THE STORY

The Count Almaviva has fallen in love with a girl he has seen in the streets of Seville.  He has seen her enter a house, and follows her there. He is disguised as a poor student, because he wants the girl to fall in love with him- and not his wealth or nobility. 

 

However, his money allows him to hire a ragtag band of itinerant musicians to accompany him at night while he serenades the young lady’s balcony.  He has no luck at first, but he is surprised by running into a man who used to be in his employ, the barber Figaro.  

 

As we soon learn, Figaro has many talents, and vows to help the Count connect with the lady he loves, the delightfully strong-willed and determined Rosina, for the right price.  It turns out that she is the ward of a Dr. Bartolo, and lives in his house.  But, Bartolo wants to be “more” than Rosina’s tutor and fancies himself as a husband for the girl as soon as possible.  

 

Figaro comes up with a number of ideas to get the Count into the house so that he can pass notes to Rosina and make amorous proposals.  Bartolo thinks that he is smarter than this Lindoro or Don Alonso, or whoever he is….but in the end, it is always the dashing Count Almaviva, and his friend - Figaro, the Barber of Seville, who leaves the good Doctor Bartolo-befuddled and confused.