beaumarchais borrowed t h e p l o t has
been t h e s u b j e c t of much d i s c u s s i o n . C r i t i c s a r e n o t In
agreement as t o whether he took i t Immediately from P l a u t u s ,
Mol I e r e , C a l l h a v a , or Sedalne. It I s c e r t a i n t h a t he was a
g r e a t a d mi re r o f Mol I e r e and a t l e a s t one sentence o f t h e
' B a r b l e r ' was t a k en f ro m S e d a l n e ' s p l a y . One Is led t o
s uspec t t h a t t h e ' E c o l e des femmes' was h i s model, and 'On ne
s ' a v i s e j a ma i s de t o u t ' h i s Immediate I n s p i r a t i o n . I t I s n ot
u n l i k e l y , however, t h a t he knew o f t h e t r e a t m e n t s accorded
t h e same theme by v a r i o u s w r i t e r s from Scarron t o S e d a l n e . 7

N i c h o l a s T i l l , .Ro.ssLn I., H i s L i f e and T i m e s , (New Y o r k :

Hlppocrene Books, 1983), p. 63. "The 'Commedia del I ' A r t e ' (Comedy of
t h e Masks) came I n t o prominence In I t a l y d u r i n g t h e second h a l f o f t h e
sixteenth century. I t was, e s s e n t i a l l y , comic drama, Improvised t o
s p e c i f i e d p l o t s by s t o c k , masked c h a r a c t e r s . I t s o r i g i n s seem t o l i e
In t h e A t e l l a n f a r c e s o f t h e Roman t h e a t r e , b u t c o n n e c t i o n s a r e
d i f f i c u l t t o prove. Commedia p l o t s were drawn f r o m a v a r i e t y of
sour ces, o f t e n r e f l e c t i n g o r p ar od y in g more s e r i o u s d r a m a t i c forms o f
t h e day. They m i gh t be based on p a s t o r a l drama, even on t r a g i c themes.
The s c e n a r i o s , which are a l l t h a t was w r i t t e n down, p r e se r ve some of
t h e h i l a r i o u s d e t a i l s o f t he se p l o t s . " [ J oh n D. Drummond, Opera 1n
P e r s p e c t i v e . (London: J.M. Dent & Sons, L t d . , 1980), pp. 187-188.3

^Sungolowsky, op. c l t . . p. 69.

7 l r a D. Wade, e d . , Le B a r b l e r de Sev11 I e . (New Y o r k : Henry H o l t

and Company, 1937), p. xv.
 13

According to Sungolowsky, the o rig in a lity of Beaumarchais' "Le

Barbier" w ill be found In his treafment of the characters and the

dramatic technique which he used in t h e play.8 In r e l a t i o n s h i p to

dramatic techniq ue and character t r e a t m e n t , Wade g i v e s f o u r basic

merits which he b e l i e v e s contribute to the over-all success o f "Le

B a r b i e r " as a m a s t e r p i e c e . These f o u r m e r i t s I n c l u d e , Beaumarchais'

s k ill In s t r i k i n g a bal ance between a c t i o n and pause; h i s

consummate s k i l l of p r e s e n t i n g and c i r c u m v e n t i n g o b s t a c l e s
( t h e work I s c o n s t r u c t e d I Ike a game of chess, each move
e n t a i l i n g n o t o nl y a count er -move t o checkmate t h e opponent
but a l s o a s k i l l f u l manoeuver t o f o r e s t a l l a move by him);
t h e e x c e l l e n t way In which t h e c h a r a c t e r s a r e p o r t r a y e d ( I n
each o f h i s p l a y s t h e r e I s one m a j o r and s e v e r a l minor
c h a r a c t e r s ) ; and t h e d i a l o g u e I t s e l f , f o r I t s sc I n t i I I a t l n g l y
conversational q u a l i t y . I t Is lu c id , w i t t y , ra p id , su btle ,
and, f o r I t s p e r i o d , n a t u r a l ( I t was w r i t t e n a t a t i me when
t h e a r t o f c o n v e r s a t i o n was a t I t s h e i g h t ) . ^

In s e t t i n g t h e p l o t o f "Le B a r b l e r , " Beaumarchais decided t o use

t h e r o m a n t i c s u r r o u n d i n g s o f Spain as a backdrop f o r t h e a c t i o n o f t h e

p lay. The use of Spain and o the r fo re ign c o u n trie s in French

l i t e r a t u r e was a v e r y common p r a c t i c e employed by French w r i t e r s o f t h e

tim e. Some s c h o l a r s believe, however, t h a t Beaumarchais' choice of

Spain In "Le B a r b i e r " came about as a d i r e c t r e s u l t o f t h e v i s i t which

he made t o Madrid In 1764. Beaumarchais t o ok t h i s trip In o r d e r to

defend h i s siste r, L lsette, who was l i v i n g In Spain a t t h e time. A

Spaniard by t he name o f Don Jose C lavljo y F a ja r do had broken his

promise to m a rr y L ls e tte and B e a u m a r c h a i s s o u g h t to reverse the

g e n t l e m a n ' s d e c i s i o n and cause t h e two l o v e r s t o be u n i t e d In m a r r i a g e .

His e f f o r t s were q u i t e unsuccessful, however. Some s c h o l a r s believe

0
Sungolowsky, op. c l t . . p. 6 9.
g
Wade, op. c l t . r pp. x v l - x ! x .
 14

that th is I n c i d e n t served as t h e I n s p i r a t i o n f o r B eaumarchai s' s c h o i c e

of a p l o t which als o Involves th e u n i t i n g of two lo vers. Those who

support the Idea o f t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p a s s e r t t h a t t hr ough "Le B a r b l e r "

Beaumarchais was able to fu lfill vicariously and Imaginatively his

purpose f o r goi ng t o Madrid, t h a t I s , f o r t h e su cc es s fu l u n i t i n g o f two

I overs.

Ot he rs see t h e use o f Spain as Beaumarchais' way o f safely b ut

e f f e c t i v e l y making s t at e me n ts about France and I t s a r i s t o c r a c y . Though

he was a b l e t o r i s e t o a s t a t i o n o f n o b ility In t h e French government,

Beaumarchais was never a l lo we d t o f o r g e t h i s humble b i r t h . N e i t h e r was

he always d e a l t w i t h f a l r i y by t hose o f t h e a r i s t o c r a c y who hel d power

o ver him. For t hese and o t h e r r easons, Beaumarchais was n o t f a v o r a b l y

d is posed toward the French n o b ility . In "Le B a r b i e r " Beaumarchais

expressed J u s t how he f e l t about the social and p o litic a l system in

F ra nc e at the time. In his book, "Beaumarchais: Le B a r b i e r de

S e v i l l e , " NIklaus ex plain s how Beaumarchais used t h e s e t t i n g of Spain

as a v e h i c l e by which he c o u l d communicate h i s views c o n c e r n i n g the

s o c ia l-p o litic a l system o f France a t t h a t t i m e .

By seeming t o s a t i r i z e f o r e i g n ways Beaumarchais I s a bl e t o

c a l l Fr en ch p r e j u d i c e t o a c c o u n t , a d u a l i t y t h a t wo u ld
d e l i g h t h i s audiences as I t r e v e a l e d t h e r e l a t i v i t y o f moral
v a l u e s , and t h e f a c t t h a t a l l men a r e b r o t h e r s under t h e
skin. By a s u b t l e process o f a l i e n a t i o n , b ro ug h t about by
s uperi mposi ng a p r o f o u n d l y French c o n t e n t upon an a c qu i re d
f o r e i g n n e s s , d r a m a t i c v a l u e s a r e enhanced, and t h e d i s t a n c e
a c h i e v e d e nsures t h a t e v e r y t h i n g i s looked upon w i t h new
eyes. So Beaumarchais w r i t i n g about a p a s s i o n a t e Spanish
grandee, c o u l d deal mort al blows t o h i s French c o u n t e r p a r t by
h o l d i n g Al mav lva up t o r i d i c u l e b e f o r e e l i t e audiences who In
t hemselves r e p r e s e n t e d t h e s o c i e t y he was d e r i d i n g . He was
a ble t o reveal a l l f a c e t s of a dubious m o r a l i t y w it h o u t
seeming t o cal I h i s own s o c i e t y t o accountJ*-*

^ N i k l a u s , op. c l t . . pp. 14-15.

 15

B ea uma rc hai s accomplished th is re vo lu tio n a ry feat with great

success as w i l l be seen In t h e discussion which follows In Chapter

Three.

The C h ar act er s

The c a s t of characters used by B ea uma rch ai s In "Le B arbler"

Include the f o l lo w in g :

"Count Al mav lva, In l ove w i t h Roslne.

F i g a r o , t h e B a r be r o f S e v i l l e .
Dr. B a r t h o l o , g ua rd ia n o f Roslne.
Roslne, In l ove w i t h Almavlva.
L ' E v e l l l e , a s e r v a n t o f Dr. B a r t h o l o .
La Jeunesse, a n o t h e r s e r v a n t o f Dr. B a r t h o l o .
Don Baz11e, R o s l n e ' s m u s l c - t e a c h e r .
A N o t ar y .
A J u s t i c e o f t h e Peace.
Several Policemen and Ser van ts w i t h t o r c h e s . " ^

The p l a y w r i g h t gives the follow ing description for each of the

above c h a r a c t e r s :

"Count A l m a vl v a : Dashing and r o m a n t i c . Good l o o k i n g . Every inch

an a r i s t o c r a t . In h i s t w e n t i e s .

Fig aro : Gay and h a p p y - g o - l u c k y , f a c t o t u m . Never o u t o f

s p i r i t s , and always s u p e r i o r t o e v e n t s . A Gaul
t o the f i n g e r - t i p s . Age, u n c e r t a i n .

Dr. B a r t h o l o : B r u t a l , s a r c a s t i c , c y n i c a l , r ude, c r u d e , crooked

and s u s p i c i o u s o f everybody. In appearance Is
f e r r e t - e y e d and sensual l o o k i n g . Age a b o u t
sIxty.

Roslne: In h e r t e e n s . L o v e ly t o look a t ; 's w e e t ,

t e n d e r , t r i m , bloomi ng, and a p p e t i z i n g ; w i t h a
f u r t i v e f o o t , shapely f i g u r e , plump arms, rosy
l i p s , and such hands I Such t e e t h 1 Such eyes I '

11P i e r r e Beaumarchais, The Ba r be r of S e v i l l e . : . A Comedy In Four

A c t s , t r a n s . S t e w a r t Robb, (London: Samuel French L t d . , 1939), p. 9.
 16

L 'E ve llle : A s t u p i d , sl eepy s e r v a n t . Oafish. Age, anywhere

from t we nt y t o t h i r t y - f i v e .

Le Jeunesse; A feeble, foolish servant, old enough t o need a

crutch.

Don B a z l l e : C r a f t y , b ut 'easy t o o u t w i t . ' W i l l do a n y t h i n g

f o r money. An o f f i c i o u s busybody. M i d d l e - a g e d . .

The N o t a r y : S lo w -w itte d , s lo w -a c tin g . Pompous.

MI ddl e - a g e d . "12

Beaum archais' c h a ra c te riz a tio n s are, of course, e x c e lle n t

p ortrayals of each o f t hese p e r s o n a l i t i e s ; and. In most cases, leaves

very little which can be added. However, more d i s c u s s i o n Is given t o

t h i s to p ic of "p e rso na litie s" la ter In Chapter Three, e s p e c i a l l y as I t

c oncerns t h e Count and F i g a r o .

Several p arallels have been drawn between some o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s

‘ In "Le B a r b l e r " and s ig n ific a n t persons who were a c t u a l l y a part of

Bea uma rch ai s' s life (Including the playw right h im s e lf). A c co r di n g t o

L em altre, F ig a ro , the most dom inant character In the p la y, Is

Beaumarchais's "stage co un terpa rt."^ Grendel, who h o l d s the same

v i e w , a t t a c h e s even more I mportance t o t h i s a s s o c i a t i o n by s a y i n g , "the

appearance o f F i g a r o marks a d e c i s i v e t u r n i n g p o i n t in French l i t e r a r y

h istory. With F i g a r o , t h e a u t h o r comes on t o CslcD t h e st age f o r the

firs t t i m e . "14 There a r e several reasons why t h i s strong a s s o c ia tio n

Is made, one of which has to do w i t h the name "F iga ro " Its e lf.

Concerning t h i s , Grendel makes t h e p o i n t t h a t Beaumarchais "had been

12
Beaumarchais, op. c l t . . p. 11.

^G eorges Lemaltre, Beaumarchals. (New Y or k : A lfred A. Knopf,

1949), p. 94.
i4
Grendel, op. c l t . . p. 137.
 17

dogged a l l h i s c h i l d h o o d and y out h by a name pronounced ' F J c a r o ' (F ils

C a r o n ) , 1' and t h e r e f o r e cannot conceive t h a t Beaumarchais’ s c h o i c e of

t h e name ' F i g a r o ' was made by mere c h a n c e . 15 Adding t o t h i s , Lemaltre

makes the o bservation th a t "the very name F i g a r o Is a fa n c ifu l

HI spanlzed form o f ’ F ils Caron’ (the fin a l ’ s’ of t h e word ’fills ’

bei ng s i l e n t In e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y French p r o n u n c i a t i o n ) . " 1 6

F u r t h e r evidence which s u p p o r t s t h i s c h a r a c t e r / a u t h o r a s s o c i a t i o n

Is the f a c t t h a t the p e r s o n a l i t i e s and v i e ws expressed by F i g a r o and

Beaumarchais a r e so much a like . Both are Indomitable, vibrant, and

w itty persona litie s, who d i s l i k e the a t t i t u d e s of the ric h and n ob le .

In a d d i t i o n t o t h i s , t h e commentary which F i g a r o makes c o n c e r n i n g h i s

own life (as found In his tira d e In the firs t act) Is a ctu a lly a

tra n scrip t of the IIfe s e x p e ri e n c es of Beaumarchais him self. A l so ,

both c h a r a c t e r and a u t h o r are o f common b i r t h , wh ich , when c o ns i d e r e d

with the other f a c t s , g i v e t h e two a v e r y c l o s e resemblance. All of

t hese f a c t o r s make I t v e r y easy t o b e l i e v e t h a t Beaumarchais a c t u a l l y

recreated him self In t h e person o f F i g a r o .

A cc o rd in g to L e m a ltre D r. B a rth o lo Is seen as b e in g a

characterization, In some r e s p e c t s , of Beaumarchais' father, Andrea

Caron. Lemaltre gives his su pport for th is view In the follo w ing

passage, which I s t a k en from h i s book e n t i t l e d "B ea uma rc ha is ."

The s c o l d i n g , morose, c r a b b y , s i d e o f B a r t h o l o I s s a i d t o
b e a r more t h a n s u p e r f i c i a l r e s e m b l a n c e t o B e a u m a r c h a i s '
f a t h e r as he remembered him In t h e w o r s t d ays o f t h e i r
c o n f l i c t I n t h e Rue S a i n t - D e n i s h o u s e . F urtherm ore,
B a r t h o l o ' s p r e p o s t e r o u s Idea o f m a r r y i n g f o r l ove a t h i s age

15
G re nd el , op. c l t . . p. 141.

^6Lem altre, op., c l t . . p. 94.

 18

e v i d e n t l y had I t s source In o l d C a r o n ' s late ' g r a nd amour'

and m a t r i m o n i a l e s c a p a d e . 17

(At the rip e old age of seventy-seven, Andrea Caron had married

S uzanne-Leopol de Je an tot.) Le m altre's assertions concerning th is

a s s o c i a t i o n may Indeed be pure a ssumpt ion. There Is no o t h e r evidence

present ed or known t o this author which v e rifie s that Andrea Caron

served as h i s sons I n s p i r a t i o n f o r t h e shaping o f B a r t h o l o ' s c h a r a c t e r .

The f a c t s which L e m a l t r e p r e s e n t seem t o be t o t a l l y c o i n c i d e n t a l .

It Is no secret th a t Beaumarchais had a t one t i m e (before the

p r emi er e of "Le B a r b l e r " ) renamed Baz11e, "Guzman," a f t e r Councillor

Goezman, t h e j u d ge who had caused him so much t r o u b l e f o l l o w i n g t h e La

Blache tria l (1773). Beaumarchais renamed t h i s character w ith the

Intention of dr awi ng notice t o Goezman's c h a r a c t e r , and t o his vain

attempt to d iscre dit him and p r oba bl y t o make a st at e me n t about the

Judicial system o f h i s t i m e as w e l l . In t h e end Beaumarchais decided

to retain the name of "Baz l i e " . He p o r t r a y s him as an u n p r i n c i p l e d ,

corrupt Individua l, who, among o t h e r things, would r e a d i l y se ll his

l o y a l t i e s and s e r v i c e s t o anyone who I s a b l e t o pay f o r them. A ll of

th is , combined w i t h B azlle's taste for calumny and s l a n d e r , Is very

re m in is c e n t of C o u n c illo r Goezman as seen through the eyes of

Beaumarchals.

The c h a r a c t e r s used In "Le B a r b l e r " are als o believed to have

strong t ie s t o t h e c h a r a c t e r s used In "commedia del I ' a r t e " (Comedy of

t h e Masks). A c co r di n g t o Drummond, t h i s a r t form "came I n t o prominence

In Italy durin g the second half of the sixteenth century. It was,

17JbJ.d,., p. 94-95.
 19

e s s e n t i a l l y , comic drama Improvised t o s p e c i f i e d p l o t s by s t o c k , masked

c h a r a c t e r s . " 1® Drummond In agreement w ith Gre ndel traces the

"commedia" t r a d i t i o n In France t hr o u g h t h e works o f Mol I e r e ( 1 6 22 - 73 ) ,

Marivaux (1688-1763), and B e a u m a r c h a i s (1732-99). He g i v e s the

f o l l o w i n g d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s which were used In "commedia."

There were s i x s t o c k male c h a r a c t e r s In 'Commedia del I ' A r t e . '

Three were ' z a n n l ' : A r l e c c h l n o , P u l c l n e l l a , and B r l g h e l l a ,
and t h r e e were ' o l d men': P an t al on e, t h e D o c t o r , and t h e
C a p ta i n . Each had h i s own q u a l I t l e s : P ulclnella his cru e lty
and c y n i c i s m (Punch o f 'Punch and J u d y ' ) ; A r l e c c h l n o h i s
a c r o b a tic s ; B r lg h e lla h is s e lf - in t e r e s t e d i n t r i g u i n g ;
P ant al one h i s m i s e r l i n e s s , t o u c h i n e s s and g u l l i b i l i t y ; t h e
Doct or h i s e x c es s i v e d i g n i t y and p e d a n t r y ; and t h e Captai n
h is extravagant boasting. Ot her c h a r a c t e r s were. . . : the
f emal e s e r v a n t Colcmblna, lady ' I n a m o r a t e ' l i k e I s a b e l l a ,
g o s s i p y o l d women, d a s h i n g , f a t u o u s m a le l o v e r s , o f t e n
r i d i c u l o u s l y n a i v e , and o c ca si o n al e x t r a s l i k e T a r t a g l l a t h e
s t u t t e r i n g l awyer.

Characteristics of B r l g h e l l a and A r l e c c h l n o a r e found In F i g a r o ,

while tra its of Pantalone and the Doctor are sim ila r to those of

B a rth o lo . The "dashing, naive, y oung lo ve r" type is somewhat

r e f l e c t i v e o f Count Almavlva.

" I compose a i r s t o my words and words t o my a i r s . "20 Beaumarchais

w r o t e these words when s e t t i n g t h e Spanish songs which he was t o use In

the operatic version of "Le B a r b l e r . " In his le tte rs from Madrid

Lomenle s t a t e s t h a t Beaumarchais expressed "a marked d i s d a i n for the

18
John D. Drummond, Opera In P e r s p e c t i v e . (London: J.M. Dent &
Sons, L t d . , 1980), p. 187.

19 I b i d . . p. 187-188.
20 ✓
L o u i s De Lomenle, Beaumarchais and His Times, t r a n s . Henry S.
Edwards (New Y or k : Harper & B r o t h e r s , P u b l i s h e r s , 1857), p. 249.
 20

Spanish the a tre ," b ut "entertained a ve ry live ly enthusiasm for the

Spanish music" e spe cia lly "the Interludes sung under the name o f

' t o n a d l l l a s ' o r ' s a g n e t e s ' ."21

When Beaumarchais r e w r o t e "Le B a r b l e r " as ap l a y he I ncl uded e ight

songs and one o r c h e s t r a l piece from t h e opera. The t e x t f o r t h e songs

a r e I ncl uded In t h e p l ay w i t h s p e c i f i c r e f e r e n c e s t o mel odi es which a r e

t o be used. Printed versions of the play do n o t c o n t a i n t h e a ct ua l

musical notation. The music f o r f i v e of t hese pieces can be found a t

t h e B l b l l o t h e q u e du C o n s e r v a t o i r e Na t i o n a l de Muslque In P a r i s , France

and the Meck le nb ur gl sch e L a n d e s b l b l l o t h e k In Schwerin (Mec kl en bu rg ),

Germany. Some o f t h e a i r s from "Le B a r b l e r " can a l s o be found In "The

Fandango O v e r t u r e , Airs, e t c . " from t h e "Spanish B a r b e r " by Dr. Samuel

A r no l d (1778).

The f i r s t song I s e n t i t l e d " Banl ssons l e c h a g r i n . " It I s sung by

F i g a r o as he makes h i s I n i t i a l e nt r a n c e In Scene I I o f Act I . I t I s an

a i r which he composes for h i s comic opera. The Count s in g s t h e n e xt

song as a serenade t o Roslne. It consists of t h r e e c o u p l e t s and Is

found In Scene VI of Act I. The title of the serenade Is "Vous

I'odonnez." It Is sung to the a ir "M altre en d ro it" w ith g uitar

accompaniment. The t h i r d song Is sung by Roslne as a s h o r t response t o

the Count's serenade. She uses t h e same music for this piece which

l a s t s f o r o n l y two l i n e s . The Count s in g s t h e f o u r t h song as he e n t e r s

B a r t o l o ' s house d i s g u i s e d as a s o l d i e r (Act II, Scene X I I ) . The name

of the song Is "Revel I I o n s - l a . " The t e x t Is not w r i t t e n out In t h e

p l ay which suggests t h a t I t should be I mprovi sed.

21JJ2±£L, p. 249.
 The f i f t h song I s e n t i t l e d "Le c h ef bran I a n t " and appears In Scene

X I I o f Act II. The Count s i n g s t h i s song In r i d i c u l e o f B a r t h o l o . The

melody which Is used for this song Is not stated In the text, but

Tartak says t h a t It Is " I c I s ont venus en p e rs o n n e ."2 2 | n the same

scene, t h e s i x t h song sung by t he Count I s e n t i t l e d "Vive le v i n . " In

t h i s pi ec e t h e Count makes J e s t o f B a r t h o l o ' s p r o f e s s i o n . The seventh

song Is sung by Roslne during her v o i c e lesson w i t h Don Alonzo (Act

III, Scene I V ) . It Is e n t i t l e d "Quand, dans la p l a l n e . " The piece Is

divided I n t o t h r e e p a r t s w i t h t h e f i r s t and second s t r o p h e s c o n t a i n i n g

twenty-four lines each. The "P etite R e p r i s e " which f o llo w s contain s

only sixteen lines. Each strophe Is sung to the same music. The

eighth song I s I nt r o d u c e d s h o r t l y a f t e r w a r d s and Is sung by B a r t h o l o .

I t f o llo w s Roslne’ s a r i e t t a In Scene IV. Here B a r t h o l o shares w i t h Don

A l onz o and Roslne one o f h i s f a v o r i t e songs. I t Is e n t i t l e d "Veux-tu,

ma R o s l n e t t e " . The l a s t p i e c e Is w r i t t e n f o r o r c h e s t r a and I s played

between Act s I I I and IV as st orm music.

22
Marvin H. T a r t a k , t h e I t a l i a n Com 1c operas o f . Rossi n.l, D i s s . ,
U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , B e r ke l ey 1968, p. 139.
 CHAPTER THREE

".It. BARB I ERE P I S IV IG L IA " BY GIOVANNI PAISIELLO

AM) GIOACHINO ROSSINI

EaJ.S-l.e.l.1.0. and.. R o s s i n i :__ I he _ Co mp os lt l on o f t h e Two " B a r b i e r e "

When "Le B a r b i e r de S e v i l l e " premiered in France on February 23,

1775, Giovanni P a l s i e l l o was r e s i d i n g In Naples, Ita ly . At t h a t time

h is reputation as an operatic composer r i v a l e d t h o se of P ic c in n i,

G u g l i e l m l , and Cimarosa. Ro ss in i was n o t born u n t i l 1792t h e r e f o r e h i s

I n f l u e n c e was n o t f e l t a t t h i s t i m e .

Giovanni Gregorio Ca t al d o P alsiello was born In t h e v illag e of

Roccaforzata, Ita ly on May 12, 1740. Hi s p a r e n t s were Francesco and

G r a z l a A nt o n i a P a l s i e l l o . Giovanni began h i s formal education a t the

age o f f i v e . He a t te n de d a J e s u i t school which was l o c a te d nearby In

the town o f T a r a nt o . At t he age of fourteen, Giovanni was s e nt to

Naples where he began h i s musical tra in ing a t t h e C o n s e r v a t o r i o dl S

Onofrlo (June 8 , 1754). This p er i od o f tra in in g lasted u ntil July,

1763. While at the co nse rva torIo P a ls ie llo studied w ith three

principal teachers. Hunt lis ts t h es e persons as Francesco Du ra nt e

(whose o t h e r s t u d e nt s I nc lud ed P e r g o l e s i , J o m me l l i , P ic c in n i, Traetta,

Guglielm l, and Sacchini), G irol amo Abos (oper a composer), and Carlo

Cotumacci (an o r g a n i s t and c o n t r a p u n t l s t ) .1 Du r in g h i s l a s t f o u r y ear s

a t the conservatorIo P a l s ie l lo composed sever al works. They I nc l ud e

several ma ss es , s e ttin g s of "D ix it D om inus," m otets, o ra to rio s

1Jn o L e i and H u n t , t h e L i f e and K e y b o a r d Works o f G iovanni

P a l s l e l I o (1 7 40 - 18 16 ) , D i s s . , U n i v e r s i t y o f M ic h ig a n, 1973.

22
 23

and an Int ermezzo buffo. None o f t he se early works are cu rrently

extant.

Upon leaving the consevatorIo, P a lsie llo moved to the northern

part of Ita ly where he began to compose opera p ro fessio nally. He

e x peri enc ed success In Bologna w i t h t h e pre mi ere o f h i s f i r s t opera 'Ml

c l a r l o n e " a "dramma g i o c o s o . " I t was f i r s t performed on May 12, 1764.

Success f o r P a l s i e l l o came q u i c k l y as h i s operas made t r i u m p h a n t debuts

In t h e c i t i e s o f Modena, Parma and V en ice . It I s from t hese t r i u m p h s

t h a t P a i s l e l l o ' s fame spread t h r o u g h o u t Italy.

In t h e s p r i n g o f 1766 he r e t u r n e d t o Naples t o l i v e and work. He

remained t h e r e u n t i l July, 1776 by which t i m e he had completed forty

opera buffa, fourteen opera serla, a requiem mass, sever al motets,

ensemble works, t h r e e c o n t a t a s , and a masque. I t was d u r i n g t h i s t i m e

t h a t he e s t a b l i s h e d f o r h i m s e l f an I n t e r n a t i o n a l reputation.

The n ex t major p o r t i o n o f P a i s l e l l o ' s l i f e was s pen t a t t h e c o u r t

of Catherine II In S t . P e t e r s b u r g , Russia (1776 -1 784 ). Whi le t h e r e he

assumed t h e p o s i t i o n o f "maest ro dl ca p e lle ." He composed a t o t a l of

t w e l v e operas and f o r t y works for t h e keyboard. One o f t hese operas

was " I I B a r b i e r e dl S i v l g l l a . " Lawrence g i v e s t h e f o l l o w i n g account as

t o how P a l s l e l I o came t o w r i t e t h i s work:

C a t h e r i n e had a profound love f o r a l l t h i n g s French. She

c u l t i v a t e d t h e use o f t h e French language a t c o u r t , p r i d ed
h e r s e l f on her t ho ro ugh knowledge o f t h e w r i t i n g s o f D i d e r o t ,
Montesquieu, and V o l t a i r e , and shared E l i z a b e t h ' s enthusiasm
f o r t h e French t h e a t r e . I t was d u r i n g a v i s i t of t h e Corned Ie
F r a n g l a s e t h a t she became a c q u a i n t e d w i t h B e a u m a r c h a i s ' s
[ s i c ] 'The B a r be r o f S e v 1 1 l e . ' Noting the T s a r in a 's r e a c tio n
t o t h e p l a y , P a l s i e l l o composed a l y r i c v e r s i o n o f t h e
c e l e b r a t e d French comedy In 1782. D e d i c a t i n g t h e score t o
C atherine I I , P a l s i e l l o w ro te : ' I n th e knowledge t h a t
[ B e a u m a r c h a i s ' s ] H s f c ] Le B a r b i e r de S e v i l l e amused y our
Imper ial M a j e s t y , I b e l i e v e d t h a t t h e same plan would n ot
d i s p l e a s e you In t h e form o f an I t a l i a n opera. Accordingly,
 24

I have had I t adapted as a l i b r e t t o , e ndeavori ng t o r e n de r I t

as b r i e f as p o s s i b l e , w h i l e adding n o t h i n g t o t h e o r i g i n a l
t e x t , and p r e s e r v i n g as many o f t h e e x p r e s s i o n s o f t h e p la y
as t h e gen iu s o f I t a l I a n p o e t r y w l l I perm I t . 2

The premi ere performance t o o k p l a c e on September 26, 1782 a t t h e

Hermi tage T h e a t r e In S t . Petersburg. T h i s was seven y e ar s a f t e r the

premi ere of Beaumarchais' pla y. The opera was evidently a success

though t h e r e a r e no r e c o r d s o f t h e debut performance. Below Is a I 1st

of t h e c a s t which premiered t h e work:

Roslna A.D. de BernuccI

Almavlva GermoglI
Figaro BrocchI
Bartolo Marchettl
B asIIIo Pagnanel11

The l i b r e t t i s t which P alsiello employed to set "Le B a r b i e r " was

Giuseppe P e t r o s e l l l n l (17 27 -1 799 ). He was a p r i e s t and poe t who had

a l s o pro vi de d t h e lib re tto for P a i s l e l l o ' s opera "Le due c o n t e s s e " In

1776. P a l s i e l l o was n o t s a t i s f i e d w i t h h i s c h o i c e o f P e t r o s e l l l n l as a

lib re ttis t, nor was he s a t i s f i e d w i t h t h e outcome o f his lib r e t t o . In

a l e t t e r t o h i s f r i e n d Gal Ian! he w r o t e :

You w i l l n ot be happy w i t h t h e p o e t r y , because I ' v e had t o

bend t o n e c e s s i t y , due t o t h e absence o f poets h e r e . 3

This d e fin ite ly c o n t r a s t s t h e w o rd i n g found In P a i s l e l l o ' s dedication

where he p r a i s e s "the genius of Ita lian poetry." T a r t a k makes the

follow ing observation about P a is le llo 's choice of P e tro se llln l and

e l a b o r a t e s on P et ro se l 1 1 n l ' s a b i l i t i e s as a l i b r e t t i s t :

2
Harold Lawrence, Pal si el I o . r e c o r d J a c k e t n ot es f o r Gio van ni
P a is le llo 's The B a r b e r o f S e v i l l e , per fo rmed by V i r t u o s i dl Roma,
conducted by Renato Fasano (Mercury 0L2-110, 1960), p. 1.

3MarvIn H. T a r t a k , The I t a l i a n Comic Operas o f Rossini. D lss.,

U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , B e r k e l e y , 1968, p. 141.
 25

P a l s i e l l o had no c o m p e t e n t l i b r e t t i s t s In R u s s i a , h i s
f a v o r i t e , L e g r e n z i , bei ng occupied In Naples. Against h is
b e t t e r judgment he gave t h e s u b j e c t t o Giuseppe P e t r o s e l l l n l
. . . T h i s u n d i s t i n g u i s h e d v e r s i f i e r had one f o r t e : 'dramma
g l o c o s l , ' which he w r o t e f o r v a r i o u s composers — CImarosa,
P I c c I n l and P a l s i e l l o . H i s s p e c i a l i t y was d i s g u i s e s ,
mist aken I d e n t i f i c a t i o n s , concealment . I n t r i g u e , he had no
t a l e n t f o r s o c i a l s a t i r e , b u t was c o n t e n t t o use t r i t e
f o r m u l a s o f b u f f a commedles. To t h i s m e d i o c r i t y P a l s i e l l o
entrusted the B a rb le re ; . . . 4

Though he I s n o t g i v e n much c r e d i t as a l i b r e t t i s t , PetroselI I n i ' s

work d e f i n i t e l y c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l success o f P a i s l e l l o ' s

o pe r a. By t h e t i m e o f Rossini's b irth In 1792 P a i s l e l l o ' s "Barbtere"

had premiered In t h e f o l l o w i n g c i t i e s : Naples, 1783; Warsaw, Prague,

V e rsa ille s (In French), 1784; Cassel, Pressburg and Mannheim (In

German), 1785; Madrid (in Spanish), 1787; Liege (In French), 1786;

B erlin ( I n German), 1788; London, Paris (In I t a l i a n and F r e n c h ) , 1789;

S t . P et e r s b u r g ( I n R u s s i a n ) , 1790; and L i s b o n , 1791.^

Gi o ac h l n o A n t o n i o Ro s si n i was born I n t o t h e f a m i l y o f Giuseppe and

Anna Ro ss in i In t h e small c ity of Pesaro, Ita ly . Giuseppe was a horn

p l a y e r and h i s w i f e an opera s i n g e r . As a y o u n g s t e r G i o a c h l n o showed

little Interest In school work and was v e r y h y p e r a c t i v e . A c c or d i ng t o

Welnstock, ". . . tra d itio n s co in cide In p ic tu rin g him as lazy,

p r a n k i s h , and d i s o b e d i e n t ; he was punished more than once by b ei ng s e n t

t o pump b e l l o w s In a s m l t t y . " 6

4 l b I d.
5
A l f r e d L oe w e n b e r g , " P a i s l e l l o ' s and R o s s i n i ' s ' B a r b l e r e Dl
S Iv Ig lla ,'" Music & L e t t e r s . XX ( A p r i l , 1939), pp. 159-160.

^ H e r b e r t Wel nst oc k, Rossini: A Bio graphy. (New Y o r k : A lfred A.

Knopf , 1968), p. 8.
 26

As a y o u n g s t e r G l oac hi no possessed a v e r y lovely voice and his

parents thought t o d i r e c t him toward a s i n g i n g c a r e e r . T h i s plan d i d

n o t m a t e r i a l i z e though t h e young R o s s i n i performed f r e q u e n t l y in chur ch

s e r v i c e s and operas.

R ossini's tra in ing in composition began when h i s p a r en t s placed

him under t h e c a re o f Padre S t a n i s l a o M a t t e l . M at t el had t h e y o un g s t e r

t u t o r e d by Maestro Angelo Tesel In t h e ru d ime nt s o f music. In 1802 t h e

R o s s i n i f a m i l y moved t o Lugo. Prior t o t h i s G l o a c h i n o had begun t a k i n g

horn lessons from h i s f a t h e r . Whi le In Lugo R o ssi ni began s t u d y i n g t h e

c e mb al o and also studied voice w ith a lo cal canon named Giuseppe

Male rbt. Much o f h i s f r e e t i m e was s pen t examini ng t h e scores o f Haydn

and Mozart a t t h e Pal azzo M a l e r b l .

In 1805 t h e Ro s si n i family resettled In Bologna where G l oa ch i no

studie d singing, solfeggio, cembalo and figured-bass p riva tely with

Padre Angelo T e s e l . He a l s o s t u d i e d v o i c e w i t h Mat teo B ab bi ni a well

known te n o r. D u rin g th is tim e R o ssin i o fte n pla yed cem balo

accompaniment f o r o p e r a t i c r e c i t a t i v e s In nearby t h e a t e r s . He f u r t h e r

Increased his knowledge of t he Instruments by learning to play the

v i o l I n and t h e v l o l a .

R o s s i n i ' s accomplishments and p o p u l a r i t y as a s i n g e r grew t o t h e

p o i n t where he was g i ve n membership in t h e Accademia F i l a r m o n i c a . He

was a d m i t t e d on June 24, 1806 a t t h e age o f f o u r t e e n . Mozart was a l s o

admitted to this organization a t the same age. Two months prior to

t h i s R o ss in i was accepted I n t o t h e L i c e o M u si ca le where he remained f o r

fo u r years. While t h e r e he c o n t i n u e d h i s s t u d i e s In s i n g i n g , solfeggio

and c e l I o . He a l s o began t o study c o u n t e r p o i n t under M a t t e l and p i a no .

 27

G o s s e t t g iv e s t h i s account of R o s s i n i ' s p r o d u c t i v i t y w h i l e a s t u d e n t a t

t h e L i ce o M u s ic a l e :

During h is stu d e n t years Rossini wrote l i t t l e : a few

I nst r ume nt al p i e c es , some sacred music ( I n c l u d i n g a mass) and
a r a t h e r poor c a n t a t a , ' I I p i a n t o d ' A r m o n i a s u l l a m o rt e
d ' O r f e o , ' which n onethel es s won a p r i z e a t t h e L I c e o and was
performed t h e r e f o r an academic c o n v o c a t i o n on 11 August
1808. I t i s o f t e n s a i d t h a t he s u p p l i e d many a r i a s f o r
i n s e r t i o n I n t o operas performed in Bol ogna, b ut t h i s c l a i m
has never been s y s t e m a t i c a l l y i n v e s t i g a t e d . ^

In 1808 R o ss i n i set his firs t opera to a lib re tto by Vincenza

M o mb e ll i. The name of t h e work was " De me tr i o e P o i i b i o . " Though it

was w r i t t e n In 1808 I t d i d n o t pre mi ere u n t i l 1812. The f i r s t opera of

R o s s i n i ' s t o make I t s debut was "La Cambiale di matrimonio" (November

3, 1810).® It was c ommi ssi on ed' by t he San Mol se T h e a t r e In Venice.

Rossini was o n l y e i g h t e e n years o l d a t t h e t i m e and s t i l l resided in

B ol o gn a. His firs t success came w i t h the production of "L In ga nno

fel Ice" In January 1812. T h i s work was a l s o commissioned by t h e San

Moise Theatre. Gossett states that "th is work re ma i ne d popular

throughout Ita ly during the next decade," and as a re s u lt of this

t r i u m p h "commissions from o t h e r t h e a t r e s f o l l o w e d r a p i d l y . "9

Ro ssi ni was now a c t i v e l y p u r s u i n g a c a r e e r as a f u l l - t i m e composer

o f ope ra . He w r o t e these works a t an e x t r e m e l y fast rate because he

was f i n a n c i a l l y r e s p o n s i b l e f o r h i m s e l f and f o r members o f h i s f a m i l y .

Between 1808 and 1814 Ro ssi ni composed f o u r t e e n operas. Two o f t hese

^ P h i l i p G o s s e t t , " R o s s i n i , G i o a c h l n o , " The New Grove D i c t i o n a r y o f

Music and M u s i c i a n s . 6 t h ed. 20 vol s. ed. S t a n l e y Sadie (London:
M acml l Ia n, 1980), XVI, p. 227.
g
A one a c t opera b u f f a or " f a r s a " .
g
Gossett, op. c f t . , p. 227.
 28

works brought him Inte rn a tio n a l a cclaim . They we re "Tancred!"

(1812-13, opera s e r l a ) , and "L 'lta lla n a In A l g e r ! " (1813, melodramma

glo coso). In 1815 Ro s si n i moved t o Naples t o compose opera f o r T e a t r o

S. C a r l o and remained t h e r e u n t i l 1822. I t was d u r i n g t h i s t i m e p e r i o d

t h a t R o s s i n i composed h i s g r e a t opera b u f f a "11 Barb I e r e dl S I v I g l l a . "

On December 15, 1815 he signed a c o n t r a c t t o w r i t e a new opera f o r Duca

Francesco Sforza-CesarInf. Cesarlnl was t h e o w n e r - I m p r e s a r i o o f the

T e a t r o dl T o r r e A r g e n t i n a In Rome. Ac co r di n g t o Welnstock t h e c o n t r a c t

stated " t h a t t h e composer must accept any lib re tto handed him by t h e

Impresario, compose t h e opera In f i v e weeks, adapt Its music t o the

v o i c e s and demands o f the singers, preside a t rehearsals, and a c t as

’ maestro al cembalo' d u r i n g t h e f i r s t t h r e e p u b l i c p e r f o r m a n c e s . "10

In a le tte r dat ed March 22, 1860 R o ss i n i r e co r d e d the events

s u r r o u n d i n g t h e w r i t i n g and p r e mi e re o f " I I Barblere."

I was c a l l e d t o Rome In 1815 t o compose, a t t h e T e a t r o V a l l e ,

t h e opera o f ' T o r v a l d o e Dor I I s k a , ' which had a good su ccess;
my I n t e r p r e t e r s were Gal I I , D o n z e l l i , and RemorlnJ, t h e most
b e a u t i f u l v o i c e s I have e v e r h e a r d . The Duca C e s a r l n l ,
p r o p r i e t o r of t h e T e a t r o A r g e n t i n a and I t s d i r e c t o r In t h a t
same C a r n i v a l season, f i n d i n g a f f a i r s sad In h i s e n t e r p r i s e ,
proposed t o me t h a t ( I n h a s t e ) I make an opera f o r t h e end o f
t h a t season. I a c c e p t e d and I a s s o c i a t e d m y s e l f w i t h
S t e r b l n l , a t r e a s u r y s e c r e t a r y and poe t, In s e a r c h i n g f o r a
s u b j e c t f o r t h e poem t h a t I had t o s e t t o m u s i c . " The
c h o i c e f e l l on ' L e B a r b l e r , ' I s e t t o work and In t h i r t e e n
days I t was f i n i s h e d . I had as my I n t e r p r e t e r s G r a c i a ,

^ W e l n s t o c k , op. c l t . . p. 53.

^ C e l la says t h a t S t e r b l n l "was a l i b r e t t i s t by v o c a t i o n , n o t
p ro fe ss io n . [ F r a n c a C e l i a , " S t e r b l n l , C e s a r e " , The New G r o v e
D i c t i o n a r y o f Music and M u s i c i a n s . 6 t h e d . , 20 v o l s . , ed. S t a n l e y ,
Sadie (London: M ac mi l la n, 1980), p. 126. " F e r r e t t I d e s c r i b e d him as
' v e r y e x p e r t In t h e Gr e ek t o n g u e , L a t i n , F r e n c h , and G e r m a n . " '
S t e r b l n l a l s o had p r e v i o u s l y worked w i t h Ro s si n i p r o v i d i n g t h e l i b r e t t o
f o r h i s opera " T o r v a l d o e Dor I I ska" 1815. ( Wel ns to ck , op. c ! t . f p.
412.).
 29

ZambonI, and G l o r g i R i g h e t t I , a l l t h r e e of them v a l i a n t . I

w r o t e a l e t t e r t o P a l s i e l l o , d e c l a r i n g t o him t h a t I had n o t
wanted t o e n t e r i n t o c o n t e s t w i t h him, bei ng aware of my
I n f e r i o r i t y , b ut had o n l y wanted t o t r e a t a s u b j e c t t h a t
d e l i g h t e d me, w h i l e a v o i d i n g as much as p o s s i b l e t h e e xac t
s i t u a t i o n s In h i s l i b r e t t o . T h a t d i s c l a i m e r h a v i n g been
made, I b e l i e v e d m y s e l f s h e l t e r e d f rom c r i t i c i s m by h i s
f r i e n d s and l e g i t i m a t e a d m i r e r s . I was w r o n g l On t h e
appearance o f my opera, t h e y rushed l i k e w i l d b ea s ts upon t h e
b e a r d l e s s l i t t l e ’ m a e s t r o , ' and t h e f i r s t performance was one
o f t h e most tempestuous. I , however, was n o t t r o u b l e d , and
w h i l e t h e audience w h i s t l e d , I applauded my p e r f o r m e r s . That
storm havi ng passed, by ' B a r b e r , ' who had an e x c e l l e n t r a z o r
(Beau ma rc ha is ), shaved t h e beard o f t h e Romans so w e l l t h a t I
was borne In t r i u m p h (a t h e a t r i c a l p h r a s e ) . ^

In a d d itio n to w ritin g a le tte r to P a ls ie llo , Rossini a lso

I ncl ud ed t h e f o l l o w i n g " A v v e r t l m e n t o al p u b b l I c o " In t h e l i b r e t t o which

was sol d t o t h e p u b l I c .

The comedy by Si gno r Beaumarchais e n t i t l e d 'The Ba r be r of

S e v i l l e , o r t h e F u t i l e P r e c a u t i o n , ' Is bei ng p res ent ed In
Rome, a d a p t e d as a 'dramma c o m l c o ' u n d e r t h e t i t l e o f
' A l m a v l v a , o r The F u t i l e P r e c a u t i o n , ' t h i s f o r t h e purpose o f
c o n v i n c i n g t h e p u b l i c f u l l y o f t h e s e nt i m e nt s o f r e s p e c t and
v e n e r a t i o n which ani mat e t h e c r e a t o r o f t h e music o f t he
p r e s e n t 'dramma' t o w a r d t h e g r e a t l y c e l e b r a t e d P a e s l e l l o
CslcD, who d e a l t w i t h t h i s s u b j e c t under I t s o r i g i n a l t i t l e .

C a l l e d upon t o t a k e up t h e same d i f f i c u l t t a s k , t h e ' s i g n o r

m a e stro' G lo ach in o R o s s in i, w ish in g not to Incu r the
a c c u s a t i o n o f a t e m e r a r i o u s r i v a l r y w i t h t h e Immortal
composer who preceded him, e x p r e s s l y asked 'The Ba r be r of
S e v i l l e ' be ' r e - v e r s l f l e d c o m p l e t e l y ' and t h a t some new
s i t u a t i o n s f o r musical p i ec es be added, and he f u r t h e r asked
t h a t these be t o modern t h e a t r i c a l t a s t e s , so much a l t e r e d
s i n c e t h e epoch In which t h e renowned P a e s l e l l o CslcU wr ot e
h I s music.

Some added d i f f e r e n c e between t h e t e x t o f t h e p r e s e n t dramma

and t h a t o f t h e Comedie-Frangalse mentioned above was caused
by t h e need t o I n s e r t c h o r u s e s I n t o t h e s u b j e c t i t s e l f ,
e i t h e r because t h e y are r e q u i r e d by modern usage o r because
t h e y a r e e s s e n t i a ! f o r p r o d u c i n g a m u s i c a l e f f e c t In a
t h e a t r e of n o t a b l e c a p a c i t y . And t h u s t h e c o u r t e o u s p u b l i c
w i l l be I nf ormed, a l s o on t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y , o f t h e w r i t e r
o f t h e new ' dramma', f o r w i t h o u t t h e c o nc u r r e n c e o f such
i n f l u e n t i a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s , he w o u l d n o t h a ve d a r e d t o

12 l b i d . . p. 59.
 30

i n t r o d u c e t h e s i I g h t e s t change i n t o t h e French p r o d u c t , now

c o n s e c r a t e d by t h e a t r i c a l a p p l a u s e t h r o u g h o u t a l l o f
E u r o p e . 1^

By the tim e R o s s in i's ” 11 B a r b i e r e " had premiered in Rome

Paisiel l o 's opera had gone on t o make o t h e r debuts In sever al major

c itie s . They include "Brussels (In French), 1793; Stockholm (In

Swedish), 1 797; Mexico (firs t Ita lia n opera ever g i ve n t h e r e ) , 1806;

and New Or le ans ( i n F r e n ch ) , 1 8 1 0 . "14 R o s s i n i ' s work q u i c k l y rose t o

fame and w ith in ten years had debuted in the fo llo w in g c itie s :

B a r c el o n a, 1818; Munich, Lisbon and New Yor k, 1819; Vienna, and Graz

(In German), 1 819; Paris, 1 81 9; B r u ns wi ck, 1 820; Brunn (in German),

1820; Kro nstadt and Hermannstadt (Transylvania), Brussels, M arseilles

Madrid and Odessa, 1821; L yo ns (in French), 1821; Rotterdam and

Strasburg, 1822; D u b l i n and P h i l a d e l p h i a (In E nglish), 1822; B e r l i n (in

G er ma n) , 1822; Copenhagen (In D anish), 1822; St. Petersburg (In

Russia), 1 822; Riga and Amsterdam ( I n German); Edi nburgh ( I n E n g l i s h ) ,

1824; Prague (In Czech), 1 825; Pr es sbu rg (In German), 1825; Buenos

A ires (the f i r s t Ita lia n opera ever g i v e n t h e r e ) , 1825; Stockholm ( I n

Swedish), 1 825; Warsaw (In P o lis h ), 1 825; Amsterdam (In Dutch), 1825;

and Mexico ( I n S p a n i s h ) , 1826.15

Neither P a ls ie llo nor Rossini were re lu ctan t to e xp r es s th e ir

opinio n of t h e o t h e r ' s musical talent. P a l s i e l l o spoke o f R o ss in i as

"a ' l i c e n t i o u s ' composer who pai d little a tte n tio n t o the ru le s of his

art, a debaser o f good t a s t e , a man whose g r e a t f a c i l i t y In c o m p o s i t i o n

13 1b1d . r p. 5 8 .
14
Loewenberg, op. c l t . . p. 160.

15 1b i d . . pp. 165-66.
 31

was In p a r t t h e r e s u l t o f a v e r y t e n a c i o u s m e m o r y . R o s s i n i expressed

his opinion of P a l s l e l l o ' s music In t h e f o l l o w i n g words:

H i s music moves p a s t t h e e ar p l e a s a n t l y , b ut n e i t h e r I t s
harmony nor I t s melody Is a n y t h i n g s p e c i a l , and I never was
p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t e d In I t . His p r i n c i p l e was t o compose
a whole piece around a small m o t i v e which makes f o r l i t t l e
v i t a l i t y and even l e s s d r a m a t i c e x p r e s s i v e n e s s . ^

From t hese r e c o r d s I t I s c l e a r t h a t n e i t h e r composer placed a hi gh

v a l u e on t h e musical t a l e n t of the other. Though t he y make no s p e c i f i c

reference t o " I I B a r b l e r e " I t can be assumed t h a t t h e y would have g i ve n

no h i g h e r p r a i s e had t hese works been menti oned. Of t h e two, R o s s i n i ' s

work has r e c e i v e d t h e h i g h e s t compliments from o t h e r g r e a t composers.

Beethoven gave him t h e f o l l o w i n g c ompl iment when t h e y met In Vienna In

1822:

Ah, R o s s i n i , you a r e t h e c o m p o s e r o f ' I I B a r b l e r e dl

S Iv Ig lla '. I c o n g r a t u l a t e you; I t i s an e x c e l l e n t ' oper a
b u f f a ' ; I read i t w i t h p l e a s u r e and I t d e l l a h t s me. I t w llI
be played as long as I t a l i a n opera e x l s t s j ® ^

In 1898 Verdi w r o t e :

You may say t h i n g s about Ro s si n i and B e l l i n i , and t h e y may be

t r u e , but I c o n f e s s t h a t I c ann ot h e l p b e l i e v i n g ' I I B a r b l e r e
dl S I v I g l l a , ' f o r abundance o f ideas, f o r comic v e r v e , and
f o r t r u t h o f d e c l a m a t i o n , t h e most b e a u t i f u l ' o p er a b u f f a ' In
e xiste n ce .^

Derwent f u r t h e r s t a t e s " t h a t Schumann adored t h e 'B arblere'; and

t h a f Berl loz was moved t o t e a r s by La P a t t i ' s performance as R o s ln a ."2 0

^ W e l n s t o c k , op. c l t . . p. 47.

I7lt?.i.d,, p. 265.

18 l b i d . . p. 120.

19J . b Id ,, P. 5 6.

20
L o r d D e r w e n t , R o ss i n I :___ and Some. For g o t t e n NJ gh±Lnga_Les.
(London: Camelot Press, L t d . , 1934), p. 140.
 32

Comparison, o f t h e L i b r e t t i and t h e Play

Petrosel11ni's lib re tto I s no more t han a "watered- down" o u t l i n e

of it,e o rig in a l "B a rb ie r." The w o r d i n g of the text Is basically

id e n tic a l t o the o r i g i n a l , but In I t s condensed s t a t e it la cks most o f

the f l a i r and s p a r k l e o f Beaumarchais* work. S te r b ln l's version also

l a ck s the "fire " and b r ea d t h of the o rig in a l pla y but shows more

va ria tio n and c r e a t i v i t y in Its structure and dialogue. There are

o bv i ou s s i m i l a r i t i e s which t h e lib re tti have In common w i t h the pla y.

All t h r e e use t h e o r i g i n a l t ime s e t t i n g o f seventeenth c e n t u r y S e v i l l e ,

the original leading c h arac te rs and t h e two o r i g i n a l scene settings

( t h e s t r e e t o u t s i d e Dr. B arto lo 's house and t h e room w i t h t h e bal cony

I n s i d e B a r t o l o ' s h ous e).

The fo llo w in g a n a ly s is gives a d e ta ile d look at the other

s i m i l a r i t i e s and d i f f e r e n c e s which e x i s t .

One of the major changes wh ic h bot h lib re ttis ts made Is the

a lte ra tio n of personality tra its In some o f the characters. The two

which undergo d r a s t i c m o d i f i c a t i o n s a r e Count Almavlva and F i g a r o . The

firs t act of t h e play centers p r ed o m i n a n t l y around t hese two. It is

here t h a t we l e a r n a g r e a t deal about t h e i r p e r s o n a l i t i e s . As t h e p la y

progresses Beaumarchais s h ifts the e m ph as is of the story to the

unfolding p lo t.

The Count o f "Le B a r b l e r " I s an a r i s t o c r a t i c snob. P ractically

e v er y statement which he makes In Act I Is e ithe r condescend I rig,

a bu s iv e o r d i s r e s p e c t f u l t o Figaro. Seldom does he address t h e bar be r

with h i s proper name. I n s te a d, he uses words like "scamp", "rascal"

and " s c a t t e r b r a i n " . The Count shows t h e h e a r t l e s s s i d e o f h is nature

 33

when he laughs a t F i g a r o ' s m i s f o r t u n e and r i d i c u l e s his a spira tio n s.

He makes I t known t h a t he t h i n k s v er y I i t t l e o f F i g a r o and al I t h e poor

whom he c a l l s " i d l e and I r r e g u Ia r . "21 It I s v e r y c l e a r t h a t Almavlva

has a v e r y b i a s ed , narrow view o f l i f e o u t s i d e t h e realm o f t h e royal

court.

The Count I s a l s o a b l a t a n t user . This side of h is p e r s o n a lity Is

exposed when he d i s c o v e r s t h a t F i g a r o has access t o B a r t h o l o ' s house

(Act I). Once he knows th is he I m m ed i a te l y changes his behavior

towar ds him. He no l o n g e r I n s u l t s h i s f o r m e r s e r v a n t b ut I nst ea d hugs

him and c a l l s him "my f r i e n d , my a ng e l , my l i b e r a t o r , my g u a r d i a n . " 22

Figaro lets him know t h a t he Is not t ak en In by any of his phony

p r e te n se . The Count responds by becoming humble and f o l l o w i n g a l l of

Figaro's Instructions. Ho even allows Figaro to make Jokes at his

ex pe ns e w ith o u t re ta lia tin g . Two o t h e r aspects of the C ou nt's

p e r s o n a l i t y are h i s w i t and sense o f humor. He proves h i m s e l f t o have

great f a c i l i t y In t hese two areas as he c o n f r o n t s t h e o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s

throughout the play.

Beaumarchais' Figaro Is f u l l of humor, sarcasm, w i t and c u n n i n g .

He shows h i m s e l f t o be s u p e r i o r t o even ts from t h e v e r y s t a r t . With

great s k ill he v e r b a l l y out -man euv er s Alm avlva's sarcastic, u nk i nd

remarks. He always comes away from each bout unblemished, showing

great re s ilie n c e every st ep of the way. Figaro n ev er resorts to

a bu s i v e language when speaking w i t h Al mavlva and t h e r e f o r e seems t h e

21
P i e r r e Beaumarchais, The Ba r be r o f S e v i l l e , t r a n s . , Steward Robb
(London: Samuel French L t d . , 1939), p. 18.

22± L U L , p. 26.
 34

b e t t e r o f t h e two. He i s v e r y f l a m b o y a n t and c o l o r f u l In h i s demeanor

and comes a c r o s s as a shrewd m a n i p u l a t o r . He underst ands w e l l how t o

" s t r o k e " t h e C o u n t ' s ego and feed h i s v a n i t y w h i l e a r t f u l l y m a i n t a i n i n g

a sarcastic t on gue. A good example o f this I s found in t h e d i a l o g u e

where F i g a r o encourages t h e Count t o I mp ro vi se a serenade t o Roslne.

Count: B ut how can I sing t o t h i s music? I c a n ' t make up

verses.

Fig aro: ( e a g e r l y ) A n y t h i n g t h a t comes t o you, my l o r d , w i l l

be e x c e l l e n t . In l o v e t h e h e a r t s u p p l i e s
Inspiration. Take my g u i t a r .

Count: What do you want me t o do? I p la y I t so b a d l y .

Fig aro : Is I t pos sible a man like you can be ignorant of

a n y t h Ing?23

As Almavlva I mp ro vi se s words t o t h e song F i g a r o t e l l s him t h a t he c o ul d

n o t have done I t b e t t e r h i m s e l f . A t one p o i n t , a f t e r supposedly bei ng

moved by t h e beauty o f t h e C o u n t ' s words, F i g a r o f a l I s t o h i s knees and

k i s s e s t h e hem o f h i s garment. When t h e Count leaves t h e st age F i g a r o

l aughs at these same wo r ds . A ll of th is Is the B arber's way of

I n f l a t i n g A l m a v l v a ' s ego w h i l e mocking him.

Fig aro recognizes tha t Al mavl va thinks him self to be superior

s i mp l y by v i r t u e of his b irth . He a l l o w s him t o believe this but

le aves no q u e s t i o n as to who Is the sm arter of the two. When

e x p r e s s i n g h i s o p i n i o n o f t h e government t o t h e Count, F i g a r o s t a t e s :

I c o n s i d e r m y s e l f s u f f i c i e n t l y happy In b e i n g f o r g o t t e n ,
persuaded t h a t t h e a u t h o r i t i e s do us enough good when t he y
r e f r a i n f rom doi ng us any h ar m. 24

It i s made c l e a r from t h i s s t at e m e n t t h a t "Le B a r b l e r " has very little

23JiLl.d. , p. 29.

24 l b i d . . p. 18.
 35

faith in t h e government. He knows t h a t t h e n o b i l i t y has J u s t as many

f a u l t s as t h e common people, and I s never deceived by t h e i r p r e te n se t o

greatness. One of F ig a ro 's strongest assets Is his abundance of

s e lf-co nfid e nce . He n e v e r expresses the s lig h te s t b it of doubt

concerning h is a b i l i t y t o accompli sh any t a s k . A good example o f t h i s

I s t h e s ta te me n t which he makes r i g h t b e f o r e e n t e r i n g B a r t h o l o ' s house

t o disable h is servants:

I s h a l I e n t e r h er e , where, by t h e power of my magic a r t , w i t h

a s i n g l e wave o f my hand, I s h a l l p ut v i g i l a n c e t o s leep,
awaken l o v e , lead j e a l o u s y a s t r a y , t h w a r t I n t r i g u e , and
overcome a l l o b s t a c l e s . ^5

Such Is the unconquerable F ig a ro . When re ading B eaum archais'

m a st e r p i e c e , one I s g i v e n t h e deep I mpression t h a t It I s t hr o ug h t he

c u nn i n g, energy, cre a tiv ity and d i l i g e n c e of F i g a r o t h a t t h e plan t o

rescue Roslne w ill be a c c o m pl i s h e d. Everythin g evolves around "Le

B a r b l e r . 11

The Almavlva o f P et ros eI 1 1 n l 1s l i b r e t t o I s f a r l e s s a bu s i v e In h i s

language t o F i g a r o though he s t i l l resorts t o name c a l l i n g a t times.

P etro se llln l also modifies Alm avlva's personality by t o n i n g down h i s

tendency t o be h e a r t l e s s and c r i t i c a l toward F i g a r o . He removes t h e

words which express p l e a s u r e In F i g a r o ' s m i s f o r t u n e and which r i d i c u l e

h i s hopes o f achi evement . Gone a l s o a r e t h e p r e j u d i c e d comments about

the poor and t h e fee ling t h a t t h e Count Is I n s e n s i t i v e t o t h e common

people. In o t h e r r e s p e c t s t h e Count remains t h e same.

Pet ro se I I I n i ' s Figaro Is not the same I r r e p r e s s i b l e person which

Beaumarchais c r e a t e d . In f a c t , he I s q u i t e average. In t h i s v e r s i o n

25U2±£L., p. 38.
his personality loses most o f I t s charm and Interest. His a c t i o n s a r e

b a s ic a lly the same but the person has been metamorphosed, h is

commanding personality t aken away. Figaro ceases to be t h e shrewd

m anipula tor, the highly boastful, s e l f - c o n f i d e n t s e r v a n t who I s always

one s tep ahead o f everyone e l s e . He r e t a i n s h i s w i t and humor b ut in

smaller portions. In t h e play much Is revealed about F i g a r o ' s p ast

experiences and travels. Also I ncl ud ed are the many things which

Interest him and t h e t h i n g s which have c o n t r i b u t e d to t h e shaping o f

his character. P etroselllnl r e t a i n s seme o f t h i s In h i s lib re tto b ut

keeps I t a t a minimum. One Is s t i l l a bl e t o d e t e c t th a t there Is a

social gap between Almavlva and F i g a r o , b ut it does n o t stand o u t In

s t a r k c o n t r a s t as In Beaumarchais’ " B a r b l e r . ”

In S te rb ln l's lib re tto the re la tio n sh ip between the Count and

Figaro is completely changed. The two a r e a lmo s t transformed Into

friends of the same s c c l a l status. Neither has a n y t h i n g n e g a t i v e t o

say about t h e o t h e r s s t a n d i n g in s o c i e t y . This e lim in a te s th e m a jo r it y

of the sarcasm, abusive language and mocking which Is found In

Beaum archais' work. The Count s till favors F ig a ro w ith a few

unp l ea s an t names, b ut he I s no l o n g e r t h e k n o w - i t - a l l , condescending,

a r i s t o c r a t i c snob.

Figaro retains his w it and humor but undergoes a g r e a t deal of

change which leaves him a mere shadow o f h i s f or me r s e l f . He i s s t i l l

very boastful about h i s a b i l i t i e s , b ut in t h i s v e r s i o n he brags about

his popularity as t h e towns factotum and matchmaker. Here S t e r b l n l

s h i f t s the focus of F ig a r o 's l i f e by e l i m i n a t i n g t h e d i a l o g u e about h i s

past e x p e r i e n c e s and t r a v e l s o u t s i d e o f S e v i l l e and c e n t e r i n g I t on h i s

 37

life and a c tiv itie s Inside S eville. This gives the Impression t h a t

Figaro Is a c tu a lly from t h e c i t y and l i m i t s t h e audiences view o f his

past. The d e l e t e d I n f o r m a t i o n about F i g a r o was t a k e n from t h e life

e x p e ri e n ce s o f Beaumarchais.

B artolo, Roslna and B a s i l l o each r e t a i n t h e same p e r s o n a l i t i e s In

the lib re tti versio ns. Bartolo Is s t i l l the extremely suspicious old

man who i s c r u e l , u n j u s t and greedy. Roslna remains a b e a u t i f u l young

woman who is far from bei ng naive. She Is s till quite c ap ab l e of

ma tc hi ng w its with B artolo, devising c u nn in g schemes and using her

womanly charm t o b e t t e r her s i t u a t i o n . B asi l l o remai ns as d e s c r i b e d by

Fig aro: "a poor rogue, e a s i l y o u t w i t t e d who w i l l g e t on h i s knees f o r

a penny.

P e tro s e llln l makes no m o d i f i c a t i o n s In the behavior or the

personalities of B arto lo 's two s e r v a n t s though he does rename them.

S terblnl changes one o f t h e s e r v a n t s I n t o a woman whom he c a l l s B e r t a .

She I s ve ry outspoken about her own l i f e and t h e t h i n g s which t r a n s p i r e

In B a r t o l o ' s house. The o t h e r s e r v a n t who S t e r b l n l renamed Ambrogio Is

pra ctically nonexistent. Ot her s i g n i f i c a n t changes a r e b e s t seen by

t r a c i n g t h e p l o t development o f t h e play and comparing t h e l i b r e t t i .

Beaumarchais begins the openin g scene w ith Alm avlva located

o u t s i d e B a r t h o l o ' s house beneath t h e balcony window. He Is w a i t i n g f o r

Roslne t o make her d a i l y appearance. As he w a i t s he t a l k s t o h i m s e l f

about his present s itu a tio n and at tim es addresses the audie nce.

Suddenly he I s alarmed by t h e w h i s t l e o f an a pp ro achi ng Intruder. He

h i d e s h i m s e l f and watches as t h e person becomes v i s i b l e . F i g a r o t hen

26_LfaM.., p. 28.
 38

enters with a g u i t a r on h i s back w r i t i n g t h e words t o t h e song he Is

composing. He I mprov ises on t h e t e x t until he Is s a t i s f i e d . Du ri ng

t h e monologue which f o l l o w s F i g a r o r e f e r s t o h i m s e l f as a composer of

comic opera. At t h i s p o i n t t h e Count looks from h i s h i d i n g p l ac e and

makes eye c o n t a c t with Figaro. They both recognize each o t h e r and

begin t o c onvers e. Figaro t a l k s for t h e m a j o r i t y of the conversation

t e l l i n g of h is previous job experience, h i s a c t i v i t i e s as a p l a y w r i g h t

and h is tra v e ls . The t w o also rem inisce about F ig a ro ’ s former

employment w i t h t h e Count. The Count t hen s p ot s Roslne and B a r t h o l o as

they appear on t h e b al con y. Almavtva p u l l s Figaro a s i d e t o conceal

them from v ie w . B a r t h o l o then asks Roslne about t h e paper In her hand.

She says t h a t I t c o n t a i n s ve rs e s from a new o p e r e t t a which was g i v e n t o

her by her sin g ing teacher. She c a l l s the comedy "The Usele ss

P recaution." As t he y converse Roslne drops t h e paper o n t o t h e s t r e e t

below and f r a n t i c a l l y te lls Bartholo to go r e t r i e v e It for h er . He

c o m p l ai n s but goes f o r It anyway. Whi le B a r t h o l o I s headed for the

f r o n t door Roslne c a l I s o u t t o t h e Count and t e l I s him t o p i c k up t h e

paper. The Count g et s t h e paper and hides j u s t as B a r t h o l o I s coming

t h r o u g h t h e door. A f t e r an unsuccessful search B a r t h o l o r e t u r n s t o t h e

bal cony and pushes Roslne Inside. He t he n looks over the b al cony,

s c r a t c h e s h i s head and goes I n s i d e t h e house.

The Count and F i g a r o t he n s tep o ut of h i d i n g and read t h e paper

which t u r n s o u t t o be a l e t t e r . In t h e l e t t e r Roslne t e l I s her a dm i r er

t h a t t h i s a t t e n t i o n s have aroused her c u r i o s i t y . She a l s o asks him t o

Id e n tify him self by Improvising words to a certain song once her

g ua rd ia n has l e f t t h e house. Overwhelmed by t h i s t h e Count Immediately

 39

expresses h is jo y and e x c ite m e n t. F ig a ro d e t e c t s t h a t t h e Count Is In

lo v e w it h t h e young lady but promises n o t t o reveal t h e f a c t t o anyone.

He a ls o Inform s A lm avlva t h a t she Is s t i l l a s i n g l e woman and Is n o t

m a rrie d to B a r t h o lo as Is rumored. The Count then r e s o lv e s to win

R o s ln e 's h e a r t and save h er from B a r t h o lo who h o ld s her c a p t i v e . A fte r

d is c u s s in g B a r t h o lo In more d e t a i l th e Count asks F ig a ro If he has

access t o th e o ld man's house. F ig a ro Inform s him t h a t he n o t o n ly

liv e s In a house owned by B a r t h o lo b ut th a t he is a ls o "B a rth o lo 's

b a r b e r, su rg eo n , and a p o t h e c a r y ."2 7 The Count asks F ig a r o to see

Roslne on h is b e h a lf . The two the n d is c u s s a plan t o g e t r i d o f those

I n s id e B a r t h o l o ' s house who m ig h t In te rfe re . F ig a ro comes up w it h a

p la n t o ta k e c a re of e v e r y t h in g . Knowing t h a t th e "Royal In fa n ta 's

Regiment" Is coming t o tcwn t h a t e v en in g , F ig a ro te lls t h e Count t o

come t o B a r t h o l o ' s house dressed as a drunken t r o o p e r . He t e l Is him t o

b r in g a " Q u a r t e r m a s te r 's b i l l e t " w it h him which w i l l o b l ig e B a r t h o lo t o

p ro v id e lo d g in g f o r him. As th e y t a l k t h e Count n o t ic e s t h a t th e f r o n t

door t o B a r t h o l o ' s house Is being opened. F ig a ro then c o n c e a ls them

both from view . B a r t h o lo emerges from th e house b ut c a l l s back t o

someone In s id e t h a t he w i l l re tu rn s h o r tly . As he w alks away he pauses

fo r a moment and t a l k s t o h im s e lf about t h e I n c i d e n t w it h Roslne and

the paper. E xp re s s in g h is s u s p ic io n s he r e t u r n s to th e house but

h e s ita te s once he reaches th e doo r. He b e g in s to speak about th e

s e c r e t m a rria g e p la n s which Baz11e Is c o o r d in a t in g f o r him and Roslne

(unbeknown t o R o s ln e ) . F o r g e t t in g h is I n t e n t i o n s f o r r e t u r n i n g t o th e

house B a r t h o lo t u r n s away and again leaves t o f i n d Baz11e.

27lbJxL,, p. 26.
 40

Once a gain th e Count and F ig a ro come o u t of h i d in g and d is c u s s

what th e y have heard. F ig a ro sp o ts Roslne th rou g h t h e window and urges

th e Count t o s in g as she re q u e ste d . The Count sin g s a song In which he

Id e n tifie s h im s e lf as L In d o r , a s im p le man o f common b i r t h . Roslne

re p lie s In song, "My h e a r t te lls me t h a t L In d o r Is ch arm in g, th a t I

should lo v e him c o n s t a n t I y ." 2 8 Suddenly she sto p s s in g in g and c lo s e s

her window. F ig a r o and t h e Count suspect t h a t someone has e n te re d h er

room. As th e two d is c u s s t h e s i t u a t i o n A lm avlva d e c la re s t h a t he w i l l

make Roslne h is w ife . He th e n le a v e s to change h is c lo th in g at

F i g a r o 's shop. F ig a ro Is l e f t s ta n d in g In f r o n t o f B a r t h o lo s ' house

la u g h in g a t A lm a v lv a 's song. T h is marks t h e end o f A c t I.

P e tro s e llin I develops t h e p l o t and th e a c t i o n o f Act I J u s t as I t

Is fo u n d In th e p la y . The main d iffe re n c e Is fo u n d In th e huge

d ia lo g u e c u t s . The l i b r e t t i s t r e t a in e d o n ly t h a t which was e s s e n t ia l

t o th e flo w of a c t i o n . S te rb ln l, however, makes se veral changes In h i s

lib re tto . He b e g in s t h e s t o r y w ith a s e rv a n t named F l o r e l l o le a d in g a

group o f m u s ic ia n s t o B a r t h o l o ' s house. F io re llo Is a m inor c h a r a c t e r

which S t e r b l n l adds t o t h e p l o t . As th e y approach t h e house Almavlva

appears and g re e ts them . He th e n urges them to be s i l e n t as he

prepares t o s in g . A lm avlva s in g s h i s serenade t o Roslna accompanied by

th e m u s ic ia n s . Roslna does n o t respond however. T h in k in g h i s e f f o r t s

t o be In v a in and n o t i c i n g t h a t dawn I s a pp ro a chin g , A lm avlva g iv e s h i s

purse t o F l o r e l l o t o pay th e m u s ic ia n s . F l o r e l l o does so and b id s t h e

men good n ig h t. The m u s ic ia n s a re so g r a t e f u l fo r th e C o u n t 's

28± b ± £ k , p. 3 0 .
 41

g e n e r o s it y th e y make a b ig c o m o tion . Angered by th e n o ise t h a t th e y

a re making, F i o r e l l o and A lm avlva t r y t o calm them b e fo re th e y wake th e

n e ig h b o rh o o d . A fte r th e y a re rid of th e m u s ic ia n s F lo re l lo a ls o

I eaves.

As th e Count Is th in k in g over th e s itu a tio n he h ea rs someone

a pp ro a ch in g . He hid es h im s e lf from t h e view of th e I n t r u d e r who Is

none o th e r than F ig a r o . The song which " I I B a r b ie r e " s in g s as he

e n te r s Is d i f f e r e n t from th e one he s in g s In t h e p la y . Instead o f a

song about wine and sorrow which he Is composing f o r h i s o p e ra , I t Is a

song which speaks o f h is life as t h e towns fa c to tu m and matchmaker.

F ig a ro does n o t m ention t h a t he Is an opera composer. When he f i n i s h e s

h is song he m e e ts th e C o u n t. S te rb ln l makes changes In th e

c o n v e rs a tio n w h ic h fo llo w s . F ir s t, he d e le te s a ll of F ig a r o 's

c o n v e r s a t io n about h is life and tra v e ls . He r e p la c e s It w it h th e

C o u n t's e x p la n a tio n o f why he Is In S e v i l l e and w it h comments made by

F ig a ro r e g a r d in g R o s ln a 's Id e n tity . In t h e p la y th is d ia lo g u e comes

a fte r th e B a lcon y Scene w i t h Roslne and B a rth o lo . S te rb ln l a ls o

changes th e rumor which B a r t o l o has spread t h a t Roslna Is h i s w i f e . In

th is v e r s io n S t e r b l n l makes Roslna B a r t o l o ' s d a u g h te r. A nother small

change occurs when S t e r b l n l has F ig a ro n o t ic e t h a t Roslna and B a r t o l o

a re coming o n to th e balcony Inste a d o f th e Count.

S te rb ln l makes o n ly one change d u r in g t h e Balcony Scene. A fte r

B a r t o l o decends t o t h e s t r e e t and Is unable t o f i n d R o s ln a 's paper, he

o rd e r s h er I n t o th e house from th e s t r e e t Inste a d o f r e t u r n i n g t o th e

balcony to push her I n s id e . The n e x t change comes d u r in g B a r to lo 's

monologue when he Is on h i s way t o f i n d B a s l l o . As B a r t o l o t a l k s about

 42

h is p la n s o f matrimony he m entions t h a t he Is g o in g t o marry Roslna th e

same day. In t h e p la y B a r t h o l o ' s p la n s c a l l f o r th e m a rria g e t o ta k e

p lace on th e fo llo w in g day. S te rb ln l makes a n o th e r change In th e

c o n v e r s a t io n when he has F ig a r o th in k of th e p la n fo r th e C o u n t's

d is g u is e b e fo re B a rto lo leaves th e house. Beaumarchais has F ig a r o

t h i n k o f th e plan a f t e r t h e C o u n t's serenade. S te rb ln l a ls o adds one

l i n e d u r in g A lm a v iv a 's serenade. He has t h e Count t e l l Roslna t h a t he

wants t o marry h e r. The f i n a l change which S t e r b l n l makes o c cu rs a t

the v e ry end of th e a c t. In s te a d of le a v in g F ig a r o as th e la s t

c h a r a c t e r on s ta g e , he I s removed and F lo r e l lo Is b ro u g h t on f o r th e

fin a l word. He co m p la in s t h a t t h e Count has l e f t him w a i t i n g .

Beaumarchais b e g in s A ct II w ith a scene change. The a c t i o n now

moves t o a rocm In s id e B a r t h o l o ' s house. I t I s t h e same roan which has

the balcony window. Roslne e n t e r s w it h a c a n d le In her hand. She

looks around t o see I f she Is b e in g watched and the n s i t s down t o w r i t e

a le tte r. Once she Is f i n i s h e d she looks up and addresses t h e audience

r e g a r d in g her s i t u a t i o n . She m entions t h a t she has no p r iv a c y and Is

b e w ild e re d as t o how she w i l l get th is le tte r t o L In d o r . J u s t as she

Is c o n te m p la tin g F ig a r o as a p o s s ib le s o l u t i o n t o t h e problem he e n te r s

th e room. They hold a long c o n v e r s a t io n about L In d o r and h e rs e lf

d u r in g which F ig a ro suggests t h a t she w r i t e him a l e t t e r t o e xpress how

she f e e l s . At th is p o i n t she hands F ig a ro t h e le tte r she has a lre a d y

w ritte n . Roslne then hears B a r t h o lo a pproaching which prompts F ig a ro

t o e x i t th ro u g h a s id e door.

B a r t h o lo e n t e r s c o m p la in in g th a t F ig a ro has "maimed everyone In

t h e house, by b le e d in g Marcel I n e 's f o o t , g i v i n g L ' E v e l l l e a n a r c o t i c t o

 43

make him s le e p y , g iv in g sneezing powder t o La Jeunese, and p u t t i n g a

p o u l t i c e over t h e eyes o f h is b lin d m u le ." 2 9 B a r t h o lo then c o n f r o n t s

Roslne about t h e paper she dropped o v e r th e balcony and about F ig a r o ’ s

v is it. D is g u s te d w ith B a r t h o lo , Roslne leaves th e room In a n g e r.

* s
B a r t h o lo then c a lls In L 'E v e llle and La Jeunese. He t r i e s to get

I n f o r m a t io n out of them c o n c e rn in g F i g a r o 's v is it b ut L 'E v e llle Is

unable t o stop yawning and La Jeunese ca nn o t sto p sneezing. B a r th o lo

the n dism isse s h i s s e rv a n ts a t which tim e B a z I I e e n te r s t h e roan. He

t e l l s B a r t h o lo t h a t th e man who was lo o k in g f o r Roslne in Madrid Is now

In tcwn and t h a t h is name I s Count A lm a vlva . B a z l le then g iv e s h is

famous tira d e of s la n d e r as a method to ru in th e Count. B a r th o lo

d is m is s e s th e Idea and t h e two d is c u s s p la ns f o r th e m a rria g e . B a z l le

r e c e iv e s money from B a r t h o lo t o hasten th e pro cee d ing s and th e n leaves.

F ig a r o , who has lis t e n e d t o th e e n t i r e c o n v e r s a t io n , reappears as

B a r t h o lo e s c o r ts B a z lle to th e d o o r. Roslne appears as F ig a r o is

making fu n o f t h e two. F ig a ro t e l l s h er o f t h e i r p la n s b ut re a ssu re s

h e r t h a t they w i l l be stopped. F ig a ro the n leaves t h e house by a n o th e r

e x i t j u s t b e fo re B a r t h o lo r e t u r n s . Roslne asks B a r t h o lo I f someone had

come t o v is it him. He r e v e a ls t h a t It was B a z l le but says n o th in g

about t h e i r c o n v e r s a t io n . B a r th o lo sw itc h e s th e to p ic to F ig a ro and

soon b e g in s to In te rro g a te R o s ln e about a n o th e r le tte r w h ic h he

su spe cts her o f w r i t i n g . B a r th o lo t h i n k s o f every way p o s s ib le t o t r a p

Roslne In to t e l l i n g th e t r u t h , but she always f i n d s a way t o escape.

Not f u l l y co n vin c e d , B a r t h o lo t h r e a t e n s t o p ut double lo cks on a l l th e

doors when he leaves t h e house. A t t h i s p o i n t t h e Count e n t e r s dressed

29ltiL £ L , p. 38.
 44

as a s o l d i e r s in g in g and a c t i n g somewhat t i p s y . B a r th o lo t e l l s Roslne

t o leave th e room b ut she does n o t. In h is opening remarks t o B a r th o lo

and Roslne th e Count says, "My la d le s , which o f you Is named D r.

B a lo r d o ? " C o rre c tin g him B a r t h o lo re p lie s "B a rth o lo ." " B a lo r d o ,

Babozo, w h a t's t h e d i f f e r e n c e ? " ^ says t h e Count. A t t h i s p o i n t Roslne

Is In s tru c te d fo r th e second tim e t o leave th e room. She does so as

th e Count enrag e s B a r th o lo w ith re m a rks w h ic h com pare th e ir

o c c u p a tio n s . The Count Is posing as a v e t e r i n a r i a n . Almavlva f i n a l l y

te lls B a r th o lo th a t he has come t o h is home In search of lo d g in g .

Roslne re e n te rs th e room as th e y ta lk and t h e Count t r i e s to get a

l e t t e r t o her w it h o u t B a r t h o lo n o t i c i n g . When t h i s plan f a l l s Almavlva

I n s t r u c t s her t o ta k e o u t h er h a n d k e r c h ie f. D u rin g t h i s tim e B a r th o lo

has been lo o k in g fo r th e b r e v e t w h ic h exem pts him fr o m h o u s in g

s o ld ie rs . The Count then drops t h e l e t t e r behind him and p ic k s It up.

He p retends t h a t I t Is R o s ln e 's and hands I t t o h e r. B a r t h o lo t r i e s t o

ta k e th e l e t t e r but t h e Count sto p s him by s t i c k i n g a gun In h is r i b s .

A f t e r th e two argue f o r a w h ile A lm avlva leaves t h e house.

B a r th o lo the n a tte m p ts t o ta k e th e l e t t e r from Roslne, c la im i n g It

to be a le tte r from her lo v e r . She re fu s e s to g iv e It to him and

th re a te n s t o run away. To d is c o u ra g e her B a r t h o lo leaves t h e room t o

lo c k th e f r o n t d o o r . W h ile he Is gone R o s ln e s w it c h e s le tte rs ,

r e p la c i n g th e C o u n t's w it h one from her c o u s in . When B a r t h o lo r e t u r n s

th e y c o n tin u e a r g u in g . Roslne then fake s a f a i n t i n g s p e l l and B a r t h o lo

goes o ve r t o h e lp h e r. As he t r i e s t o r e v i v e her he sp ots th e l e t t e r

s tic k in g out of her p ock e t. He ta k e s It out and reads It. Roslne

3 0 1bI d . . p. 4 9 .
 45

makes s u re t h a t B a r t h o lo has read It and has p ut it back b e fo re she

r e v iv e s . Once she awakens B a r t h o lo a c ts as If th e le tte r was not

Im p o rta n t and c o n fe ss e s h is wrong in t r y i n g t o ta k e i t . Rosine i n s i s t s

how ever th a t he re a d th e l e t t e r , but B a rth o lo fe r v e n tly re fu s e s

c la im i n g t h a t he r e a l l y t r u s t s h e r. He then asks Rosine t o go w it h him

t o check on M a r c e lI n e 's h e a lt h . She conse n ts b ut a |lo w s B a r t h o lo t o go

on b e fo re h e r. Roslne then reads t h e C ount’ s l e t t e r which a d vise s her

t o keep a q u a rr e l g o in g w it h B a r t h o lo . She c h id e s h e r s e l f f o r le ttin g

th e o p p o r t u n it y s lip by and fo r la c k in g "th e w it of a woman o f th e

w o r l d . "31 She ends her monologue w it h words which suggests t h a t she is

a b le t o overcome th e fa u lts of her In e x p e rie n c e . T h is Is th e f in a l

scene o f A ct I I .

P e t r o s e lI i n i ' s v e r s io n o f Act I I s ta y s ve ry c lo s e t o t h e s t o r y l i n e

and sequence of a c tio n . He makes t h e same ty p e r e d u c t io n s In th e

d ia lo g u e as were made In A c t I. He a ls o makes t h r e e m inor changes

which w i l l be noted h e re . The f i r s t change occurs in th e opening scene

when P e tro se l I In i b e g in s w ith Roslna a lr e a d y s e a te d at th e ta b le

w ritin g her le tte r. T h is e lim i n a t e s t h e e ntra n ce which she makes In

the p la y . The second change o c c u r s d u r in g th e d ia lo g u e between th e

Count and B a r t o l o . In t h e p la y B a r t h o lo t e l Is t h e Count t h a t Roslne is

h is w ife . When th e Count q u e s t io n s t h i s n e i t h e r B a r t h o lo nor Roslne

say a n y th in g about i t . In t h e l i b r e t t o Roslna speaks up and says t h a t

B a rto lo i s her " t u t o r e . " The t h i r d change Is a c t u a l l y a d e le tio n o f a

prop. P e tro s e l I In i el im in a te s th e gun which th e Count uses t o t h r e a t e n

B a rto lo .

31 I b i d . . p. 59.
 46

S te rb ln l b e g in s th e opening scene w it h Roslna a lre a d y h o ld in g th e

newly w r i t t e n le tte r In h er hand. She t a l k s o f t h e wound which L In d o ro

has I n f l i c t e d on h e r h e a r t and swears t h a t she w i l l w in him. S te rb ln l

develops t h i s t e x t from t h e words which Roslne speaks a t t h e end o f Act

II in t h e p la y . He does n o t use t h e e xact words o f Beaumarchais b ut

m o d if ie s and e n la rg e s on t h e theme. T h is Is th e te x t used fo r th e

famous a ria "Una voce poco fa ." The next noted d iffe re n c e Is th e

change o f I d e n t i t y give n t o B a r t o l o ' s two s e r v a n t s . S t e r b l n l makes one

s e rv a n t a woman whom he names B e rta and le aves th e o th e r a man g i v i n g

him th e name o f A m b ro g lo . S te rb ln l a ls o makes tw o o th e r m in o r

a lte r a tio n s In t h i s s e c t i o n . He d e le t e s th e t e x t where B a r t o l o t e l l s

t h e Count t h a t Roslna Is h is w i f e and e lim i n a t e s th e prop gun as d id

P e tro s e l1 1 n l.

The b ig g e s t change o c cu rs a t t h e c o n c lu s io n . Instead o f ending

t h e a c t w it h R oslna, S t e r b l n l keeps t h e Count and B a r t o l o In t h e a c t i o n

and b r in g s In B a s il lo , B e rta , F ig a r o and th e town guardsmen. To

fa c ilita te th is a c tio n , S t e r b ln l firs t has Roslna s e c r e t l y s w itc h th e

C o u n t's l e t t e r w it h a la u nd ry lis t. T h is ta k e s p la ce w h i l e B a r t o l o Is

s till in th e room. A fte r B a rto lo sees t h e la u nd ry lis t, and rig h t

b e fo re he a d m it s h is m is t a k e about th e le tte r , B e rth a e n te rs to

announce F i g a r o 's a r r i v a l . B a s il to e n te r s n e x t and adds t o t h e noise

th a t is a lre a d y b eing c re a te d by th e o t h e r s . At th is p o i n t th e y are

a ll sa y in g d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s e xc e p t Roslna and t h e Count who a r e both

c a llin g B a rto lo a " n in n y ." When Roslna s t a r t s t o com plain about th e

way B a rto lo has m is t r e a t e d her, A lm avlva th re a te n s to k ill him and

draws h is sword. Everyone e ls e t r i e s t o s to p him. F ig a ro e n te r s w it h

 47

a bowl under h is arm wondering what t h e g r e a t u p ro a r Is a l l a b o u t. He

te lls everyone th a t h a lf th e town has g a th e re d o u t s id e th e house.

B a r t o l o and A lm avlva begin t o I n s u l t each o t h e r In a n a m e - c a llin g match

w h ile F ig a ro p retends t o subdue A lm a vlva . The two c o n tin u e t o argue

however, w h i l e th e o th e r f o u r t r y t o calm them. Next comes a v i o l e n t

kn ocking at th e d o o r. The c a l l e r s Id e n tify themselves as t h e town

guards and demand e n tra n c e t o th e house. Once In s id e th e y ask f o r an

e x p la n a tio n f o r th e n o is e . Everyone then g iv e s h i s own accou n t o f th e

s to ry . When^they a re a l l f i n i s h e d t h e Count Is t o l d t h a t he Is under

a rre s t. Almavlva hands a document t o t h e o f f i c e r in charge who reads

I t w it h g r e a t s u r p r i s e . The o f f i c e r makes a s ig n t o t h e o t h e r s o l d i e r s

which causes them t o ste p back and stand p e r f e c t l y s till. The o th e rs

begin t o t a l k about t h e i r s tra n g e b e h a v io r; and when th e y t r y t o speak

t o t h e s o l d i e r s th e y a re t o l d t o be q u i e t , s to p q u a r r e l I n g and go about

th e ir b u s in e ss . A v o lle y o f words Is exchanged between t h e s o ld ie rs

and th e o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s . The Act Is concluded w it h Roslna, B e r ta ,

B a r t o l o , A lm a vlva , B a s l l o and F ig a ro speaking in g r e a t le n g th about t h e

loud r.olse and c o n f u s io n which th e y have c r e a te d .

Beaumarchais b e g in s A c t III la te r t h a t evening I n s id e B a r t h o l o ' s

house. The Doctor Is a lone c o m p la in in g about R o s ln e 's r e f u s a l t o ta k e

h er music le sso n. As he t a l k s th e re Is a knock a t t h e d oor. When he

answers I t th e Count e n te r s d is g u is e d as a s tu d e n t . He c a l l s h im s e lf

Don A lo nzo , a lic e n s e d te a c h e r and a p u p il of B a z lle 's . He t e l l s

B a r t h o lo t h a t B a z l l e Is Ind isp o sed due t o an I l l n e s s and has s e n t him

to r e la y th e message t h a t Count A lm avlva has le ft tow n. Don A lonzo

a ls o says t h a t he was t h e one who o r i g i n a l l y t o l d B a z l l e when A lm avlva

 48

a rriv e d In S e v i l l e . To win B a r t h o l o ' s c o n fid e n c e , he f u r t h e r s ta te s

t h a t he has been I n s t r u c t e d by B a z l le t o show him a l e t t e r which Roslne

w ro te t o th e Count. B a r th o lo reads t h e l e t t e r and re c o g n iz e s R o s ln e 's

h a n d w ritin g . Don A lo n z o te lls B a rth o lo th a t B a z lle has a rra n g e d

e v e r y t h in g w it h a lawyer fo r th e m a rriag e on th e morrow. He then

d e v is e s a plan t o h e lp B a r t h o lo co nvince Roslne t o marry him j u s t In

case she decides to re s is t. T h is In tu rn co n v in c e s B a r t h o lo th a t

A lonzo was se n t by B a z l l e . To keep Roslne from s u s p e c tin g h is plan

B a r t h o lo suggests t h a t A lonzo meet Rosine f i r s t and g iv e h er a lesson

In p la c e o f B a z l l e . The Count agrees t o t h i s plan and B a r t h o lo leaves

th e room t o g e t R oslne. The two have a loud d is p u t e o f f s t a g e b ut soon

e n t e r t h e room w it h Roslne s t i l l r e f u s i n g t o ta k e h er lesson. B a r th o lo

trie s In v a in t o c o n v in c e h e r.

Rosine then t u r n s toward A lonzo t o d is m is s him and Is shocked as

she re c o g n iz e s him t o be L In d o r . B a r th o lo asks her what Is wrong, b ut

she Is a t a lo s s f o r words. The Count h e lp s her o u t by s a y in g , "You

t w i s t e d yo ur f o o t madame?" "Ah, y e s , " she r e p l i e s , " I t w is t e d my f o o t .

I h u r t m y s e lf h o r r i b l y . "32 Roslne i n s i s t s on t a k i n g h e r lesson t o make

amends. B a r t h o lo , t h i n k i n g t h a t she should n o t e x e r t h e r s e l f , t r i e s t o

p re v e n t her but Is u n s u c c e s s fu l. Roslne s in g s a song from 'The Useless

P r e c a u t io n " as t h e Count p la y s t h e h a r p s ic h o rd . B a r th o lo s e a ts h im s e lf

nearby and f a l l s a s le e p . D u rin g t h e course o f th e song th e Count p la y s

th e h a rp s ic h o rd w it h one hand and h olds R o s ln e 's le ft hand w it h th e

o th e r, k is s in g It se veral tim e s . A t one p o i n t In t h e song Roslne Is

32 I b i d . . p. 64.
 49

o v e r ta k e n w ith e m o tion and s u d d e n ly s to p s s in g in g . T h is awakens

B a rth o lo so th e two lo v e rs q u ic k ly resume th e le s s o n . Bored by

R o s ln e 's music B a r t h o lo suggests t h a t she le a rn t o s in g songs t h a t a re

more s im p le , l i k e those he learned t o s in g in h is y o u th . He s in g s f o r

them w h ile dancing around t h e rocm.

B e fo re he fin is h e s F ig a ro e n te rs and m o c k in g ly im ita te s h is

d a n c in g . F in a lly B a r t h o lo n o t ic e s F ig a r o and g re e ts him. The two

exchange words c o n c e rn in g F i g a r o 's e a rl i e r v i s i t . F ig a ro then t u r n s t o

meet A lonzo. B a r th o lo In te rru p ts t h e i r c o n v e r s a t io n and asks F ig a ro

t h e reason fo r h is v i s i t . F ig a ro reminds B a r th o lo t h a t t h i s is h is

n i g h t t o be shaved. B a r th o lo t r i e s t o d is m is s him but F ig a ro p e r s i s t s .

The D octor f i n a l l y subm its and i n s i s t s t h a t he be shaved r i g h t where he

is so t h a t he w i l l n ot m iss R o s in e 's music lesson. F ig a ro c a l l s th e

s e rv a n ts t o b r in g in t h e s u p p lie s fo r s h a v in g . B a r t h o lo Im m ediately

e x p l a in s t h a t th e s e rv a n ts have been s e n t t o bed t o r e c u p e ra te from th e

drugs F ig a ro a d m in is te re d . F ig a ro asks f o r t h e key t o h i s rocm so t h a t

he can get th e s h a v in g u te n s ils . B a r t h o lo d e c id e s to go h im s e lf

because he d o e s n 't want t o g iv e h is keys t o F ig a r o . As he le aves he

te lls A lonzo t o keep an eye on t h e o th e r two. Once B a r t h o lo Is gone

F ig a ro in itia te s d is c u s s io n about th e o p p o r t u n it y he j u s t missed to

c o n f i s c a t e B a r t h o l o 's key t o th e balcony window. No sooner than th e

c o n v e r s a t io n ends B a r th o lo re e n te rs th e rocm. He g iv e s th e keys t o

F ig a ro and t e l l s him t o g e t t h e shaving u t e n s i l s . As F ig a ro leaves t h e

rocm B a r t h o lo and t h e Count begin t o w h is p e r t o each o th e r about F ig a ro

and R oslne.

Next a loud cra sh Is heard and B a r t h o lo ru n s o u t t o see what has

 50

happened. The Count t e l Is Roslne t h a t he can rescue her t h a t n i g h t by

c lim b i n g th rou g h her window. As he s t a r t s to Inform her about her

le tte r which he gave t o B a r t h o lo , th e D o ctor and F ig a ro r e e n t e r th e

rocm and he Is unable to fin is h . As B a r t h o lo c o m p la in s about th e

c ro c k e ry F ig a ro has broken, th e B arbe r shows Almavlva and Roslne th e

key he has take n which unlocks t h e window.

Next comes an unexpected v i s i t by B a z l l e . As he e n te r s B a r t h o lo

a r is e s t o g r e e t him. The e n t i r e tim e he Is t h e r e A lm a vlva , F ig a ro and

Roslne m a n ip u la te t h e c o n v e r s a t io n to keep B a z l l e and B a r t h o lo from

s a y in g t h e wrong t h i n g s . Three tim e s B a r t h o lo makes state m e n ts t h a t

c o u ld u l t i m a t e l y fo il A lm a v lv a 's c o v e r -u p , but it Is never a llo w e d t o

happen. As B a r t h o lo q u e s tio n s B a z lle c o n c e rn in g th e lawyer and th e

cause of h is Illn e s s , th e Count comes o v e r and s l i p s a purse o f money

In B a z l i e ’ s hand. He says, "Yes, Monsieur asks why you have come here

when you a re so I n d I s p o s e d ? " 3 3 Up t o t h i s p o i n t B a z l l e has expressed

o n ly c o n fu s io n about th e whole ordeal and has I n s i s t e d t h a t he Is n o t

s ic k . The money however co n v in c e s him to sto p re s is tin g and play

a lo n g . Meanwhile th e Count has a ls o co nvince d B a r t h o lo t h a t he should

send B a z lle home le s t he a c c i d e n t l y re ve al I n f o r m a t io n to R o sln e .

B a r t h o lo now urges B a z lle to leave w h i l e th e o th e r th re e h e lp him.

S till n o t u n d e rsta n d in g why th e y a re a c t i n g as th e y a re , B a z l le f i n a l l y

agrees t o ta k e t h e i r a d vice and go home t o bed. Once he Is gone th e

o th e r s c o n t in u e to speak o f how III B a z lle looked. They "a ll shake

t h e i r heads sa d ly and obse rve a moment o f r e v e r e n t i a l s ile n c e . "34

33J i L i j k , p. 73.

34lt?..i,<L, p. 74.
 51

F ig a r o engages B a r t h o lo f o r h is shave. He d i s c r e t e l y t u r n s th e

c h a i r away from Almavlva and Roslne so t h a t B a r t h o lo c a n n o t see them.

As F ig a ro o c cup ie s B a r t h o lo t h e Count b e g in s t o w h is p e r h is p la n s t o

R oslne. At t h is p o i n t F ig a ro g e ts a p a rtic le In h is eye. B a r th o lo

stands up t o examine him and n o t ic e s th e Count and Roslne t a l k i n g . He

pushes F ig a ro a s id e and goes o ver t o eavesdrop on t h e i r c o n v e r s a t io n .

B a r t h o lo hears t h e Count t e l I Roslne about h i s d is g u is e and goes i n t o a

ra g e . A c t in g as If B a rth o lo 's o u tb u rs t is u n c a lle d fo r th e Count

comments: "S e ig ne u r B a r t h o lo , If you have many whims lik e th is I am

n o t s u r p r is e d t h a t Madem olselle should n o t want t o become your w i f e . "35

Roslne te lls B a r t h o lo she would g la d ly g iv e h e r h ea rt t o anyone who

would rescue her from him. As she leaves F ig a r o and th e Count make

comments which f u r t h e r enrage B a r t h o lo who Is a lm o s t speechless a t t h i s

p o in t. The two f i n a l l y te ll B a r t h o lo t h a t he Is mad and the n le ave.

B a r t h o lo is le ft In a s t a t e o f s e m i-c o n fu s io n c la m o rin g about what has

J u s t happened. F in a lly he decides t o go see B a z l l e whom he b e lie v e s

w ill be a b le t o e x p l a in e v e r y t h in g .

P e t r o s e lI I n i ' s v e r s io n o f A ct II Is again b a s ic a lly I d e n t ic a l to

th e p la y . B e side s th e m assive c u ts th e re a re o n ly th re e n o t a b le

changes In th e d ia lo g u e and t h e a c t i o n . The f i r s t change o c cu rs when

B a r t o l o asks B a s i l i o about t h e law yer. Here P e t r o s e lI i n i In v o lv e s a l l

th e c h a ra c te rs by le n g th e n in g th e d ia lo g u e g iv in g e veryone an

o p p o rtu n ity t o comment on t h e s u b je c t . The second change ta k e s place

at th e very end of P art III. Once B a r t o l o re a liz e s he has been

d e c e iv e d by th e o th e rs , in s t e a d of b e in g c o n fu s e d and r u n n in g to

35lbJ_£L., p. 76.
 52

B a s illo fo r an e x p la n a t io n , he sim p ly vows t h a t F ig a r o , A lm avlva and

Roslna w i l l pay f o r t h e i r d e c e p tio n . A change In t h e a c t i o n o cc u rs In

t h i s s p o t a ls o . P e t r o s e lI I n i keeps t h e o th e r t h r e e c h a r a c t e r s on stage

w it h B a r t h o lo Instead o f removing them.

S te rb ln l a ls o keeps h is v e r s io n of Act III very c lo s e to th e

o rig in a l. The o n ly a d d i t i o n t o t h e a c t i o n o cc u rs a t t h e v e ry end o f

th e scene when B a r t o l o Is left a lo n e . In h i s anger he c a l l s fo r h is

two s e r v a n ts . When th e y a r r i v e he sends Ambroglo t o f i n d Don B a s i l l o

and I n s t r u c t s B e rta t o guard t h e d o o r. He e x i t s le a v in g B e rta behind.

B e r ta b e g in s t o t a l k about t h e c ra z y t h i n g s she has observed happening

In t h e house, e s p e c i a l l y as th e y concern B a r t h o lo and h i s d is a g re e a b le

ways. She a ls o speaks about love and t h e e f f e c t I t has on p eople. She

co nclud e s by commenting on h er personal life as a d e s o la te o ld woman.

Again S t e r b l n l makes m ajor d e le tio n s In th e d ia lo g u e as found In th e

p re v io u s s e c t io n s . He a ls o le n gth en s c e r t a i n passages d u r in g R o s ln a 's

music lesson w it h Don A lo nzo and d u r in g t h e scene when everyone b id s

B a s illo g o o d n ig h t. S te rb ln l makes fo u r o th e r m inor changes In th e

d ia lo g u e . The f i r s t o ccu rs when Don A lonzo t e l Is B a r t o l o t h a t B a s i l l o

d o e s n 't know a n y th in g about t h e l e t t e r which Roslna w ro te t o t h e Count.

The second change Is made when R oslna, Inste a d o f th e Count, In v e n ts

th e t a l e t h a t she has a cramp In her f o o t when she f i r s t re c o g n iz e s Don

A lonzo t o be L ln d o r o . The t h i r d and f o u r t h changes ta k e pla ce when Don

A lo nzo and Roslna a re l e f t In th e room a lone a f t e r B a r t o l o goes t o see

what F ig a ro has broken. In t h i s v e r s io n Don A lo nzo asks Roslna to

marry him and Is a ls o a b le to te ll her th a t he gave h er le tte r to

B a rto lo .
 53

Beaumarchais b e g in s Act IV I n s id e th e same room a t B a r th o lo 's

house. It is a lm o s t m id n ig h t , and th e re Is a th u n d e rs to rm r a g in g

o u ts id e . B a r t h o lo and B a z l l e are In v o lv e d In a c o n v e r s a t io n about

A lo nzo , b u t t h e d is c u s s io n t o p i c soon s h i f t s t o B a r t h o lo and h is d e s i r e

t o marry Roslne. B a r t h o lo Info rm s B a z l l e t h a t he w i l l use th e le tte r

as a weapon t o o u ts m a rt A lo n zo . B a z l le then t e l l s B a r t h o lo t h a t he

w ill b r in g t h e n o ta ry o ver t o perform th e m a rria g e a t fo u r o 'c lo c k .

When B a r t h o lo asks why th e y c a n ' t come sooner B a z l l e t e l Is him t h a t th e

n o ta ry has t o p e rfo rm a wedding ceremony f o r F i g a r o 's n ie c e . Knowing

t h a t F ig a ro d o e s n 't have a n ie c e B a r t h o lo reasons t h a t th e m a rria g e Is

planned fo r R osine. He then In s tru c ts B a z lle t o g e t th e n o ta ry and

b r in g him back t o t h e house Im m e d ia te ly. B e fo re w a lk in g B a z l l e t o th e

door B a r t h o lo g iv e s him a pass key t o t h e house.

Next Roslne e n t e r s t h e room lo o k in g f o r L In d o r . She Is fo llo w e d

s h o rtly by B a r t h o lo who shows h e r th e l e t t e r and t e l Is her t h a t Count

A lm avlva had g iv e n t h e l e t t e r t o a n o th e r woman who passed I t on t o him

In hope o f e l i m i n a t i n g her as a r i v a l f o r th e Count. He a ls o t e l Is her

th a t th e whole th in g was a p lo t Invented by th e Count, F ig a ro and

A lo nzo t o cause h er d e s t r u c t i o n . B a r t h o lo c a l I s Don A lonzo t h e C o u n t's

a g e n t. B e l ie v i n g th a t L In d o r (A lo n zo ) was w o rk in g fo r th e Count t o

harm her Roslne te lls B a r t h o lo t h a t she w i l l marry him. She a ls o

te lls him about th e key F ig a r o s to le and about t h e C o u n t's plan to

rescue h e r t h a t e v e n in g . B a r t h o lo f e a r s th e y w i l l be harmed and rushes

out to get th e p o lic e . He p l o t s to have A lm a v lv a a rre s te d fo r

b u rg la ry . As Rosine Is g rie v in g about her unhappy s i t u a t i o n , F ig a ro

and A lm avlva use a la d d e r t o c lim b up t o t h e balcony window.

 54

R o sln e le a ve s th e room as she sees th e window b e in g opened.

F ig a ro and A lm avlva e n te r th rou g h t h e window and fo r a b rie f moment

d is c u s s t h e i r p la n . Roslne r e e n t e r s and Is approached by th e Count.

She leads him on as If n o th in g has changed and a llo w s him t o d e c la r e

h is love and I n t e n t i o n s . I n f u r i a t e d by h is words Roslne b eg in s t o s e t

th e Count s t r a i g h t . In t h e process she t e l Is him how she has loved him

even though he Is poor. Once Roslne Is fin is h e d A lm avlva te lls her

t h a t he Is t h e one who gave her l e t t e r t o B a r t h o lo . A f t e r F ig a ro c a l I s

A lm avlva "My L o r d " , th e Count r e v e a ls h is tru e Id e n tity which causes

Roslne t o f a i n t . Once she I s r e v iv e d she t e l l s th e Count t h a t she was

p la n n in g t o marry B a r t h o lo . F ig a ro n o t ic e s t h a t th e la d d e r has been

moved. T h is prompts Roslne t o t e l I Almavlva how B a r t h o lo deceived h e r.

She a ls o t e l Is him t h a t she has Informed B a r t h o lo about t h e i r pla ns and

t h a t he has gone t o g e t th e p o lIc e .

At th is p o in t th e fro n t door opens and B a z l le e n te rs w it h th e

n o ta ry . A fte r I n t r o d u c t i o n s a re made and a b r i e f e x p la n a tio n Is g iv e n

by t h e Count, th e n o ta ry (who t h i n k s he Is t o marry two s i s t e r s w it h

th e same name on t h e same e v en in g ) g e ts t h e r i g h t m a rria g e c o n t r a c t In

hand which Is th e n signed by th e Count and F ig a ro . T u rn in g t o B a z l l e ,

F ig a r o and t h e Count proceed t o co n v in c e him t o sig n t h e c o n t r a c t as a

second w it n e s s . Urged on by t h e i r words and a purse f u l l of money

B a z l l e g ive s In . Immediately a f t e r B a z l l e s ig n s , B a r t h o lo rushes I n t o

th e room fo llo w e d by th e j u s t i c e . A liv e ly d is c u s s io n f o l l o w s where

B a r t h o lo Is t o l d of a ll t h a t has t r a n s p i r e d w h i l e he was a b se n t. He

le a r n s t h a t Roslne and t h e Count a re m a rrie d and t h a t B a z l l e signed t h e

c o n tra c t as a second w it n e s s . He t h r e a t e n s t o oppose t h e m a rria g e as

R o s ln e 's legal g u a rd ia n b u t Is s ile n c e d when t h e Count o v e r r u le s him by

 55

p la c in g Roslne under th e a u th o rity of th e law and s o lic itin g th e

m a g is tra te s ' h e lp . The J u s t i c e a g re e s w ith A lm a v lv a once F ig a r o

re v e a ls h is (th e C o u n t's ) Id e n tity and te lls B a rth o lo th a t h is

o b je c tio n s to such an h o n o ra b le m a rria g e means t h a t he Is p ro ba b ly

try in g to co ver-u p fa c ts c o n c e r n in g h is mismanagement of R o s ln e 's

p ro p e rty . A fte r th is a c c u s a tio n B a r t h o lo q u its h is c o m p la in in g and

r e lu c ta n tly s ig n s t h e m a rria g e c o n t r a c t . Roslne and t h e Count b re a th e

a s ig h o f r e l i e f and t h e n o ta ry f i n d s o u t t h a t t h e r e Is o n ly one g i r l

named R o s ln e . B a rth o lo g rie v e s over th e fa c t th a t h is p la n has

b a c k f ir e d , and F ig a ro r e j o i c e s t h a t t h e Count and Roslne a re m a rrie d .

The fin a l words of th e p la y a re spoken by F ig a r o as he addresses

B a r t h o lo :

B ut s e r io u s l y D o c to r, when youth and love g e t t o g e t h e r to

fo o l an o ld man, a n y th in g he does t o sto p I t may r i g h t l y be
c a l l e d 'A U seless P r e c a u t io n ' 1^6

T h is s e c tio n o f P e t r o s e lI I n i ' s lib re tto Is a ls o s tru c tu re d along

th e same p a t t e r n as t h e p la y . Changes t h a t have been made a re s i m i l a r

t o t h e ones made In p re v io u s s e c t io n s o f th e lib re tto . P e tro s e l I In i

d e le t e s th e f a i n t i n g s p e l l which Roslna has a f t e r th e Count r e v e a ls h is

tru e Id e n tity . He a ls o le n gth en s t h e s e c t i o n which im m ediately f o l lo w s

where Roslna and t h e Count express th e ir happiness w it h each o th e r.

Inste a d o f having two m a rria g e c o n t r a c t s and t h i n k i n g t h a t t h e r e a re

two s i s t e r s by th e name Roslna t h e N otary e n te rs w it h o n ly one blank

c o n tra c t. When B a r t h o lo e n t e r s he Is accompanied by c i v i l guards and

s e r v a n ts and n o t j u s t th e A lca de . F i g a r o 's c l o s i n g lin e ". . . I t may

rig h tly be c a l l e d a Useless P r e c a u t io n ! " Is f i r s t spoken by th e Count

36 I b i d . . p. 93.
 56

and Roslna and Is the n rep ea ted by a l I as t h e f i n a l e .

S te rb ln l makes several minor changes In h is v e r s io n of A ct IV.

They In c lu d e th e f o l l o w i n g : Don B a s il to Is convinced t h a t Don Alonzo

Is t h e Count; B a r t h o lo does n o t walk B a s i l l o t o t h e door when he leaves

t o g e t th e n o ta ry ; In s te a d , he rem ains behind t o d evise h is p la n s t o

d e ce ive R oslna; Roslna Imm ediately accuses Almavlva of d e c e p tio n as

soon as he and F ig a ro e n te r th e house; F ig a ro Is g iv e n no p a r t In

r e v e a li n g th e C o u n t's t r u e Id e n tity t o R o sln a; t h e n o ta ry b r in g s o n ly

one m a rria g e c o n t r a c t w it h him ; t h e Count g iv e s B a s i l l o a r i n g from h is

fin g e r Instead o f money t o persuade him n o t t o q u e s tio n t h e m a rria g e ;

when B a s i l l o c o n tin u e s t o p r o t e s t th e Count t h r e a t e n s him w it h a gun;

o n ly A lm a vlv a and R oslna s ig n th e m a rria g e c o n tra c t; when B a r t o l o

r e t u r n s he e n t e r s w it h an o f f i c e r and h is s o l d i e r s ; t h e Count re v e a ls

h is own I d e n t i t y t o t h e o f f i c e r , n o t F ig a r o ; no one t h r e a t e n s t o o rd e r

an In v e s tig a tio n c o n c e rn in g B a r to lo 's h a n d lin g of R o s ln a 's fin a n c e s ;

and th e fin a l te x t Is e x te n d e d beyond th e w o rd s "T he U s e le s s

P r e c a u t io n . "

Several I n flu e n c e s c o n t r i b u t e d t o th e p r e p a r a t io n and shaping o f

these two l i b r e t t i . The w r i t i n g a b ilitie s , c re a tiv e s ty le s , personal

t a s t e s and t r a n s l a t i n g s k i l l s o f t h e l i b r e t t i s t s ; th e c o n t e n t and s t y l e

in which th e o r i g i n a l work was w r i t t e n ; contem porary tre n d s In l i b r e t t o

w r i t i n g f o r opera b u f f a ; m usical c o n s i d e r a t io n s ; tim e l i m i t a t i o n s ; and

unique c irc u m s ta n c e s a l l played a p a r t In t h i s process. Comments In

r e fe r e n c e t o th e a b ilitie s of th e lib r e ttis ts and t h e n a tu re o f the

p lay have a lre a d y been g iv e n .

Only S te rb ln l Is known t o have had a tim e r e s t r i c t i o n placed on

 57

him. Because o f t h e tim e frame In which R ossin i had t o work S t e r b in I

was asked t o w rite h is lib re tto w ith in tw e lv e days. The p ra c tic a l

n e c e s s ity which d i c t a t e d re d u c in g Beaumarchais' wordy d ia lo g u e In to a

lib r e tto w h ich w ould be b o th e n j o y a b le and w o r k a b le In a m u sica l

s e t t i n g was one o f th e c h i e f musical concerns o f t h e two l i b r e t t i s t s .

T h is Is t h e main reason f o r th e la rg e r e d u c t io n s In d ia lo g u e . Another

Im p o rta n t c o n s i d e r a t io n was t h e c h o ic e o f words which were s e le c te d In

th e tra n s la tio n from French to Ita lia n . T h is o f course would a f f e c t

th e s t y l i s t i c p r e s e n t a t io n , t h e f lo w of t h e p l o t and t h e sIngab11 I t y of

t h e music.

Most s c h o la rs agree th a t tra d itio n a l opera b u f f a I n flu e n c e s a re

seen more In P e t r o s e l 1 1 n l ' s work than In S t e r b l n l ' s . Opera b u f f a was

g r e a t l y a f f e c t e d by th e t r a d i t i o n s o f "commedla d e l l ’ a r t e . " A c co rd in g

to TNI th e s e tw o a rt fo rm s e x p e rie n c e d " c o n s id e ra b le cro ss

fe rtl I I z a t l o n . E a c h used s to c k c h a r a c t e r s and o t h e r stan d ard p l o t

fe a tu re s w h ic h Drummond lis ts as " d is g u is e , m is t a k e n Id e n titie s ,

p ra c tic a l Jokes, hoaxes, u n fo rtu n a te a r r iv a ls , s e c re ts a nd

r e v e l a t l o n s . "26 | n t h e f o l l o w i n g passages T a r ta k g iv e s h is h i s t o r i c a l ,

s ty lis tic assessment o f t h e two l i b r e t t i as th e y r e l a t e t o t h e s u b j e c t .

With h is penchant f o r ’ m a n n e r is t' p o e t r y , h is dependence on

th e t r a d i t i o n a l d e v ic e s , language, and c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n of
I t a l i a n comic o p e ra , and w it h u n f o r t u n a t e l y few q u a l i t i e s of
d ra m a tic Im a g in a tio n t o c o u n t e r a c t t h e s t a t i c e f f e c t o f these
t r a d i t i o n a l ways, P e t r o s e l I I n i c o u ld do l i t t l e e ls e tha n

35N Ich o la s T i l l , R o s s in i h is I I f e and tim e s (New Y o rk : Midas

Books, 1983), p. 64.

■^John D. Drummond, Opera In P e r s p e c tiv e (London: J.M. Dent

& Sons L t d . , 1980), p. 191.
 58

w r i t e a c o n v e n tio n a l a d a p ta t io n .

S t e r b l n l , though no g e n iu s o f th e t h e a t e r , was n o t bound t o

e ig h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y b u f f a t r a d i t i o n — t h e s to c k c h a r a c t e r s
and s e n tim e n ta l h e ro in e s (as seen In commedla del I ' a r t e ) —
as was P etro se I 11n I , nor d id he f e e l th e same a lle g i a n c e t o
t h e t e x t o f t h e pi a y . 37

(A s n o te d e a r lie r In th e "A v v e rtIm e n to al p u b b llc o ", It was

p re d e te r m in e d th a t S te r b ln l's lib re tto w o u ld be c o m p le te ly

"re v e rs lfle d ", th u s th e reason fo r S te r b ln l's n o n - a lle g la n c e to th e

te x t of th e p la y .) Dent adds s u p p o rt to T a rta k 's p o s itio n when he

s t a t e s t h a t s in c e P e tro s e l l l n l p o r t r a y s B a r t o l o as t h e c h i e f d ra m a tic

c h a ra c te r It makes h is work a ty p ic a l Ita lia n o p e ra b u ffa ." In

c o n t r a s t t o t h i s he a ls o notes t h a t S t e r b l n l " t r e a t s t h e p la y w it h even

g r e a t e r freedom, . . . shows more sense o f humor, and . . . makes th e

B arbe r th e c e n tra l fig u r e of th e s t o r y . "38 D e n t's s ta te m e n ts

c o n c e rn in g th e le a d in g c h a r a c t e r s b r in g s up a n o th e r p o i n t which should

be c o n s id e re d . In Beaumarchais' p la y F ig a ro Is c le a rly th e c e n t r a l

f i g u r e around which e v e r y t h in g r e v o lv e s from b e g in n in g t o end. Due t o

h is d o m in e e r in g p e rs o n a lity he o c c u p ie s th e s p o tlig h t a ll a lo n e .

Because o f th e c u ts and a l t e r a t i o n s In t h e lib r e tti F ig a r o shares h is

le a d in g ro le w ith A lm a v lv a , Roslna and B a r t o l o . In P e tro s e l 1 1 n l's

l i b r e t t o B a r t o l o Is made t o stand o u t more than t h e o t h e r s , however.

Each l i b r e t t i s t had t o w r i t e h is work under unique c irc u m s ta n c e s .

The work which P e t r o s e lI I n i produced was In flu e n c e d t o seme e x t e n t by

t h e personal t a s t e o f C a th e rin e I I . A cco rd in g t o Hunt " C a t h e r in e would

^ T a r t a k , op. c l t . f pp. 145-146.

38
E d w a r d D e n t , t r a n s . , T he B a r b e r o f S e v I I I e by P ie rre
Beaumarchais (London: O xford U n i v e r s i t y Press, 1940), p. x l .
 59

n o t a I low t e x t s of a c o n t r o v e r s ia l n a tu re t o be staged a t c o u r t . "39

T h is meant t h a t P e t r o s e l l l n l and P a l s l e l l o had t o be concerned about

th e c o n te n t of th e lib re tto . C a th e rin e a ls o put t im e l i m i t a t i o n s on

the le n g th of o p e ra tic perfo rm an ce . P a ls le llo w ro te th e fo llo w in g

c o n c e rn in g t h I s :

Operas had t o l a s t no lo n g e r than two h o u rs. An hour and a

h a l f was th e most d e s i r a b le l e n g t h . 40

P a l s l e l l o s p e c i f i c a l l y m entions In t h e d e d ic a t io n o f t h i s work t h a t he

sought t o keep th e work "a s b rie f as p o s s i b le w i t h o u t adding t o th e

o rig in a l te x t.” T h is Is a n o th e r reason why P e t r o s e l l l n l had t o make

la rg e r e d u c t io n s In t h e d ia lo g u e .

The unique c irc u m s ta n c e s under which S t e r b l n l w ro te were caused by

t h e presence of P a l s l e l l o ' s "B a rb le re .” P a l s l e l l o ' s work was so loved

th a t It was th o u g h t best t o reword th e e n tire lib re tto and use th e

s u b title "A lm a v lv a or th e F u tile P re c a u tio n " so as not to o ff e n d

P a ls le llo and h is fa n s. T h is re s u lte d In th e changes which were

d is c u s s e d e a r lie r. Beaum archais no d o u b t wanted to make s e v e ra l

personal statem ents th ro u g h "Le B a r b l e r . " The l i b r e t t i s t s were a b le t o

p re s e rv e seme of these In th e ir works w h i l e o th e rs were e lim i n a t e d .

The most Im p o rta n t s ta te m e n t o f them a l I seems t o have been among those

w hich were d e le t e d by both llb re tls ts , and th a t was B ea u m a rch ais'

p o s i t i o n on th e s o c i a l - p o l i t i c a l c l i m a t e o f h i s g e n e r a tio n .

39
Hunt, op. c l t . . pp. 4 1 -4 2 .
 60

Musical. A n a ly s is

Both P a l s l e l l o and R o ssin i w ro te t h e i r operas In two a c t s . Each

act In P a l s l e l l o ' s " B a r b le r e " I s d iv id e d I n t o two p a r t s . The a c ts In

R o s s i n i 's Is d iv id e d In to scenes. The f i r s t a c t c o n s is ts of s ix t e e n

scenes and t h e second a c t c o n t a in s e le v e n scenes. Both composers used

th e same general fo rm a t and ty p e s of musical pieces In c o n s t r u c t in g

th e ir o p e ra s , b ut th e amount and o rd e r In w h ich th e s e p ie c e s a re

arranged a re not th e same In every ca se; n e ith e r do both composers

d evelop th e p lo t In th e same way m u s ic a lly In every In s ta n c e . The

fo llo w in g Is an o u t l i n e which o f f e r s a c o m p a ra tiv e look a t these a reas.

Palslello II B a r b l e r e dl S I v I g l l a Ross?nI II B a r b l e r dl S i v l g l l a

S in f o n la S in f o n la

A t t o P rfm o -P a rte Prlma A t t o Prlmo

In+ roduzlone - Almavlva o u t s id e B a r t o l o ' s In tr o d u z lo n e - F l o r e l I o leads m u sic ia n s t o

house a n t i c i p a t i n g R o s ln a 's B a r t o l o ' s house.
appearance.

Scena e D u e tto - F ig a r o e n t e r s composing song. C a va tina - The Count serenades Roslna.

Meets t h e Count.

Reel t a t I v o - The two d is c u s s F i g a r o 's r e c e n t S e g u lto e s t r e t t a del I '

p a s t. I n t r o d u z lo n e - The m u sicia n s a re d ism iss e d .
They cause a b ig commotion.

A r ia - F ig a r o g iv e s t h e d e t a i l s o f h is t r a v e l s . R e c l t a t l v o - F l o r e l l o and A lm avlva are r e l l e v e d

m u s icia n s a re gone. F l o r e l l o leaves.
A lm aviva h id e s from I n t r u d e r .

R e c l t a t l v o - They exchange words about F i g a r o 's C ava tina - F ig a r o e n te r s s in g in g about h i s busy

p h ilo s o p h y , then h id e as th e 1 I f e In Sev11 Ie.
window t o B a r t o l o ' s house Is opened.

D u e tto - Roslna and B a r t o l o come o n to th e R e c l t a t l v o - Almavlva and F ig a r o meet. They

b a lco n y. Roslna drops paper. d is c u s s t h e C o u n t's reason f o r being
B a r t o l o goes t o r e t r i e v e I t but In S e v i l l e and R o s ln a 's I d e n t i t y .
A lm avlva g e ts I t f i r s t . Roslna and B a r t o l o and Rosina come o n to t h e
B a r t o l o go back I n s id e . b a lc o n y . She drops t h e paper which
B a r t o l o goes t o r e t r i e v e . The Count
g e ts th e paper f i r s t ; B a r t o l o Is
unable t o f i n d I t and o r d e r s Roslna
I n t o th e house.
R e c lta + Iv o - Almavlva reads t h e paper. F ig a ro
r e v e a ls R o s ln a 's t r u e i d e n t i t y and
d e v is e s a plan t o g e t Almavlva
I n t o B a r t o l o ' s house. B a r t o lo
e x i t s t o f i n d B a s i l I o , F ig a ro and
t h e Count s p o t Rosina In th e
window. The Count prepares t o
serenade h er.
C a va tlna - Using F i g a r o 's m a n do lin , Alm avlva
s in g s h i s serenade I d e n t i f y i n g him­
s e l f as L In d o r o . Rosina s in g s a
b r i e f response a t t h e end.
Reel t a t I v o - Almavlva and F ig a ro wonder why
Rosina stopped s in g in g and then
proceed t o c a r r y o u t t h e i r plan
F ig a ro encourages A lm avlva t o
b r in g money when he r e t u r n s and
t e l Is him why.
D u e tto - A lm avlva assures F ig a ro t h a t he w i l l
b r in g p le n t y o f money. He r e t u r n s th e
m a n do lin . The two d is c u s s th e
l o c a t i o n o f F i g a r o 's shop.
R e d t a t I v o - Almavlva makes F ig a r o read t h e paper
and t e l l him about B a r t o l o . B a r t o lo
then leaves th e house a gain t o f i n d
B a s ilIo . F ig a ro n o t ic e s Rosina In
t h e window and encourages th e Count
t o s in g t o h e r.
Canzone - Almavlva serenades Rosina and I d e n t i f i e s
h im s e lf as L In d o r o . Rosina b r i e f l y
responds t w ic e , halfw ay throu g h and a t
th e end o f th e serenade.
R e c l t a t l v o - A lm avlva o f f e r s F ig a r o money t o
a s s i s t him In e n t e r in g B a r t o l o ' s
house.
D u e tto - F ig a r o s in g s about t h e power which money
has t o I n s p i r e h is t h i n k i n g w h i l e th e
Count encourages him. F ig a ro t h i n k s o f
th e d is g u is e t o g e t A lm avlva I n t o
B a r t o l o ' s house. F ig a ro g iv e s th e Count
d i r e c t i o n s t o h is shop.
R e c l t a t l v o - F i o r e l I o reappears c o m p la in in g t h a t
Alm avlva has made him w a i t around f o r
n o th In g .
CTi
A tto Prlmo-Parte Seconda

R e c l t a t l v o - The scene changes t o a room In s id e C avatlna - The scene changes t o a room In s id e

B a r t o l o ' s house. Rosina Is seated B a r t o l o ' s house. With l e t t e r In hand,
a t a t a b l e w r i t i n g a l e t t e r . F ig a ro Rosina s in g s t h a t she has made L in d o ro
e n t e r s and th e y d is c u s s L In d o r o . her c h o ic e . She a ls o s in g s about her
Rosina g iv e s F ig a r o th e l e t t e r f o r d o c i l e n a tu re and her a b l l I t y t o become
L in d o r o . B a r t o l o Is heard coming a v ix e n when necessary.
so Rosina le aves th e room and
F ig a r o h id e s . B a r t o l o e n te r s com­
p l a i n i n g t h a t F ig a ro has In c a p a c i­
t a t e d a l l h is s e rv a n ts . He then
c a i I s Lo S v e g l l a t o and G l o v l n e t t o .

T e r z e t t o - The two s e rv a n ts e n t e r b u t B a r t o l o R e c l t a t l v o - Rosina wonders how t o g e t her l e t t e r

ca nn o t g e t any I n fo r m a tio n from them. t o L in d o r o . She then t h i n k s o f
a s k in g F ig a r o .

R e c l t a t l v o - Don B a s i l I o e n t e r s end d iscu ss e s R e c l t a t l v o - F ig a r o e n t e r s . Rosina t e l l s him how

Almavlva w it h B a r t o lo . sad she Is and F ig a ro t r i e s t o
encourage h e r. B a r t o l o Is heard
coming and F ig a r o h id e s .

A r ia - B a r t o l o s in g s h i s s la n d e r a r i a . R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o lo e n te r s c o m p la in in g t h a t
F ig a ro has rendered h i s household
h e lp le s s . Rosina and B a r t o l o d is cu s s
F ig a ro . Rosina leaves t h e room and
B a rto lo c a l l s in B e rta and Ambroglo
t o q u e s tio n them about F ig a r o . When
he I s n ' t a b le t o g e t a response he
ru n s them o u t o f t h e room.

R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o lo q u e s tio n s B a s i l l o ' s l o g ic R e c l t a t l v o - B a s i l I o e n te r s and t e l Is B a r t o l o t h a t

then d is cu sse s t h e m a rria g e p la n s . A lm avlva is In town. He then In v e n ts
 B a r+ o lo sees B a s i l I o t o th e door. an Idea t o s c a n d a lIz e th e Count.
F ig a ro and Rosina e n te r and d is c u s s
B a r t o l o ' s p la n s . F ig a ro leaves and
B a rto lo re e n te rs . He then d is cu sse s
F i g a r o 's v i s i t w it h Rosina, her
Inky f i n g e r s and t h e m is s in g paper.

A r ia - B a r t o l o l e c t u r e s Rosina about t r y i n g t o A r ia - B a s i l I o s in g s about t h e n a tu re and power of

d ece ive him and promises t o lo ck h er up s c a n d a l.
t h e n e x t tim e he le aves t h e house.

R e c l t a t l v o - Almavlva e n t e r s , I d e n t i f i e s him­ R e c l t a t l v o - The two d is c u s s B a s i l l o ' s plan and

s e l f t o Rosina and p re s e n ts h is the n r e t i r e t o B a r t o l o ' s room t o draw
” b Ig I i e t t o " t o B a r t o l o f o r h ousing. up t h e m a rria g e c o n t r a c t .
B a r t o l o then searches f o r h is
exemption n o t ic e .

T e r z e t t o - B a r t o l o reads h i s n o t ic e , t h e Count R e c l t a t l v o - F ig a r o e n te rs t a l k i n g about B a r t o l o ' s

Ignores him and B a r t o l o t h r e a t e n s t o m a rria g e p la n s . Rosina e n t e r s and
throw him o u t . The Count c h a lle n g e s F ig a ro t e l l s her what he has le a rn e d .
him t o a f i g h t . Almavlva drops h is The two then d is c u s s L in d o r o and
l e t t e r f o r R osina. B a r t o lo t r i e s t o F ig a ro t e l l s her t h a t L in d o ro Is In
ta k e I t b ut is u n s u c c e s s fu l. He then Iove w i t h h er.
throw s A lm avlva o u t .

R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o l o t r i e s t o ta k e th e l e t t e r D u e tto Rosina s in g s o f L I n d o r o 's lo v e f o r her

from Rosina b u t f a l l s . He t h r e a t e n s w h ile F ig a ro re a ss u re s h e r. F ig a ro t r i e s
her and the n lo cks t h e d oors. Rosina t o persuade her t o w r i t e L in d o ro a l e t t e r
s w itc h e s l e t t e r s , B a r t o l o r e t u r n s , a t which p o i n t she produces th e one she
th e y argue and Rosina f a i n t s . B a r t o lo has a lre a d y w r i t t e n . Rosina e a g e rly
sees th e l e t t e r , reads I t and p u ts I t a n t i c i p a t e s seeing L in d o r o and F ig a ro
back. Rosina awakens t o I n s i s t t h a t comments on th e ways o f women. F ig a ro
B a r t o l o read t h e l e t t e r b u t he d e p a rts .
r e fu s e s . He then goes t o see
 M a rc e M In a . Rosina remains behind
and reads t h e C o u n t's l e t t e r .

C ava tlna - Rosina prays t o heaven f o r peace. R e c l t a t l v o - Rosina Is co m fo rte d by F i g a r o 's h e lp .

B a rto lo e n te r s a s k in g about F i g a r o 's
v is it. He then q u e s tio n s her about
t h e Ink on her f i n g e r s and th e
m is s in g paper.

A r ia - B a r t o l o l e c t u r e s Rosina about t r y i n g t o
d ece ive him. A t t h e c o n c lu s io n he leaves
t h e room.

R e c l t a t l v o - Rosina co m p lains about th e way

B a r t o l o has spoken t o h er.

R e c l t a t l v o - B e rta e n te r s t h i n k i n g she heard a

n o is e .

F in a le I - The Count e n te r s d is g u is e d as a t i p s y
s o ld ie r. B a r t o lo c o n f r o n t s him and
Rosina e n t e r s . Almavlva drops th e
l e t t e r then p ic k s I t up and g iv e s I t t o
Rosina. B a r t o lo u n s u c c e s s fu lly t r i e s
t o ta k e I t . Rosina sw itc h e s th e l e t t e r
w it h a la undry l i s t and B a r t o l o reads
It. B e rta and B a s i l I o e n t e r fo llo w e d
by F ig a ro . A f t e r A lm aviva and B a r t o l o
resume a rg u in g , th e town guards knock
a t t h e d oor. A lm avlva Is placed under
a rre s t. He then f r e e s h im s e lf by
g i v i n g a document t o th e o f f i c e r In
ch a rg e . The A ct ends w it h everyone
s in g in g in t o t a l c o n fu s io n .
Duet+o - B a r t o l o com plains t h a t Rosina re fu s e s R e c l t a t l v l o - B a r t o lo re c o u n ts h is useless e f f o r t s
t o ta k e her music le sso n . The Count t o I d e n t i f y th e s o l d i e r . He hears a
e n t e r s d is g u is e d as Don A lonzo w is h in g knock a t th e door and c a l I s t o h is
B a r t o l o peace and j o y . s e rv a n ts t o answer I t .

R e c l t a t l v o - Don A lonzo t e l Is B a r t o l o who he Is D u e tto - A lm avlva e n te rs d is g u is e d as Don Alonzo

and h i s m is s io n . B a r t o lo b r in g s w is h in g B a r t o l o peace and happiness.
Rosina In f o r her le sso n. She
r e s i s t s u n t i l she re c o g n iz e s
L in d o r o . They p re pare f o r th e
Iesson.

A r ia - Rosina ta ke s her music le sso n. She R e c l t a t l v o - Don A lonzo I d e n t i f i e s h im s e lf and h is

c o n t r a s t s her unhappy c o n d i t i o n w it h th e In te n tio n s .
beauty o f n a tu re . B a r t o lo dozes.

R e c l t a t l v o - Don A lonzo complim ents R o s ln a ’ s R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o l o b r in g s Rosina In f o r her

s in g in g as B a r t o l o wakes from h is lesson w it h Don A lo nzo . She
s le e p . B a r t o l o suggests a b e t t e r re c o g n iz e s him t o be L in d o r o and th e y
song. p re pare f o r t h e music lesson.

S e g h I d I g lla
Spagnuola - B a r t o l o dances and s in g s a song A r ia - Rosina s in g s f o r her music le sso n. When
from h is youth t o R osina. F ig a ro B a r t o l o f a l l s asleep she asks L in d o r o t o
e n t e r s and I m it a t e s B a r t o l o . h elp her escape. He assures her t h a t
e v e r y th in g w i l l be a l r i g h t .

R e c l t a t l v o - F ig a r o t e l l s B a r t o l o he has come R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o lo awakens and d e cide s t o s in g

t o shave him and soon goes f o r th e one o f h is f a v o r i t e songs,
shaving u t e n s i l s . A c ra sh I s heard
and B a r t o l o leaves t o I n v e s t ig a t e
which a llo w s t h e two lo v e rs
 o p p o r t u n it y t o t a l k . F ig a ro and
B a rto lo re e n te r.

Q u ln te tto - B a s ilI o e n te rs . They c o n v in c e him A r i e t t a - B a r t o l o s in g s and dances, F ig a ro e n te rs

t h a t he Is i l l . B a s i l I o leaves and m im ick in g him.
F ig a ro begins t o shave B a r t o l o who
l a t e r d is c o v e rs t h e C o u n t's d is g u is e .
B a r t o l o Is f u r i o u s about th e d e c e p tio n .
The o th e r s c a l I him mad.

R e c l t a t l v o - F ig a r o t e l Is B a r t o l o he has come t o
shave him and l a t e r g e ts t h e shaving
equipment. F ig a r o drops t h e c ro c k e ry
and B a r t o l o I n v e s t ig a t e s . Alonzo
t e l l s Rosina h is p la n . F ig a r o and
B a rto lo re e n te r.

Q u l n t e t t o - B a s i l I o e n t e r s and c o n f r o n t s th e
o th e rs . They soon co n v in c e him t h a t
he Is I I I and send him home. F ig a ro
s t a r t s t o shave B a r t o l o who s h o r t l y
d is c o v e r s A lo n z o 's d is g u is e . B a r t o lo
rages In anger w h ile t h e o th e r s t e l l
him t o be q u i e t . B a r t o lo Is then l e f t
a I one.

R e c i t a t l v o - B a r t o lo c o n s id e r s t h i n g s and then
c a l l s h i s s e r v a n ts . Ambroglo goes
f o r B a s i l i o and B a r t o l o guards t h e
d o o r. B e r ta , who Is l e f t behind,
co m p lains about B a r t o l o and th e
c o n fu s io n .
 A r ia - B e rta s in g s about t h e way lo ve Is a f f e c t i n g
Rosina and B a r t o l o and about h e r s e l f . She
the n e x i t s .

R e c lta tlv o - B a rto lo and B a s i l I o e n t e r . B a s i l I o

re v e a ls A !o n z o 's I d e n t i t y . B a s lllo
goes f o r th e N o ta ry .

R e c lta tlv o - B a r t o lo d e v is e s h is plan t o d eceive

Rosina and does so. She confesses
a ll. B a r t o lo goes f o r th e s o l d i e r s .

Atto. Secondo-Parte Ouarta

Temporale - Storm music. Temporale - Storm music.

R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o lo and B a s l l l o d is c u s s A lo n z o . R e c l t a t l v o Almavlva and F ig a ro e n t e r th rou g h th e

and Scena B a s l l l o goes f o r th e n o t a r y . B a r t o lo balcony window and a re c o n f r o n t e d by
d e ce ive s Rosina and then goes f o r Rosina. The Count r e v e a ls h f s t r u e
th e p o lic e . F ig a ro and A lm avlva Id e n tity .
e n t e r and e nco u n te r Rosina. The
Count r e v e a ls h is t r u e I d e n t i t y .

F in a le - Rosina t e l l s t h e Count about B a r t o l o ' s T e r z e t t o - Almavlva and Rosina s in g o f t h e i r good

d e c e p tio n . B a s l l l o and t h e N o tary e n t e r . f o r t u n e and F ig a ro admires h i s handy-
The m a rria g e ta k e s p la c e . B a r t o lo and work. F ig a r o n o t ic e s two people coming
t h e p o l ic e e n t e r b u t t o o l a t e . The end. and t h e t h r e e decide t o lea ve.

R e c l t a t l v o - F ig a r o n o t ic e s t h a t t h e la d de r they
used Is gone. B a s l l l o and t h e n o ta ry
e n t e r and t h e m a rria g e ta k e s p la ce .
B a r t o l o e n te r s w it h an o f f i c e r and
h is s o ld ie rs .
R e c lta tlv o
s tru m e n ta to - The Count r e v e a ls h is t r u e I d e n t i t y
t o B a r t o l o and th e s o l d i e r s .

A r ia - The Count t e l Is B a r t o l o t o cease h is

p r o t e s t i n g and t h e r re a s su re s Rosina t h a t
her o pp re s s io n has ended. The s o l d i e r s
j o i n In w is h in g t h e co u p le happiness.

R e c l t a t l v o - B a r t o l o accuses B a s i l i o o f b e t r a y in g
him, and c h id e s h im s e lf f o r removing
t h e la d d e r.

F in a le tto I I - They a l l r e j o i c e and wish th e

c o u p le happiness. The end.

CTi
vo
 70

R o s s in i used t w ic e as much re c ita tiv e as P a ls ie llo . In 1781

P a i s l e l l o w ro te t h a t "he was expected t o p ro v id e operas w it h a minimum

of r e c it a tiv e , because t h e Russian C o u rt d id n o t understand I t a l i a n . " 4^

R o ssin i a ls o developed a F in a le f o r th e end o f each Act which u t i l i z e s

a ch o ru s . In comparison P a l s i e l l o o n ly uses one F in a le a t t h e v e ry end

of h is opera w it h o u t ch o ru s . R o s s i n i 's reasons f o r u sin g choruses a re

g iv e n In t h e " A v v e rtlm e n to al p u b b lic o " taken from h is l i b r e t t o .

Some added d i f f e r e n c e betw een t h e t e x t o f t h e p r e s e n t

'dramma' and t h a t o f th e Commedie-Frangiase mentioned above
was caused by th e need t o I n s e r t choruses I n t o t h e s u b je c t
i t s e l f , e i t h e r because th e y a re r e q u ir e d by modern usage o r
because th e y a re e s s e n t ia l f o r p ro d u cin g a musical e f f e c t In
a t h e a t e r o f n o ta b le c a p a c i t y . 4^

R o s s in i sta te d t h a t If I t were n o t f o r these t h i n g s "he would n o t

have dared t o In tro d u c e t h e s l i g h t e s t change. . . " Drummond p o i n t s o u t

t h a t th e stage a t t h e T e a tro A rg e n tin a in Rome f o r which R o ss in i w ro te

"II B a r b i e r e " was s m a lle r than t h e stage o f th e Herm itage T h e a tre in

S t. P e te r s b u r g where P a ls ie llo 's ope ra -- w ith o u t ch o ru s e s — was

perfo rm ed . He t h e r e f o r e c i t e s t h i s as a poor reason f o r R o ss in i t o use

f o r c h o o sin g t o u t i l I z e t h e c h o r u s . 4^

Each composer uses a p p r o x im a t e ly th e same number of s o lo and

ensemble p 'e c e s . The f o l l o w i n g c h a r t compares them.

41
Dent, op. c l t . . pp. x - x i .
42
W e in stock, op. c l t . . p. 58.
43
John D. Drummond, Opera In P e r s p e c tiv e (London: J.M. Dent &
Sons, L t d . , 1980), pp. 236-237.
 72

The o n ly d i f f e r e n c e found above is In th e v o ic e ty p e g ive n t o Rosina.

Zedda w r i t e s th e fo llo w in g c o n c e rn in g R o s s i n i ' s c h o ic e of th e mezzo

v o ic e f o r t h i s p a r t :

The r o l e o f Rosina, w r i t t e n f o r a m e zzo -co ntra l t o , was soon

c la im e d by c o l o r a t u r a sopranos. R o s s i n i 's c h o ic e o f a lower
v o ic e can c e r t a i n l y be a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e f a c t t h a t E lsa
R l g h e t t i G io r g l was an a l t o . She was th e prima donna o f th e
company a pp e aring a t th e T e a tro A r g e n t in a , Rome, d u r in g t h e
1816 season, when t h e " B a rb e r " re c e iv e d I t s w o rld p re m ie re .
A p a rt from t h a t f a c t , however, R o s s i n i 's a r t i s t i c I n t e n t i o n s
and h i s personal p re fe re n c e , i f not t e c h n ic a l c o n s i d e r a t io n s ,
may w e ll have had an Im p o rta n t b e a rin g on h is d e c is io n . In
o t h e r operas o f h is — In c lu d in g some o f t h e b e s t among them
t h e h e r o i n e i s an a l t o ( " L ' i t a l i a n a in A l g e r ! " and
"Sem I r a m id e " ) . R o ssin i p ro ba b ly had a d e f i n i t e p r e d i l e c t i o n
f o r t h e warmer t im b r e of what B a c c h e lI I so a p t l y d e s c rib e d as
t h e " v o ic e o f th e I t a l I a n woman."

In R o s s i n i 's day a l t o s dominated th e o p e r a t ic scene, even in

b re e c h e s r o l e s . F o r re a s o n o f t o n a l b a la n c e th e y were
matched w i t h t h e c a s t r a t i , whose b r i g h t v o ic e s w ere t o o
s i m i l a r t o tho se of sopranos f o r th e re q u ir e d c o n t r a s t t o be
o b ta in e d by b r i n g i n g them t o g e t h e r . Only when t e n o r s came t o
t h e f o r e d id sopranos g a in t h e upper hand as t h e i r vocal
p a rtn e rs . At t h e tim e of t h e " B a r b e r " t h e o ld co nce p t of
o p e r a t ic c a s t i n g s t i l l held sway. I t Is s c a r c e ly s u r p r i s i n g ,
t h e r e f o r e , t h a t R o s s i n i , who was n o t by any means an
In n o v a to r In yocal m a tte rs , chose a t r a d i t i o n a l s o l u t i o n t o
t h e problem.

The m in o r c h a ra c te rs a re sung by th e fo llo w in g v o ic e typ e s:

Ep.ss.LnJ-
G io v in e tto — Tenore F i o r e l I o — B a r it o n o
Lo Svegl i a t o — Basso Ambrogio — Basso
Un Alcade — Tenore B e r ta — Soprano
Un N o taro — Basso Un U f f l c i a l e — Basso
Un N o ta lo —
S o ld a t i — S uo n ato ri

The c h a r t below shows t h e amount, ty p e , name and lo c a t i o n o f th e

s o lo and ensemble p ie ces assigned t o each o f th e c h a r a c t e r s In t h e two

44
A l b e r t o Zedda, "The B a rb e r o f S e v i l l e " , re c o rd j a c k e t n ote s f o r
G lo a c h in o R o s s i n i 's 11 B a r b ie r e PI S l v l g l l a f performed by t h e London
Symphony O rc h e s tra and t h e Ambrosian Opera c h o u rs, conducted by C la u d io
Abbado (Deutsche Gramrnophon, 2709 0 4 1 ), p. 6.
 71

P a is i e l I o Ross In I
.$.0.1.C>£ Sol os

( A r i a , C a v a tln a , ( A r i a , C a v a tin a ,
Canzone, A r i e t t a ) Canzone, A r i e t t a )

8 10

D u s.ts Duets
4 3

Ir_k>s T r log
2 1

Q u a rte t Q u a rte t
0 1

Q u in te t QjjJut.e.t
1 1

jjg x te l S e x te t ( w ith ch orus)

0 1

S e p te t S e p te t ( w ith ch o ru s )
1 1

Io ± a l Io la l
16 18

Both composers assigned most o f t h e same v o ic e ty p e s t o t h e m ajor

ch a ra c te rs . They a re as f o l l o w s :

P a ls le lIo R ossin l

11 Conte d 'A Im avIv a Tenore Tenore

RosIna Soprano Mezzo soprano
F Ig a ro B a r It o n o B a r It o n o
B a rto lo Basso comIc Basso
Don B a s I I I o Basso Basso
 73

o peras. For ensemble pieces th e names of th e o th e r ch a ra c te rs who

p a r t i c i p a t e are a ls o In c lu d e d .

J.l . Barb i e r e ; Pa Is le I Io II B a r b le r e : __ Ross.In.l

The Conte The Conte

2 Solos 3 Solos

I n t r o d u z lo n e : A ct I C a v a tln a : A ct I
Ecco I ' o r a s 'a v v l c l n a Ecco r l d e n t e In c l e l o

C a v a tln a : A ct I Canzone: A ct I
Saper bramate Se II m!o nome saper v o l bramate

A ria ( w it h C o ro ): A ct II
Cessa d l plu r e s i s t e r e

3 Duets 3 Duets

Diamo a l i a n ola II bando: Act I A l l Idea dl q u e ll metal Io : Act I

( F ig a r o ) (F ig a ro )

Mon dub I t a r , o F ig a r o : Act I In t r o d u z lo n e ( I n c l u d i n g th e

s tre tta ): A ct I
( F ig a r o ) Plano, p ia n is s im o and E h l, F i o r e l I o
( F i o r e l I o , Coro)

Oh che umor: Act I I Pace e g l o i a s i a con v o l : A ct II

(B a rto lo ) ( B a r t h o lo )

.1. .T r i o J—T cifi

Ah I R o sin aI V o l, L in d o ro ? : Act I Ah I qua I c o lp o : A ct II

(R osina, B a r t o lo ) (Rosina, F ig a ro )

- Q u a rte t 1 Q u a rte t

La t e s t a v l g l r a : A ct II
(R osina, F ig a r o , B a r t o lo )

.1 Q u in t e t

Don Bas11 I o ! G Iu s to c l e l I : Act I I Don B a s il I o l Cosa v e g g o l: A c t I I

(R osina, F ig a ro , B a r t o lo , Don (Rosina, F ig a r o , B a r t o l o and Don
Bas I N o ) (B a sil Io )

- Sextet 1 S e x te t

F In a Ie I I : A ct I I
Di s i f e l I c e I n n e s to :
 74

(F ig a ro , B e rta , B a rto lo , B a s lllo ,

Rosina, c o ro )

1 Sep te t

F i n a I e : A ct i I F in a le I : A ct I
Cara, sei tu II mlo bene Eh I d l casa . . . buona gente
(R osina, A lcade, F ig a ro , Notaro ( B a r t o l o , Rosina, B e r ta , B a s l l l o ,
Don B a s l l l o , B a r t o lo ) Rosina, Coro)

Rosina Rosina
2 Solos 2 Solos

C a v a tln a : A c t I C a v a tln a : A ct I
G lu s to c l e l , che conoscete Una voce poco f a

A ria : Act I I A rI a : A c t I I
Gla r le d e p rlm a ve ra : Contro un c o r che accende amore:

-1 Duet 1 Duet

Lode a I d e l : Act I Dunque Io son: A ct I

(B a rto lo ) (F Ig a ro )

1 Tr Io l-IrJ jO

Ah I R o s in a I V o l , L in d o ro ? : A c t I Ah I qua I c o lp o : A ct I I
( th e Conte, B a r t o lo ) ( t h e Conte, F Ig a ro )

- ,Quar t e t .1. .Quart e t

La t e s t a v l g l r a : A ct I I
(t h e Conte, F ig a r o , B a r t o lo )

1 Qu.In te l .1- g.uJji±e.t

Don B a s I I o l G Iu s to c l e l I : A c t I I Don B a s i l I o l Cosa v e g g o l: A ct II

(th e Conte, F ig a r o , B a r t o lo , Don (th e Conte, F ig a r o , B a r t o l o , Don
B asiI io ) B a s iIIo )

- Sex t e t 1 S e x te t

FInal e I I : Act I I
Dl s i f e l I c e in n e s to :
(F ia g ro , B e rta , B a r to lo , Don
B a s l l l o , t h e Conte, Coro)

1 S e p te t 1 S e p te t

F i n a l e : Act I I F i na I e I : A ct I
Cara, sei t u l mlo bene Ehi dl casa. . .buona gente
 75

( t h e Conte, A lca de , F ig a ro , ( B a r t o l o , Count, B e r ta , Don B a s l l l o ,

N o ta ro , Don B a s i l I o , B a r t o lo ) F ig a r o , U f f l c l a l e , Coro)

B a rto lo B a rto lo
2 S olos 2- Sol os

A r Ia : Act I A rI a : Act I
Veramente ho t o r o , e v e ro A un d o t t o r del la mla s o r t e
(sometimes s u b s t i t u t e d w it h "Manca
un f o g l io e g la s u p p o n g o ," by P.
Roman)

S e g h l d l g l l a Spagnuola: Act II A r I e t t a : Act I I

Vuol t u , Rosina Quando ml set v IcIna

2 Duets

Lode a I c l e l : Act I Pace e g i o l a s la con v o i : Act II

(R o s In a ) ( t h e Conte)

Oh che u m o rI: Act I I

( t h e Conte)

2 T rio s — Trio

Ma d o v ' e r l t u , s t o r d l t o : A ct I
( G lo v ln e tto , L o S v e g lia to )

Ah Rosina V o l, L in d o r o : Act I
(R o sin a , th e Conte)

- J h lo L ls l

La t e s t a v l g l r a : Act II
(R osina, th e Conte, F ig a ro )

.1 Q u in t e t 1 Q u in t e t

Don B a s i l I o l G iu s to c l e ! ! Don B a s l l l o ! Cosa v e g g o l: A ct II

(R o sin a , th e Conte, F ig a ro ) (R osina, th e Conte, F ig a ro )

- S e x te t ..L .Sextet

F In a Ie I ! : A c t I I
DI s i f e l I c e In n e s to :
(R o s in a , t h e C o n te , B e rta , Don
B a s l l l o , F ig a r o , Coro)

1 S e p te t .1- Sep.te.t

Fi nal e: A ct 11 F in a le I : A c t I
Cara sei tu i l mlo bene Eh I dl casa. . . buona gente
(R o sin a , th e Conte, A lcade, (R osina, th e Conte, B e r ta , Don
F ig a r o , N o taro, Don B a s il io ) B a s l l l o , F ig a r o , U f f l c a l e , Coro)
 76

F Ig a ro F ig a ro
1 Solo 1- Sol o

A rI a : A ct I C a v a tln a : A ct I
S co rsl g la m o lt l paesl Largo a I fa c to tu m del la c l t t a

2 Duets 2 Duets

Dlamo a l i a n o la II bando: A c t I A l l * I d e a d l quel m e t a l I o : A ct I

( t h e Conte) ( t h e Conte)

- T rio 1 -T rto

Ah! Qua I c lo p o : A c t I I
(R osina, t h e Conte)

- Q u a rte t

La t e s t a v l g l r a : A c t II
(R osina, th e Conte, B a r t o lo )

Don B a s i I I o l G lu s to c l e l I : A ct I I Don B a s i l I o l Cosa v e g g o l: A ct II

(R osina, th e Conte, Don B a s l l l o , ( B a r t o l o , Rosina, t h e Conte, Don
B a rto lo ) Basi N o )

- S e x te t 1_ S e x te t

F In a Ie I I : A ct I I
Dl s i f e l i c e In n e s to
(R osina, t h e Conte, B e r ta , B a r t o lo ,
Don B a s i I I o , Coro)

1 S e p te t ..L .Sep.t.e.t

F In a Ie : A ct I I F In a Ie I : A c t I
Cara sei tu II mlo bene Eh I d l casa. . .buona gente
(R osina, th e Conte, B a r t o lo , (R osina, t h e Conte, B e r ta , Don
A lc a d e , N o taro, Don B a s l l l o ) B a s l l l o , B a r t o l o , Don B a s l l l o , Coro)

B a s iIIo B a s iIIo
1 Sol o 1 Sol o

A rI a : A ct I Ar I a : A ct I
La c a lu n n la , mlo s ig n o r La c a lu n n la e un v e n t l c e l I o

1 Q u in te t L Qui n t a l

Don B a s i I I o ! G lu s to c l e l I : A ct I I Don B a s i l I o l Cosa v e g g o l: A ct II

(R osina, t h e Conte, F ig a ro , (R osina, t h e Conte, F ig a r o , B a r t o l o )
B a rto lo )
 77

- S e x te t 1 S e x te t

F In a Ie I I : Act I I
Dl s i f e l I c e I n n e s to :
(R osina, th e Conte, B e r ta , B a r t o lo ,
Coro)

1 S e p te t 1 S e p te t

F i n a I e : A ct I I FI na I e I : A ct I
Cara set tu II mlo bene Eh I dl casa. . .buona gente
(R osina, th e Conte, A lcade, (R osina, th e Conte, B e r ta , B a r t o lo ,
N o ta ro , B a r t o lo , F ig a ro ) F ig a r o , U f f I c I a l e , Coro)

Lo S v e g lla t o and G l o v l n e t t o B e rta

1 T rio I Sol o

Ma d o v ' e r l t u , s to rd lto : A ct I A rI a : A c t I I
(B a rto lo ) I I v e c c h l o t t o c e rca m o g lle

1 S e x te t
F In a Ie I I : Act I I
Dl s i f e l I c e I n n e s to :
(R osina, th e Conte, B a r t o l o , F ig a ro ,
Don B a s i I l o , Coro)

- S e p te t 1 S e p te t

F in a le I : A c t I
E l l d l casa. . . buona gente
(R osina, th e Conte, B a r t o l o , F ig a ro ,
Don B a s l l l o , U f f l c l a l e , Coro)

Notaro and Alcade F io re llo

1 S e p te t 1 Due.t

F I n a I e : A ct II In tr o d u z lo n e ( I n c l u d i n g s t r e t t a ) :
Cara sei tu II mlo bene A ct I
(R osina, th e Conte, B a r t o lo , Eh I F i o r e l l o
Don B a s i I I o , F ig a ro ) (t h e Conte)
 78

The o r c h e s t r a which played t h e pre m ie re performance o f R o s s i n i 's

" B a r b le r e " c o n s is te d o f th irty -fiv e members. A cc o rd in g t o Smith they

were n o t o f t h e h ig h e s t q u a l l t y . 4 5 n0 re c o rd o f t h e s iz e o r q u a l I t y of

th e o r c h e s t r a which premiered P a l s l e l l o ' s " B a r b le r e ” was found. I t can

be assumed t h a t I t was a p r o fe s s io n a l o r c h e s t r a which played f o r a ll

c o u rt p e rfo rm a n c e s . P a ls ie llo w ro te fo r a s m a lle r v a rie ty of

In s tru m e n ts than R o s s in i. R o s s in i's o rc h e s tra tio n u tiliz e s more

woodwinds, brass and p e rc u s s io n In s tru m e n ts . The c h a r t below compares

th e In s t r u m e n t a t io n used In t h e two ope ra s.

P a l s le l lo Ros-sJi l L

O t t a v I no
FI auto FI a u to
Obol Oboi
C la rIn e ttl

F a g o tti F a g o tti
Corn I Cornl
Trombe
Tromboni

S Is tro
Timpani Timpani
Gran Cassa

H a rp sich o rd H a rp s ic h o rd

M andol1ne G u ita r

V io l In i 1, I I V io l I n i 1, 1
V io l e V io l e
V Io lo n cel 11 V lo lo n ce l 11
ContrabbassI ContrabbassI

45
E r i k S m ith , R o s sin i & " I I B a r b le r e Pi S I v l q l l a " . re c o rd J a c k e t
notes f o r Gloach I no R o s s i n i 's I I B a r b le r e PI S I v f g l f a , performed by th e
O r c h e s t r a E C oro R o s s in i Dl N a p o l i , c o n d u c te d by S i l v i o V a r v l s o
(London, 1381), p. 2.
 79

The vocal demands In th e se tw o w o rks a re ve ry d iffe re n t.

P a ts le llo 's vocal m e lo d ie s te n d to be s im p le rh y th m ic a lly not ve ry

o rn a te m e l o d t c a l l y , and narrow In range w it h a medium t e s s i t u r a . I t Is

e v id e n t th a t P a ls ie llo d id not possess th e same c r e a t i v e g ift fo r

m e lo dic development as d id R o s s in i. For th e most p a r t h is m elodies

la c k In te re s t and b e a u ty . P a ls ie llo makes much use of m o tlv lc

re s ta te m e n t w ith v a ria tio n s and seldom r e s t a t e s com plete m elodies In

exact r e p e titio n . There a re a ls o several Instances where th e themes

a re through-composed. P a l s i e l l o re p e a te d ly uses a p a r t i c u l a r th e m a tic

fra g m e n t th ro u g h o u t h is o p e ra w h ic h he has R o s in a s in g In fo u r

d i f f e r e n t songs. The theme c o n s i s t s o f a s i n g l e note s u s ta in e d f o r two

measures fo llo w e d by a m e l i s m a t l c run In s ix t e e n t h notes ( I . e . measures

48 throu g h 51 o f t h e F i n a l e ) . I t can be found In R o s ln a 's c a v a t ln a and

a r i a , her d ue t w it h B a r t o l o and t h e F in a le .

P a ls le llo 's music la c k s e x p r e s s iv e q u a litie s In g e n e ra l. The

w ritin g fo r th e o r c h e s t r a t i o n Is n o t ve ry c o l o r f u l , e s p e c ia lly as It

concerns t h e wind In s tru m e n ts which are used I n f r e q u e n t ly In comparison

w ith th e s trin g s . A ls o th e music fo r th e o rc h e s tra Is not ve ry

demanding. P a l s i e l l o uses heavy c a d e n tla l m a te r ia l a t th e end o f songs

and o f t e n between la rg e s e c t io n s w i t h i n a give n p ie c e . T h is seems t o

I n t e r r u p t t h e f lo w o f a c t i o n a t tim e s .

The vocal c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s In R o s s i n i 's music a re J u s t t h e o p p o s ite

o f those found In P a l s l e l l o ' s ope ra . R o s s i n i 's m e io dles a re e xtre m e ly

o rn a te (e s p e c ia lly In th e p a rts fo r A lm a vlv a and R o s in a ) , complex

rh y th m ic a lly , wide In ra n ge , fu ll of q u ic k s y lla b ic p a tte r ( e ig h t h

notes sung ve ry fa s t — e s p e c ia lly found In t h e music f o r th e lower

 80

v o ic e s ), ve ry In te re s tin g , always f re s h and b e a u t i f u l . The music Is

e x tre m e ly demanding o f t h e s in g e r s as w e ll as t h e o r c h e s t r a . R o s s i n i 's

work does n o t la c k f o r m e lo d ic Ideas a lth o u g h he does tend t o re p e a t

la rg e s e c tio n s o f m e lo dies o f t e n . Sometimes th e y are r e s t a t e d In e x a c t

re p e titio n and o t h e r tim e s w it h v a ria tio n s . They a re always c l e a r l y

d e fin e d u n its which a re easy to re c o g n iz e . M o tlv lc fra gm en ts (o r

f i g u r e s ) a re a ls o repeated o f t e n th r o u g h o u t t h e opera.

R o ssin i was more of a d r a m a t is t than P a l s i e l l o . H is music abounds

w it h fla ir and e x c ite m e n t. He makes a more c r e a t i v e , c o lo rfu l use o f

th e wind In s tru m e n ts In p a r t i c u l a r which a re used In abundance. The

s o lo and ensemble p ie ces ten d t o be lo n g e r than those o f P a l s l e l l o ' s ,

and a re u s u a lly d iv id e d I n t o s e c tio n s by tempo m a rkin g s. They a ls o

c o n t a in s tro n g c a d e n t la l m a t e r ia l In a l l th e coda s e c tio n s .

As was h i s custom R o ssin i used music In "II B a r b i e r e " which he

borrowed from h is o t h e r works. Welnstock lis ts the s e b orro w in gs as

fo llo w s :

1. From La Camblale dl m a trlm o n lo : from th e end o f Fanny's

a r i a " V o r r e l s p le g a r v l II g l u b l l o , " a melody used In th e
c a b a le t t a o f th e f i r s t a c t R o s In a -F Ig a ro 'duet "Dunque Io
son, tu non m ' l n g a n n l , " a t th e words "Ah, tu s o lo Amor tu
s e i";

2. From II S ig no r B ru s c h ln o : f o u r and a h a l f measures o f a

melody In th e b ass-soprano d u e t "E un bel nodo che due
c o r I , " a m o tiv e used f o r o r c h e s t r a alone d u r in g B a r t o l o ' s
"A un d o t t o r d e l l amla s o r t e , " t o th e t e x t words " I
c o n f e t t i a l i a ra g azza ; II rlcam o sul ta m b u rr o " ;

3. From A u r e lla n o In P a lm ira : t h e f i r s t e i g h t measures o f

A r s a c e ' s r o n d o "Non I a s c I arm I In t a l m omento, " In
R o s ln a 's " l o sono d o c i l e " ("Una voce poco f a " ) ; a ls o th e
f i r s t s i x measures o f t h e p r i e s t l y c h o ru s "Sposa del
grande O s ! r i d e , " In A lm a v lv a 's "Ecco r l d e n t e In c l e l o " ;
a l s o a f i g u r e fro m t h e A r s a c e - Z e n o b I a d u e t , a t t h e
b e g in n in g o f B a s i l I o ' s "La c a lu n n la e un v e n t l c e l l o " ;
 81

4. From th e c a n ta ta "E g le ed I r e n e " : a melody w it h echo

r e s p o n s e In t h e a l l e g r o s e c t i o n ( " V o l c h e a m a te ,
c o m p la n g e te "), In t h e second a c t t r i o "Ah qual c o l p o , " a t
R o s ln a ’ s words "D olce nodo a v v e n tu r a to , Che f a l paghl I
m le l d e s l r l " ;

5. From Slglsmondo: a m o tiv e from th e in t r o d u c t o r y chorus

t o A c t I I ( " I n s e g r e to a che c h i c h la m a " ), as t h e m o tiv e
o f t h e I n t r o d u c t o r y c h o ru s , "P la n o , p ia n is s i m o " ; a ls o th e
m o tiv e t r e a t e d crescendo In t h e Lad I s ia o - A I d I m lr a Act I
d u e t, In t h e crescendo o f "La c a l u n n l a " ;

6. " R e m in is c e n c e s " fro m o t h e r composers ( p o in t e d o u t by

R a d lc lo ttl) : from Haydn's D ie J a h r e s z e lt e n , a m o tiv e
from Simon's a r i a , In t h e a l l e g r o s e c t i o n o f t h e second
a c t t r i o , a t F i g a r o 's words " Z I t t I , z l t t l , p ia no , p ia n o " ;
from S p o n t l n l ' s La V e s t a le , a melody from th e second a c t
f i n a l e , In t h e Act I f i n a l e a t th e words "Mi par d 'e s s e r
col la t e s t a in u n ' o r r l d a f u c i n a . " R a d l c l o t t l noted t h a t
t h e S p o n t l n l m elody a l s o had been q u o te d In N i c o l a
A n t o n io M a n f o r c e 's o p e ra "E c u b a " (San C a r l o , N a p le s,
1 8 1 3 ).46

Both composers use secco re c lta tlv o In th e ir w o rk s . The key

s ig n a tu re fo r each re c lta tlv o Is C m a jo r, e xc e p t fo r th e re c lta tlv o

s tru m e n ta to sung by th e Count In R o s s i n i 's o p e ra . T h is p a rtic u la r

re c lta tlv o precedes t h e C o u n t's f i n a l a ria and Is accompanied by th e

o rc h e s tra . The rem ainder a re a ll accompanied by h a r p s ic h o rd . The

r e c l t a t l v o a re c h a r a c t e r iz e d by s u s ta in e d c h o rd s , f r e q u e n t m o d u la tio n s ,

an absence of tempo m arkings and Irre g u la r rh y th m ic p a tte rn s In th e

melody. T h is Is designed t o f i t th e c o n to u r o f t h e words and produce a

" p a r la n d o " e f f e c t when sung.

An a n a l y s i s of re p re s e n ta tiv e p ie c e s fro m th e two "B a rb le re "

re v e a ls th a t th e harm onic s tru c tu re s of th e s e tw o works a re very

s im ila r. There a re two general c h a ra c te ris tic s which dom inate th e

music of both o peras. They a re th e use o f d ia to n ic harmonies and

46
Welnstock, op. c l t . . pp. 56-57.
 82

secondary dom inants. Each composer makes e x te n s iv e use o f th e t o n i c ,

su b d o m in a n t, and dom ina n t h a rm o n ie s. At tim e s P a ls ie llo seems t o

o ve ru se some of th e s e h a r m o n ie s w h ic h m a ke s th e m u s ic ve ry

u n in te re s tin g . F re q u e n t use Is a ls o made o f secondary d o m in a n ts,

e s p e c ia lly t h e V o f V. In t h e passages examined, P a l s i e l l o used more

V? chords tha n R o s s in i.

M o d u la tio n s t o o t h e r keys w i t h i n a p ie ce a re n o t as p r e v a le n t as

t h e b r i e f e x c u r s io n s t o secondary dom inants. When extended key changes

a re made however, P a ls ie llo and R o ss in i each make e f f e c t i v e use of

them. These m o d u la tio n s u s u a lly denote a change In mood, a c t i o n o r th e

I n t r o d u c t i o n o f a n o th e r c h a r a c t e r ( I . e . F i g a r o 's a r i a "S co rs I g l ^ m o lt l

p a e s l" — P a l s i e l l o ; F i g a r o 's e n tra n c e In F in a le I — R o s s in i) .

R o ssin i uses th e In stru m e n ts fo r d o u b lin g th e v o ic e s more than

P a ls ie llo . T h is o c c u rs f r e q u e n t ly In h i s ensemble p ie c e s . An example

o f t h i s can be found In measures 56 th rou g h 88 In t h e V ivace s e c t io n o f

F in a le I. Chrom atic movement Is more f r e q u e n t l y found In R o s s i n i ' s

music than P a l s l e l l o ' s .

 CHAPTER FOUR

SUMMARY

Through h is gen iu s P ie rre Beaumarchais c re a te d an u n fo rg e tta b le

work In "Le B a r b l e r de S e v l l l e . " In so many ways I t r e f l e c t s t h e I I f e ,

v ie w s , and p e r s o n a l i t y o f Its c re a to r. T h is was understood b e s t by th e

audiences who viewed t h e play w it h t h e p la y w r ig h t h im s e lf In P a r is , and

Is b e s t a p p re c ia te d now w it h a knowledge o f B eaum archais’ life .

By s e t t i n g Beaumarchais’ work as operas P a l s i e l l o and R o ss in i have

spread i t s fame even f u r t h e r and have led c o u n t le s s o th e r s t o e n jo y I t s

m a g ic , th o u g h fro m a d iffe re n t p e rs p e c tiv e . H a v in g und e rg on e

s i g n i f i c a n t t e x t u a l changes In I t s t r a n s f o r m a t io n t o l i b r e t t o fo rm , th e

works of the s e two composers a re not th e same as "Le B a r b l e r " was

o rig in a lly co nceived by Beaumarchais. In t h e o p in io n o f t h i s a u th o r,

t h a t which was f o r f e i t e d In term s o f o rig in a l purpose and design was

e a s ily recovered by R o s s in i th ro u g h th e abundance of h is b e a u tifu l

music. The changes were In tro d u c e d f o r v a r io u s reasons b u t u l t i m a t e l y

t o show th e work In I t s b e s t l i g h t as a m usical form.

The la b o rs o f t h e two l i b r e t t i s t s have b ro u g h t them I n t e r n a t i o n a l

re c o g n itio n . The same Is t r u e fo r th e composers. Using a s i m i l a r

s tru c tu ra l fo r m a t f o r th e ir o p e ra s , th e same p l o t ( w ith v a ria tio n s ),

d iffe re n t s ty lis tic approaches and c re a tiv e ta le n ts , P a ls ie llo and

R o s s in i were a b le t o c r e a t e works t h a t have l i v e d long a f t e r them; and

In t h e case o f R o s s in i, a work t h a t has been c a l l e d t h e g r e a t e s t opera

b u f f a ever w r i t t e n .

83
 APPENDIX A

COSTUME NOTES FOR THE ORIGINAL PLAY

84
 85

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

COSTUME NOTES

Count A lm a vlva , Spanish grandee, appears In t h e f i r s t a c t In s a t i n

J a c k e t and breeches; he Is enveloped In a la rg e brown c lo a k o r Spanish
cape, and has on a b la c k s lo u ch h a t w it h a c o lo r e d band. In t h e second
a c t he Is dressed In c a v a l i e r ' s u n ifo rm , w ith Imposing boots and a
m i l i t a r y moustache. In t h e t h i r d a c t he Is garbed as a s tu d e n t ( B . A . )
w it h a la rg e r u f f a t th e neck, long J a c k e t and breeches, and a b b e 's
c lo a k . In t h e f o u r t h a c t he I s s u p e rb ly c lo t h e d In t h e costume o f a
Spanish grandee, w it h a r i c h c lo a k , a l l of which Is enveloped by th e
la rg e Spanish cape used In t h e f i r s t a c t .

D r. B a r th o lo has on a b la c k , s h o r t , b uttoned s u i t w it h wide r u f f

and c u f f s , and f o r o u td o o rs a lo ng s c a r l e t c lo a k . He wears a w ig .

F ig a r o , th e B arbe r o f S e v i l l e , has a small band around h is head;

he wears a w h it e h a t w it h a c o lo r e d r ib b o n , a loose n e c k e r c h ie f , s a t i n
v e s t and tru n k h o s e w it h b u tto n s and s i I v e r - f r I n g e d b u t t o n h o le s , a s i l k
sash, g a r t e r s fa s te n e d w it h t a s s e l s which hang p r e t t i l y down t h e le g ,
and a j a c k e t In s t r i k i n g c o n t r a s t i n g c o l o r t o t h a t o f t h e v e s t . W hile
s t o c k in g s and gray shoes com plete h i s costume.

Don B a z i l e , t h e m u s ic -m a s te r, Is dressed v e ry s im p ly In a s u i t
w it h o u t c u f f s o r r u f f . He has on a b la c k scmbrero o r slouch h a t, a
s h o r t cassock and a long cape.
f s
La Jeunesse and L ' E v e l l l e , B a r t h o l o ' s s e r v a n ts , a re dressed In t h e
customary G a l ic ia n costume o f t h e p e r io d : b u f f - c o l o r e d v e s t , buckled
le a t h e r b e l t , b lu e breeches and a j a c k e t o f th e same c o l o r , open a t th e
s h o u ld e rs t o a d m it t h e arms.

Wigs may be dispensed w i t h , as th e y a re n o t a b s o lu t e l y e s s e n t i a l .

A t t h i s p e rio d f a s h io n s were changing r a p i d l y and t h e w ig was "g o in g
o u t " and n a tu ra l h a i r "coming I n . "

In a performance o f "The B a r b e r " g iv e n March, 1939 by Le T h e a tre

Des Q uatre S alsons, Don B a z i l e was dressed a lt o g e t h e r In b la c k . T h is
g a v e him an a p p e a r a n c e o f v i l l a i n y q u i t e In k e e p i n g w i t h h i s
c h a ra c te r.1

V f e r r e Beaumarchais, The B a rb e r o f S e v i l l e , t r a n s . , S te w a rt Robb

(London: Samuel French, 1939), pp. 9 5 -96 .
 APPENDIX B
OTHER COMPOSERS OF "LE BARB IER"

86
 87

1782 F r i e d r i c h Ludwig Benda ( I n Ham)

1783 Johann Z a c h a rla s E ls p e r g e r ( I n Sulzbach)

1786 Johann Abraham Schulz ( I n R e ln sbe rg )

1796 N lc c o lo Isouard ( I n V a l e t t a )

1815 Francesco M o rla c ch I ( I n Dresden)

1868 C o s ta n tin o D a l l ' A r g l n e ( I n Bologna)

1879 Ach111e G r a f fI g n a ( I n Padua)

1901 Jeronim o Jimenez ( I n M adrid)

1922 Leopoldo Cassone ( I n T u r i n ) !

Welnstock s t a t e s t h a t as e a r ly as 1776 a German v e r s io n of "Le

B a r b l e r ” was staged a t Dresden w it h an o v e r t u r e , te n a r i a s , two d u e ts,
and a c h orus by F r i e d r i c h Ludwig Benda (1 7 5 2 -9 2 ). In t h a t same y e a r an
opera on th e s u b j e c t by Johann Andre (1741-99) was produced a t Bel In.
A lb e r t o Torazza staged h i s v e r s io n a t S e s t r l Ponente In 1924.2

^Georges L e m a lt r e , B eaum archals. (New Y o rk : A lfre d A. K nopf,

1949), p. 350.
2,
"H e rb e rt W elnstock, B io g r a p h y , (New Y o rk : A lfre d A.
K nopf, 1968), p. 412.
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 90

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Music

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 91

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