A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Barber of Seville, The

by George Grove

BARBER OF SEVILLE, THE. Operas of this name, founded on the celebrated play of Beaumarchais (1775), have been often produced. Two only can be noticed here: (1) that of Paisiello, first performed at St. Petersburg in 1780, and at Paris in 1789—at the 'Théâtre de Monsieur,' in, the Tuileries, July 12, and at the Théâtre Feydeau, July 22; (2) that of Rossini—libretto by Sterbini—produced at Rome, Dec. 26, 1816 [App. p.530 "Feb. 5"], and at Paris, in the Salle Louvois, Oct. 26, 1819. Rossini hesitated to undertake the subject previously treated by Paisiello, and before doing so obtained his permission. He is said to have completed the opera in 15 days. On its appearance in Paris an attempt was made to crush it by reviving Paisiello's opera, but the attempt proved an entire failure; Paisiello's day was gone for ever.

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