Wh en The Barbel' of Seville , a play by Beaumarchais, was introduced in Paris in 1775, it was quickly banned by Louis XVI who co nsi dered it derogatory to the aristocracy. In 1782, the I talian composer Paisiello gave The Barber of Seville a musical setting . His opera was so successful that 34 years later the premiere of Rossini ' s opera on the same subject aroused public demonstrations . The genius of Rossini's music won Ollt however. And his brilliant opera achieved such distinction that its 1825 debut in New York marked the first time an Italian opera was .heard in the United States.
ACT I, SCENE 1 : Outsid e Dr. Bartolo's house in Set/ale. Count Almaviva is in love with Rosina. Rosina, however, lives with a jealou guardian , Dr . Bartolo who plans to marry her for ber money. Disguised as a student the Count must serenade Rosina just to see her. Inspired by a b ribe, Figaro, the town barber, devises a plan to get Count Aimavi va into Dr. Bartolo's hOllse. SCENE 2: A room it1 Dr. Bartolo's house. Dr Bartolo learns from Ro ina's music teacbe(, Basilio, that Co'unt AIrna viva is in Seville . Basilio suggests getting rid of Alrnaviva by spreading malicious rumor about hill). The Count, following Figaro's plan, arrives disguised as a drunken soldier and demands lodging in Bartolo's house. An uproar ensues and Almaviva is arrested The Count reveals his i dentity to th e officer and i immediately released. ACT II: A room in Dr. Bflrtoio's house. Claiming to be a substitute for Basilio , who is upposedly ill, the Count returns. Wheo Basilio unexpectedly walks in, ALmaviva, Rosina and Figaro convince him that he is indeed ill. And while Figaro shaves Bartolo, the lovers plan their elopem ent. Bartolo sees the deception and decides to marry Rosina immediately. He sends Basilio foe a lawyeJ:. Figaro and the Count return for Rosina And when Basilio and the lawyeearrive they are persuaded to marry the couple. Bareolo bursts in with me police, but he is too late. Almaviva allow him to keep Rosina's dowry, however. So the comedy ends with rejoicing.
A COMIC OPERA IN TWO ACfS
Music by Gioacchino Rossini
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini
English Translation by Ruth and Thomas Martin
COUNT ALMA-VIVA, alias Lindoro ... . . ..... ... . .... Michael Cousins
FIGARO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . ... ...... Thomas Palmer
ROSINA, ward of Dr. Bartolo .. .. . .. ... .... ....... . ... Maria Ewing
DR. BARTOLO. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... ... ... . . .. . . ...... .. J. B. Davis
DON BASILIO, a music teacher
Rene A. Miville
BERTHA, Dr. Bartolo's housemaid Elsie Inselman
FrORllLLo, Count Almaviva' s servant .... . . . . . . .. . . . ..... Davis Gloff
A SERGEANT Joseph Ryan
A NOTARy Joseph Brown
SOLDlflRS and MUSICIANS ... ... .. . ... Carmen Cavallaro, Stuart Skog, Joseph Ryan , Jo eph Brown, Davis Gloff
Stage Director: Italo Tajo
Music Director: William C. Byrd
Associate Music Director: Naomi Amos
Production Design and Stage :Manager: Tom A. Aston
Assistant to the General Director and Personnel Manager: Dean Amos
IT"LO T "lo-Stage Director
W'orld-reoowned b. so-star of Me"opolitan and L. Scala-fcured in movies and recordingsCurrenlly director of opera tbeater fit Cincinnati Conservatory.
\'(IILLlA C BVRo-Mu ie Director
Acclaimed for hi. <ondueling of symphony and opera Annually
onducu major orc.hcsrc"as jn Scan . ctiaavia .nd Great Brit.in-presen! Iy music director of dIC Flint ymphony.
COUSINS-Count A hn. viva Winner of many prestigious competitions including American Opera Auditions-soon to assunle neW assignment as a leading tenol of the Munich Opera in fall of 1970.
THO""S P"lMell-i'iRaro
A graduate of Juilliard Schoolappeared with moS[ major symphony orcheslms and opera companies in U S. F.uropean debut at Geneva Opera in 1967. Recorded for Van/:uard and COlumbia Re · cently named as Sears Roebuck Foundation Affili.te Ard t a[ Oakland University .
MAJllA !JwING- Ro";na
A Oetroiter and winner of rhe 1970 Grinnell Award-protege of ( :unou s Met cti va £IeanOr greb· er Made her debut at Meadowbrook in Rigo/tllo with Robert. Peters, Jan Pe.rce , and Cornell MacNeil.
RENE A. MtVu I.Jl-Don Basilio
Vet tile man of the theater and films plus numerOus T.V. and musical comedy appearances. Opera assignments include MenotIi ' s Spoleto Festival and presently Sarah aldwelJ's BOston Opu. Company
EI slp. INSeLMAN-Dru-rba
A graduate of tbe Eastman Scl100l o( Music-Winner o( a Fulbright chol3rsbip (or study in Cermany, and in 1%9 the Donovan Award A Oelroiter, lhis i. her fourlh sea On wilh Overture
J B DAVis - Dr. Bartolo Basso (rom Louisville, Kentucky. Has sung a wide variety of roles wich 5utb major companies as ew York City Opera, ivic. Seaul. Opera. This summer will make South Americao debut
A pril 3 -8 :1 5 P M (Preview)
Grosse Pointe Wac Memor ial, Fries AuditOrium
Admission: $3.00
Ticket information: 881-7511
A pri l 8 - 8:00 P M
Detroit Institute of Arts (Orchestra Performance)
Admission : $5 00, $4.00, $3.00
Student: $4.00, $3.00, $2.0 0
Ticket information:
Detroit Institute of Arts
5200 Woodward Ave., 48202 Phone: 832-2730,831-0360, ext. 53
J. L. Hudson Company : 223-5100
Apr il 9 & 1 0 - 12:30 P .M. ( tudent Matinees)
Detroit Institute of Ar t s
Admission: $1.50
Ticket information: 832-2730
Apr il 1 3 -1 2 :30 P . M _ (Student Mati n ee)
\.'V'arren Woods High Schoo l Auditorium
Twel ve Mile and chot:nherr
Admission: .50
Ticket information: L7-6600
A p ril 14 - 8:00 P.M
Warren Woods High School AuditOrium
Twelve Mile and cboenberr
Admission: $2.00
Ticket information: SL 7·6600
Ap r il 15 - 12:30 P M _ ( tudent Matioee)
Lahser High Scbool
Between Square Lk & Long Lk.
Ad mission: 1 00
Ticket information:
Mrs. Ralp h Curtis: 628-2737
Apr i l 16 - 8 :30 P M
La h ser High School
Between Square Lk. & Long Lk.
Admi ·sion: $2.50
Ticket information:
Me . Arnold Brown: 681-1080
MIs. James Gell: 647-4538
M r s Vern Severson: 651-1318
GrinneU 's-Ponciac Mall: 682·0422
Grinne U's-B i rmingbam : M I4-S135
April 21 - 8:00 P.M.
Midland, Michigan (S p onso r ed by Nor t bwood I nstitute)
Cen t ra l Intermedia t e Audito r ium
Monday, May 25
CAY AI.LllRlA RUSTlCANA-Mascagni
PAGLrACCI-Leoncavallo
Benefit performance for the Detroit Institute of Arts and the Detroir S}'mpbony Orchestra
Tuesday, May 26 LA TR/I. VIA A-Verdi
Wednesday, May 27
LUCIA di LAMMERMOOR-Donizetti
Thursday, May 28
NORMA-Be l lini
Friday, l'vlay 29
ANDRllA CHENIER-Giordano
Saturday, May 30-{Matinee) To cA-Puccini
Saturday, May 30-(Evening)
DtH ZAUBERFLOTE-Mozart (The Magic Flute)
Frank W. Donovan, C h airman Wi l ber H. Mack, President Me Ernest A. J ones, General Chairman