Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" Quiz

Answer: True

Rossini took great pains to avoid comparisons between his opera and that of Giovanni Paisiello, whose version of Beaumarchais "Le Barbiere du Seville" had held the stage for thirty years. His attempts to avoid comparison were, at first, unsuccessful; soon, however, his opera became a sensation on its own and eventually eclipsed Paisiello's version.

Answer: About 30 years

"Le Nozze di Figaro" premiered in Vienna on May 1, 1786. "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" premiered in Rome on February 20, 1816.

Answer: Rossini was booed at the final curtain call.

The opera's premiere was disastrous for a number of reasons. To begin with, many members of the audience were admirers of Paisiello's established opera on the same subject and saw no reason why there should be a new version. Things were not helped when Rossini showed up in a "Spanish" style getup to conduct the opera.

The tenor, who had insisted on accompanying himself on the guitar, broke a string and had to re-tune, much to the amusement of the audience. More hilarity, of the wrong kind, ensued when a cat wandered onstage, to the discomfort of the singers. Rossini never made it to the final curtain call; he walked out in the middle of the performance and went home to bed. Fortunately, the second performance was a great success and the opera's popularity was assured thereafter.

Answer: Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra

The overture had actually done double duty before "Barbiere", having been used for "Aureliano in Palmira" and "Elisabetta"; the story was that Rossini, notoriously lazy, had neglected to write an overture for "Barbiere" and at the eleventh hour quickly substituted the one from "Elisabetta", which had not been performed in some time. Rosina's "Io sono docile" was originally the cabaletta of Elisabetta's opening aria.

Answer: Fiorello

In a bit of recitative (invariably cut in performance) at the end of Act I, scene 1, Fiorello complains of the difficulties of being Almaviva's servant (rather similar to Leporello's "Notte e Giorno Faticar" gripe in Mozart's "Don Giovanni"). Figaro, too, will have problems with Almaviva in the sequel.

Answer: They are excessively grateful at the Count's extreme generosity.

The musicians are delighted when Almaviva extravagantly pays them for their services and crowd around him, singing "Mille grazie! Mio Signore". The Count, angry at the commotion they are making, curses them and tries to quiet them and dismiss them. (I have seen this bit played as if the players are angry at the wages they have received and are being sarcastic when they profusely thank the Count; it works either way).

Answer: Three

He is disguised as the student Lindoro in scene 1, in scene 2, at Figaro's urging, he impersonates a drunken soldier billeted in Bartolo's house. In the first scene of Act II, he impersonates "Don Alonso", a music teacher supposedly sent by the indisposed Don Basilio to give Rosina's daily singing lesson.

Answer: All of these.

Figaro is on his way to the shop at dawn ("Presto a bottega che l'alba e gia"). His customers frequently ask him to deliver letters and notes ("Presto il biglietto"). Bleeding (now known to be, at best, worthless from a medical point of view) was commonly practiced at that time ("Qua la sanguinia"); the red and white stripes on the barber's pole derive from this practice.

Answer: L'Inutile Precauzion ("The Useless Precaution")

Rosina will later sing an aria, supposedly from this opera, in the Lesson Scene in Act II. Figaro will ironically allude to the opera's title in the final scene, just before the finale. ("L'Occasione" is another Rossini opera, "La Serva Padrona" is an opera by Pergolesi, "Il Triunfo d'Amore" is a title I made up.

Answer: Because one is naturally less suspicious of someone who is drunk.

Almaviva reacts with shock and disdain to the idea of behaving like an inebriate (he is a nobleman, after all) until Figaro points out that Bartolo is likely to be less wary of his actions if he believes him to be a harmless drunk. Personally, I believe Figaro also enjoys the idea of getting a nobleman to act like a falling-down drunk.

Answer: Figaro gave each the wrong medications.

The maid had insomnia and the porter had a head-cold. Figaro was supposed to provide the maid with a sleeping draught and the porter with snuff, to clear his head; he gave each one the other's medication. Undoubtedly, this was not accidental; Figaro wants the porter to be asleep at his watch and wants to be able to tell when the inquisitive and watchful maid is nearby when he talks to Rosina about Almaviva.

Answer: Marcellina

Marcellina is something of a puzzle; does she actually exist? Figaro is not married yet, that happens in the next play/opera. This does not preclude his having a daughter, but we neither see nor hear of Marcellina in "The Marriage of Figaro"; there is, to be sure, an adult character named Marcellina who is much older than Figaro and turns out to be his mother.

Answer: The extremely rapid patter of the middle section.

The long middle section of this aria (it is often shortened in performance) requires the singer to fire off many words at lightning speed. The best performance of this aria in my experience has been by Enzo Dara in the 1972 Deutsche-Gramophone recording conducted by Claudio Abbado and starring Hermann Prey, Teresa Berganza, and Luigi Alva; he not only gets his tongue around every word, but even manages to convey their meaning.

Answer: The laundry list.

Rosina claims that it was only "la lista del bucato", the laundry list. Bartolo is not deceived and demands that she hand it over; however the wily Rosina has switched it behind her back with the laundry list, which she had on her. Bartolo is greatly chagrined when he opens it and finds that it is, indeed, the laundry list.

Answer: Intones a blessing on every corner of the house.

"Don Alonso" enters singing "Pace e gioia sia con vuoi... Goia e pace per mil'anni." ("Peace and joy be with you... Joy and peace for a thousand years") He proceeds to utter this incantation in every corner af the house, driving Bartolo (whose nerves are already frayed from the previous nights experience, when the house was invaded by the police) to utter distraction.

Answer: Caffariello (a castrato)

Bartolo praises Rosina's voice, but declares that the aria is a terrible bore (ironically, this line is usually omitted when "Contro un Cor" is replaced by some other coloratura showpiece, which is when it would most likely be justified). He then reminisces about when Caffariello sang a certain aria, which he himself proceeds to sing (coyly substituting the name "Giannina" for "Rosina").

It ends in a minuet, which he dances with Rosina; they are interrupted by the arrival of Figaro, who imitates Bartolo's dancing.

Answer: Scarlet fever

They also surreptiously hand Basilio a full purse to bribe him to leave quietly. There ensues the hilarious "Buona sera, mio signore" quartet, in which Almaviva, Figaro, and Rosina try graciously to usher Basilio out the door. Basilio, no doubt enjoying their discomfiture, drags out his exit by feigning extreme gratitude at their solicitude for his welfare.

Answer: Love.

Berta is decrying the constant uproar in the house, all caused by the desire of both Rosina and Bartolo to marry. She wonders "Ma, che cosa e quest' amore, che fa tutti a delirar" ("What kind of thing is this love, which makes everyone delirious?"). She then rails against it, but must admit that- "Poverina, anch'io lo sento" ("Poor me, I feel it as well"). We are not told who the object of her affection is; in many productions, it is her employer, which would make sense.

Answer: A rainstorm with thunder and lightning.

The "Temporale", which uses music from the overture, depicts a rainstorm slowly gathering in force until it becomes a full-blown thunderstorm.

Answer: All of these.

After the revelation has been made, Rosina and Almaviva begin an ecstatic duet "Ah, Qual Colpo Inaspettato", which goes on at considerable length. Figaro vainly tries to get them to wrap it up (he also imitates them, to hilarious effect); eventually, he sees two people with a lantern coming to the door and alerts them.

They sing the trio "Zitti, zitti, piano, piano" as they ascend the stairs to the balcony, trying not to panic. They discover, to their dismay, that the ladder has been removed. Worse, the two people turn out to be Basilio and a notary he has brought to effect the marriage of Rosina and Bartolo. Almaviva bribes Basilio again, this time with a costly ring, and also places a loaded pistol to his head. Basilio takes both the bribe and the hint.

By the time Bartolo arrives, Rosina and Almaviva are married. Bartolo rages that, in removing the ladder from the balcony, he actually facilitated their plot. As Figaro points out, that was truly "The useless precaution!"