The Barber of Seville | New Year’s Eve Concert

Can you imagine a better way to say farewell to the old year than with The Barber of Seville – an operatic comedy of errors, disguises, conspiracies, false identities, and arias that have become musical legends? Gioachino Rossini was not yet 24 years old when he composed this work. According to legend, he wrote it in just three weeks, and the famous overture was entirely borrowed from one of his earlier operas. The result? Pure operatic perfection – lively, witty, and still dazzling today.

Il barbiere di Siviglia (1816) was composed to a libretto by Cesare Sterbini, based on a play by Pierre Beaumarchais from 1775 – the first part of the so-called Figaro trilogy. Beaumarchais wrote about class confusion, clever servants, and bewildered aristocrats. Rossini brought these themes to the musical stage with remarkable lightness and energy.

The action takes place in Seville. Young Count Almaviva falls in love with Rosina, who is under the watchful eye of the aging Doctor Bartolo – he wants to marry her for her fortune. To get close to his beloved, the Count adopts various identities: the student Lindoro, a drunken soldier, and a music teacher.

Then Figaro enters – the local barber, a specialist in hairstyling and unsolvable problems. He becomes the mastermind behind the whole intrigue. Together with Almaviva, he comes up with ways to reach Rosina, outwit Bartolo, and seal the love with a wedding. There's also the schemer Basilio, the gossip Berta, a fair amount of chaos – and, of course, a wedding in the final act.

The Barber… features some of the most famous arias in all of opera literature: Rosina's Una voce poco fa and Figaro's famous Largo al factotum. Rossini created music that never grows old – full of rhythmic surprises, vocal fireworks, and constant energy. Although the premiere at the Teatro Argentina in Rome (February 20, 1816) was a failure – due to theatrical chaos and resistance from supporters of composer Giovanni Paisiello, who had previously written an opera with the same title – subsequent performances brought Rossini instant success. The Barber of Seville became one of the most frequently performed operas in history.

This opera has no fireworks or toasts, but it has everything you need at the end of the year: lightness, cleverness, laughter, love, and a happy ending. Figaro – the man for all occasions – once again triumphs over convention and boredom.

May your coming year also be full of creativity, brilliance, and good music. With best wishes – see you in the new year!

Largo al factotum from Rossini's opera Il barbiere di Siviglia performed by Michael Spyres (tenor) and the Orchestra of English National Opera conducted by Paul Daniel:

Una voce poco fa from Rossini's opera Il barbiere di Siviglia performed by Siphokazi Molteno (mezzo-soprano) and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales conducted by Michael Christie:

On our stage, The Barber of Seville will be brought to life by outstanding soloists and orchestra. The role of the enamoured Almaviva will be sung by tenor Sebastian Mach, a singer who collaborates with leading stages in Poland and who took part in the prestigious Young Singers Project in Salzburg. Doctor Bartolo will be performed by bass Dariusz Machej, a distinguished artist with vast stage experience, who has appeared on concert platforms all over Europe and is a laureate of the Fryderyk phonographic awards. The clever and graceful Rosina will be interpreted by soprano Monika Korybalska, soloist of the Kraków Opera, with more than forty operatic and operetta roles to her credit. The role of Figaro, master of intrigue and disguise, will be presented by baritone Tomasz Rak, long associated with the Warsaw Chamber Opera, where he made his debut in this very role. The scheming Basilio will be portrayed by bass Artur Janda, awarded twice with the Fryderyk and recognised for his outstanding operatic creations. The gossipy Berta will be sung by mezzo-soprano Hanna Sosnowska-Bill, who successfully appears on opera stages in Poland and abroad. The entire performance will be conducted by Adam Banaszak, one of the most remarkable Polish conductors of his generation, for many years associated with leading opera houses.