Figaro plays
Other operas based on the Figaro plays "Le Barbier de Séville" (The Barber of Seville), "Le Mariage de Figaro" (The Marriage of Figaro), and "La Mère coupable" (The Guilty Mother) by the 18th century French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais:
Le nozze di Figaro (The marriage of Figaro) - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) - Giovanni Paisiello
Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) - Gioachino Rossini
Information about the opera Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini, and the best recordings available on CD or DVD, or for download.
Rossini's version of the early adventures of the same Figaro as in Le nozze di Figaro (The marriage of Figaro).
Recommended recordings on CD
Gómez-Martinez/Gunn/Garanca (Sony Classical 82876 80429-2)
An excellent live performance recorded at the Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich, in May 2005.
Bavarian Radio Chorus, Munich Radio Orchestra, conducted by Miguel Angel Gómez-Martinez, 2005.
Cast: Nathan Gunn (Figaro), Elina Garanca (Rosina), Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva), Bruno de Simone (Bartolo).
Sony Classical 82876 80429-2
Gui/Bruscantini/Angeles (EMI Classics 7243 567 762-2)
A superb studio recording with the spontaneity of a live performance.
Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Vittorio Gui, 1962.
Cast: Sesto Bruscantini (Figaro), Victoria de los Angeles (Rosina), Luigi Alva (Count Almaviva), Ian Wallace (Bartolo).
EMI Classics 7243 567 762-2
Humburg/Servile/Ganassi (Naxos 8.660027-9)
An excellent performance with an all-Italian cast.
Failoni Chamber Orchestra, Hungarian Radio Chorus, conducted by Will Humburg, 1992.
Cast: Roberto Servile (Figaro), Sonia Ganassi (Rosina), Ramón Vargas (Count Almaviva), Angelo Romero (Bartolo).
Naxos 8.660027-9
Recommended recordings on DVD
Campanella/Jenis/DiDonato (Arthaus Musik 107 281)
A live Recording from The Opéra National De Paris, 2002 in a striking production by French film director Coline Serreau, with Joyce DiDonato superb as Rosina.
Opéra National De Paris, conducted by Bruno Campanella, 2002.
Cast: Dalibor Jenis (Figaro), Joyce DiDonato (Rosina), Roberto Saccà (Count Almaviva), Carlos Chausson (Bartolo).
Arthaus Musik 107 281
Also included in the boxed set:
Magic Moments of Opera
Pappano/Flórez/DiDonato (Virgin Classics 694 5819)
An outstanding performance by Joyce Didonato as Rosina, despite performing from a wheelchair as she had broken her leg in a fall on the first night.
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra, conducted by Antonio Pappano, 2008.
Cast: Juan Diego Flórez (Figaro), Joyce DiDonato (Rosina), Pietro Spagnoli (Count Almaviva), Alessandro Corbelli (Bartolo).
Virgin Classics 694 5819