Introducing… Il barbiere di Siviglia
Find out more about Rossini's sparkling opera.
In this short video you can hear from baritone Germán Olvera (Figaro) and director Annabel Arden who tell us why this opera is so beloved by audiences, and what you can expect from this production.
A brief introduction:
The beautiful Rosina is kept captive by her guardian Dr Bartolo. He secretly plans to marry her and keep her dowry for himself. But when the suave Count Almaviva falls for Rosina from afar, he enlists the cunning local barber, Figaro, to help her escape. A fast and funny battle of wills ensues.
Il barbiere di Siviglia is one of the greatest and most influential comedies in all of opera. Rossini took the sort of romantic farce that the audiences of his era were used to, and pushed it in a new and unexpected direction. The characters are not stock figures, they are fully developed, and the music is packed with sophistication and nuance (and tunes that will stay in your head for days).
Why not to miss it:
Il barbiere di Siviglia, Festival 2016. Photo: Bill Cooper
This is the ultimate feel-good night at the opera, with The Independent calling it ‘A triumphant celebration of Rossini’s musical genius’ in their five star review.
‘I think it is so loved because it is incredibly joyous music’ says director Annabel Arden, and it is that sense of joy that she brings to the stage. The production is full of Spanish colour, with a set inspired by Moorish tiles, and it is full of inventive staging and surreal touches. This is a show that will keep you guessing and surprise you at every turn, as it breaks the fourth wall and draws you into its playful world.
Want to know what happens next? Il barbiere di Siviglia and Le nozze di Figaro were based on a trilogy of plays by French writer Beaumarchais. With both operas on stage at Festival 2025 you have the perfect opportunity to enjoy the next chapter in the life of Figaro, Almaviva and Rosina in Le nozze di Figaro.
A great moment to look out for:
Figaro explodes onto the stage with the bold and endlessly catchy ‘Largo al factotum’. The aria perfectly captures this energetic, confident man in music. The sheer complexity of the piece lets us know that Figaro is a showman who has no qualms about singing his talents from the rooftops.
It’s one of those pieces that has exploded beyond the opera stage, recognised the world over for everything from Fiat adverts to Tom & Jerry.
In this clip from the 2016 production, Björn Bürger performs this unforgettable aria:
Cast and creative team:
Scottish conductor Rory Macdonald, who has helmed numerous productions as part of our Tour (most recently La bohème in 2022), makes his Festival debut.
Playing Figaro is Mexican baritone Germán Olvera, fresh from 2024’s The Merry Widow where he played Danilo. Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Molinari and US tenor Jonah Hoskins make their Glyndebourne debuts as Rosina and Almaviva. Italian baritone Fabio Capitanucci plays Dr Bartolo, and you have the chance to see him in another Rossini role this autumn, when he plays Don Geronio in Il turco in Italia.
Germán Olvera in The Merry Widow. Festival 2024.
To find out more about production support for Festival 2025 click here
or contact our Director of Development, Helen McCarthy for an informal chat:
call 01273 013 308 or email helen.mccarthy@glyndebourne.com