from Act II of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Berta, servant to Doctor Bartolo

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano       Fach: lyric mezzo

Setting: The music room of Dr. Bartolo.

Synopsis: After much commotion, Berta wonders why people in love act so crazily, but at the same time, wishes she wasn't so old so she could find out for herself.

from Act II of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Count Almaviva, a young Spanish nobleman

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: tenor leggiero

Setting: The music room of Dr. Bartolo

Synopsis: After Almaviva and Rosina are married, Dr. Bartolo comes in with the police to try and prevent the marriage. The marriage contract has been signed though, and Almaviva sings of his joy in having won Rosina.

from Act I, Scene I of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Count Almaviva, a young Spanish nobleman

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: tenor leggiero

Setting: Ouside Dr. Bartolo's house at daybreak

Synopsis: Count Almaviva has fallen in love with Rosina. He stands outside of her house and serenades her.

from Act I, Scene I of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Count Almaviva, a young Spanish nobleman

Voice Part: tenor       Fach: tenor leggiero

Setting: Ouside Dr. Bartolo's house at daybreak

Synopsis: The Count serenades Rosina, the intended bride of Dr. Bartolo, hoping to win her affections. He does not want her to love him for his wealth and rank, though, so he says he is poor man named Lindoro and that he would like to be her husband.

from Act I, Scene II of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Doctor Bartolo, a physician and Rosina's guardian

Voice Part: bass-baritone       Fach: lyric bass

Setting: A room in Dr. Bartolo's house

Synopsis: After Rosina tries to deceive Dr. Bartolo by telling him many different lies, he declares that a doctor of his kind should not be treated as such and orders her locked in her room.

from Act I, Scene II of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Don Basilio, a music teacher

Voice Part: bass       Fach: buffo bass

Setting: A room in Dr. Bartolo's house

Synopsis: Don Basilio informs Dr. Bartolo that Almaviva is Rosina's new lover. He suggests a plan to discredit him by calumny - vicious gossip. Basilio describes the vast array of gossip that he can drag up and amplify.

from Act I, Scene I of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Figaro, a Sevillian barber

Voice Part: baritone       Fach: lyric baritone

Setting: Outside Dr. Bartolo's house at daybreak

Synopsis: Figaro sings of his many talents that make him a good doctor, barber, matchmaker, etc.

from Act I, Scene II of the Italian opera Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Gioacchino Rossini

Libretto: Cesare Sterbini

Role: Rosina, a young woman under the care of Dr. Bartolo

Voice Part: mezzo-soprano|soprano       Fach: lyric mezzo

Setting: A room in Dr. Bartolo's house

Synopsis: After having read the letter from Lindoro (Count Almaviva), Rosina is filled with joy. She sings of her love for him.