The Barber of Seville

Synopsis

• Act 1

  Count Almaviva has fallen in love with Rosina, whom he first saw in Madrid—he’s followed her all the way to a house in Seville, where she is kept by her old guardian, Doctor Bartolo. Bartolo also wants to marry Rosina so that he can claim her family wealth. 
  
  Accompanied by his servant Fiorello and some musicians, a disguised Count Almaviva arrives to serenade Rosina, but he gets no response. As daylight breaks, the barber Figaro appears and promises that he can help the Count—for a suitable reward. Serenading Rosina again, the Count claims to be a poor man named “Lindoro” because he wants Rosina to love him for himself rather than his money. Figaro comes up with an idea: the Count should pretend to be a soldier assigned to Doctor Bartolo’s household to force his way inside the closely guarded home. 
  
  Meanwhile, Rosina has been stirred by the Count’s lovely serenade; she’s determined to find the man behind the voice. Bartolo enters with the music master Basilio, who warns him that Count Almaviva is a rival for Rosina’s hand. Bartolo decides to marry Rosina right away, but Figaro overhears the plan and warns Rosina. Figaro promises to carry a letter from her to her beloved “Lindoro.” 
  
  Bartolo can tell that something is afoot and tries to get Rosina to admit she has written to a suitor. Suddenly the Count, disguised as a drunken soldier, bursts in and passes Rosina a note, which she hides. A loud quarrel ensues when Bartolo claims he’s exempt from having soldiers assigned to his household. As a curious crowd forms outside, police try to take the troublemaker into custody, but the Count confides his true identity to the Sergeant, who lets him go amidst the pandemonium.

• Act 2

  Bartolo suspects the intruder was a spy sent by Count Almaviva, who once again appears in disguise—this time as Alonso, a music teacher substituting for a supposedly sick Basilio. “Alonso” claims he is staying at the same inn as the Count and that he has found a letter there from Rosina. He offers to tell Rosina that her beloved is cheating on her with another woman. Reassured, Bartolo allows “Alonso” to give Rosina her singing lesson. Bartolo still plans to observe the lesson, but Figaro arrives to shave him and even manages to steal the key to the upstairs balcony.
  
  Rosina recognizes “Alonso” as her serenader “Lindoro,” who proposes to her. But as the shaving is about to begin, Basilio appears, which threatens to unravel the whole scheme. The Count quickly bribes him to play sick and rushes him out of the house. 
  
  Figaro shaves Bartolo, distracting him while the lovers make their plans to elope, but Bartolo overhears the word “disguise” and sends for Basilio. After everyone has left, the maid Berta wanders in and complains that she is working in a madhouse.
  
  Bartolo realizes that “Alonso” is actually Count Almaviva in disguise. To outplay his rival, he decides to marry Rosina that very night. Bartolo shows her a note that says “Lindoro” has deceived her and plans to win her for his master, the Count Almaviva. Rosina, feeling betrayed, agrees to marry Bartolo instead. She also tells him that Figaro and “Lindoro” plan to enter the house by way of the balcony, using the key that Figaro stole. 
  
  Figaro and the Count come in through the window, only to be spurned by Rosina, who accuses “Lindoro” of wooing her for his master Count Almaviva. “Lindoro” reveals his true identity as the Count himself, which delights Rosina. They try to escape together, but realize Bartolo has thwarted their plan by removing the ladder from the balcony. Basilio enters with a notary to finalize the marriage between Rosina and Bartolo, but he is swayed by a bribe from the Count, who signs the marriage contract with Rosina instead.
  Rosina is free at last—young love has won the day!