Great Performances at the Met: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Season 53 Episode 2 | 2h 42m 21sVideo has Closed Captions
Rossini’s effervescent comedy retakes the stage in Bartlett Sher’s madcap production.
Rossini’s effervescent comedy retakes the stage in Bartlett Sher’s madcap production. Aigul Akhmetshina headlines a winning ensemble as the feisty heroine, Rosina, alongside Jack Swanson, in his Met debut, as her secret beloved, Count Almaviva. Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the infamous barber of Seville, with Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basilio.
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Major series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue...
Great Performances at the Met: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Season 53 Episode 2 | 2h 42m 21sVideo has Closed Captions
Rossini’s effervescent comedy retakes the stage in Bartlett Sher’s madcap production. Aigul Akhmetshina headlines a winning ensemble as the feisty heroine, Rosina, alongside Jack Swanson, in his Met debut, as her secret beloved, Count Almaviva. Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the infamous barber of Seville, with Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basilio.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[ "Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Overture" by NBC Symphony Orchestra plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Major funding for "Great Performances" is provided by... ...and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.
Thank you.
-Hey, Wanda, how's your voice feeling today?
Did you warm up?
Do you feel like you're ready to go on stage?
I think you look great.
I think it's perfect.
How are you feeling?
You look fabulous.
Oh, hi.
I'm Anthony Roth Costanzo, and I am so excited to be your host today for Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia", one of opera's greatest comedies.
And the world could certainly use a few laughs these days.
Don't you think so, Wanda?
You want a little bit of a carrot?
What do you say?
Save some for me, alright?
[ Chuckles ] Rossini's winning formula of madcap hijinks and vocal fireworks has made the opera a perennial bright spot in the repertory of opera companies around the world for more than 200 years.
And this whimsical production, directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, provides the perfect comedic setting.
Today, we have a dynamic young cast infusing fresh energy into this timeless classic.
Baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky sings the title role of Figaro, Seville's favorite barber and jack-of-all-trades.
Tenor Jack Swanson, making his Met debut, is the dashing Count Almaviva, who hires Figaro to help him win the beautiful Rosina away from her elderly guardian, who keeps her under lock and key.
Rosina is played by mezzo sensation Aigul Akhmetshina, demonstrating her comic flair.
Maestro Giacomo Sagripanti is ready to go in the pit and launch the rousing overture.
Here is "Il Barbiere di Siviglia".
[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Singing in Italian ] -[ All singing in Italian ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] [ All exclaiming ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Chair thuds ] -[ Man singing in distance ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Figaro singing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ [ Coughs ] [ Laughter ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ -Psst!
Psst!
[ Laughter ] -[ In English ] Good day.
[ Laughter ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Shouts ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Shouts ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -Achoo!
Achoo!
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -[ Laughs ] -Achoo!
Achoo!
Achoo!
Achoo!
-[ Groans ] Shhhh!
♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Breathes deeply ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -No.
-[ Laughs ] [ Gasps ] Aah!
♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -Aah!
Hmm!
[ Grunts ] ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -[ Sighs ] Achoo!
♪♪ Oh!
♪♪ ♪♪ -No, grazie.
-Huuuuh!
-Owww!
[ Knock on door ] [ Knocking continues ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Indistinct conversations ] -At the end of the previous act, Count Almaviva is in pursuit of Rosina and his battle of wits with Bartolo has only just begun.
When Act Two starts, the Count arrives in yet another disguise and, needless to say, comic antics ensue.
Here is the hilarious and satisfying conclusion of "Il Barbiere di Siviglia."
[ Applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] [ Laughter ] [ Applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] -Maestro, please!
[ Laughter ] ♪♪ [ All singing in Italian ] [Knocking in distance] ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] [ Both speaking in Italian ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -Shh!
♪♪ Oh, no, no, no, no.
Oh!
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Aah!
-[ Speaking in Italian ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Snoring ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ [ Coughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] [ Both vocalizing ] ♪♪ -[ Exhales sharply ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -No!
No... No!
N-- -[ Smooches ] [ Laughter ] Rosi-- Oh!
[ Laughter ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Inhales sharply ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -No, no, no, no, no!
[ Both speaking in Italian ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ Aah!
[ Laughter ] ♪♪ [ Laughter ] -[ In English ] Many pardons.
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Ah!
[ Laughter ] [ Crashing in distance ] -[ Screaming ] [ Laughter ] [ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -[ Laughs ] ♪♪ -Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi!
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] -Aah!
♪♪ [ Coins clinking ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Coin clatters ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Mama mia.
[ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Ack!
[ Wheezing ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Ow!
♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Ay-yi-y-yi-yi-yi!
♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -[ Laughs ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Achoo!
[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ -Bah!
♪♪ Hey!
Rosina!
Rosina!
[ Singing in Italian ] [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Thunder booming ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] ♪♪ [ Laughter ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] [ Cheers and applause continue ]
Aigul Akhmetshina as Rosina in "Il Barbiere di Siviglia."
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S53 Ep2 | 1m 25s | Aigul Akhmetshina sings an excerpt from Rosina’s Act II aria. (1m 25s)
"Great Performances at the Met: Il Barbiere di Siviglia" Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Preview: S53 Ep2 | 30s | Rossini’s effervescent comedy retakes the stage in Bartlett Sher’s madcap production. (30s)
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Major series funding for GREAT PERFORMANCES is provided by The Joseph & Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue...