The Barber of Seville

opera by Paisiello

Also known as: “Il barbiere di Siviglia”

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June 11, 2026

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Giovanni Paisiello composed an opera titled Il Barbiere di Siviglia in 1782, based on Pierre-Augustin Beaumarchais's play. This opera was admired for its realism and dramatic power. It was a significant work, with some considering it his masterpiece. Paisiello's opera was popular and even presented a challenge to Gioachino Rossini, who later composed his own, more famous, version of The Barber of Seville. The plot, common to both operas, involves Count Almaviva's attempts to marry Rosina, who is being kept by her guardian, Dr. Bartolo. The clever barber Figaro assists Almaviva in his schemes.123

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Giovanni Paisiello
…Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1782; The Barber of Seville), which some consider his masterpiece, on a libretto by Giuseppe Petrosellini, after Beaumarchais’s comedy Le Barbier de Séville.
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…Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1782; The Barber of Seville), which some consider his masterpiece, on a libretto by Giuseppe Petrosellini, after Beaumarchais’s comedy Le Barbier de Séville.
Read More