The well-known aria announcing the barber's entrance — "Figaro!… Eh, Figaro!" — highlights this comic romp of an opera. Based on Beaumarchais' Le Barbier de Seville, Rossini's 1816 classic began as Almaviva, or the Useless Precaution, in an attempt to avoid confusion with a highly successful Il Barbiere di Siviglia of a half-century earlier. An opening night fiasco and persistent interruptions during the premiere by fans of the older play were but momentary detours on the path of this masterpiece to international fame. With the now-famous overture in place, the work reached the operatic capitals of the world, becoming the first opera to be sung in Italian in New York.
Ideal for conductors, soloists, chorus members, and rehearsal pianists, this practice and performance vocal score is based on the classic 1900 Schirmer edition. Please note that the lyrics appear in the original Italian only.