Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
Rossini's cherished classic is a delightful farce filled with high-flying vocal fireworks and gorgeous melodies, including "Largo al factotum," made famous by the iconic line "Figaro, Figaro, Figaro!" To help young Count Almaviva win the hand of the beautiful Rosina, the sharp-witted barber, Figaro, must prevent her from marrying her guardian, Dr. Bartolo. The trio of schemers stops at nothing in the name of love and duty.
Performances: September 12, 13m, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20m, 2009
Kennedy Center Opera House
Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Washington National Opera Revival
This presentation of The Barber of Seville is made possible by the Eugene B. Casey Endowment.
Original production generously underwritten by the Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts.
Figaro: Simone Alberghini†/Keith Phares
Count Almaviva: Lawrence Brownlee*/Juan Francisco Gatell*
Rosina: Silvia Tro Santafé*/Ketevan Kemoklidze†*
Bartolo: Donato DiStefano*/Valeriano Lanchas†±
Don Basilio: Eric Owens/Grigory Soloviov±
Conductor: Michele Mariotti*/Joseph Mechavich*
Director: David Gately
* Washington National Opera Debut
‡ Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist
± Former Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist
† Operalia Winner
The Barber of Seville photo by Karin Cooper for WNO.