The Barber of Seville is set in Sevilla, Spain, in the 17th century.

Act I

Scene 1. Dawn, outside Dr. Bartolo’s house near Sevilla.

Young Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina, ward of the cantankerous Dr. Bartolo. With the help of some local musicians, he serenades her outside her balcony window (“Ecco ridente”), but she does not appear. Despairing, he dismisses the band. Just as they disperse, he hears someone approaching and hides. It is Figaro, barber and factotum extraordinaire, who will take on any job as long as he is well paid (“Largo al factotum”). Having recognized Figaro, Almaviva emerges from hiding and lays out his problem. The Count is in luck, for Figaro is frequently employed in Bartolo’s house as barber, wigmaker, surgeon, pharmacist, herbalist, veterinarian—in short, as jack-of-all-trades. They hide as Bartolo comes out of the house, instructing his servants to keep the door locked and chuckling to himself about his plan to marry Rosina. When he leaves, Figaro urges the Count to serenade Rosina again, this time in the guise of an impoverished student who calls himself Lindoro. Rosina responds to the serenade, but she is soon pulled away from the window by a servant. Figaro suggests that the Count can get into the house disguised as a drunken soldier who will be billeted there. Marveling at Figaro’s creativity, the Count agrees, promising to bring a purse of money to him at his shop. The scene ends as the Count anticipates the joy of love—and Figaro the joy of money. (This is the point in the opera where difficulty changing the elaborate scenery led 19th-century opera companies to create a separate “act” for the following scene. Modern performances use Rossini’s two-act structure.)

Scene 2. Later the same morning, in the music room of Bartolo’s house.

Rosina recalls the voice of her suitor (“Una voce poco fa”) and writes him a letter, determined to win him despite the plans of her guardian. She has sent for Figaro; just as he is about to tell her about “Lindoro’s” identity, Bartolo arrives and Figaro hides. Bartolo is angrily looking for Figaro, who apparently gave the servants sneezing fits with one of his powders. Rosina pretends not to have seen him. She leaves the room, cursing Bartolo, who now also blames Figaro for turning Rosina against him.

Don Basilio, Rosina’s music teacher, arrives. Bartolo will need his help in getting Rosina to marry him by the next day. He already knows that Count Almaviva is Rosina’s secret lover (although she still does not know his name), and when Basilio tells him that Almaviva is in town, Bartolo fears the worst. Basilio suggests slandering the Count (“La calunnia è un venticello”), but Bartolo does not want to wait for that to work; instead, the two go to Bartolo’s study to draw up the marriage contract. Figaro then comes out of hiding, having heard everything, and relays the story to Rosina. He then tells her about his cousin “Lindoro,” who is in love with her. Rosina pretends to be surprised, but Figaro knows better. She is eager to see her lover, and Figaro suggests that she write him a letter. Rosina feigns bashfulness, then pulls from her bosom the letter she has already written. As soon as Figaro leaves, Bartolo returns and questions Rosina about a spot of ink on her finger, a missing piece of letter paper, and an obviously used pen on the writing desk. He dismisses her false explanations, threatening to lock her in her room as he pompously declaims that she cannot fool him (“A un dottor della mia sorte”). Rosina manages to slip away, with Bartolo in pursuit.

Bartolo’s servant, Berta, enters grumbling about Rosina’s behaviour. She is interrupted by a knock at the door. It is the Count, disguised as a drunken soldier, shouting and staggering into the room. Bartolo comes in to see what the rumpus is about. The Count drunkenly addresses him by a number of insulting variations on “Bartolo,” then surreptitiously looks around for Rosina, who now enters. The Count whispers to her that he is “Lindoro.” He tries to follow her out to his “quarters,” but Bartolo claims to be exempt from laws requiring him to house soldiers. The Count challenges him to a duel. Bartolo demands to see a letter the Count has slipped to Rosina, but she hands him a laundry list instead. Berta and Basilio enter as Rosina and the Count triumph over Bartolo. When Rosina feigns a fit of weeping, the Count again threatens Bartolo, and everyone calls for help. Figaro answers the call, warning them that a crowd is gathering outside. As the Count and Bartolo renew their altercation, the police arrive, intending to arrest the Count. He reveals his true identity to the police captain, who releases him. Confusion ensues as everyone simultaneously proclaims their view of the situation.