The Barber of Seville Ecco, ridente in cielo ( Juan Diego Flórez, The Royal Opera)

Juan Diego Flórez as Count Almaviva in Act I of Gioachino Rossini s Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville). Find out more at The 23yearold Gioachino Rossini completed his masterpiece Il barbiere di Siviglia incredibly quickly legend has it in just 13 days which Rossini attributed to facility and lots of instinct. He drew on PierreAugustin Beaumarchais play Le Barbier de Seville part of a dramatic trilogy that also inspired Mozarts Le nozze di Figaro. The opera is characterized by youthful energy and bold wit: qualities brought to the fore in Moshe Leiser and Patrice Cauriers colourful production. Il barbiere di Siviglia has all the ingredients for comic chaos: an imprisoned young woman, her lecherous guardian and a young noble suitor. Skilfully plotting behind the scenes is Figaro an irrepressible and inventive character in whom many have seen a resemblance to the young Rossini himself. The score fizzes with musical brilliance,