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Rossini: The Barber of Seville

Building a Library compares recordings of Rossini's The Barber of Seville.

Ben Walton for Building a Library compares audio recordings of Rossini's hugely popular opera buffa The Barber of Seville, after Beaumarchais's comic play written 40 years earlier. There are so many renowned recordings, spanning over 60 years, but it's perhaps the coloratura mezzo-soprano role of Rosina which defines each one. We'll hear from Callas, Garanca, de los Angeles, Sills, Larmore to name but a few, not to mention the legendary conductors! Which will be chosen above all others as the recording for your library?

Recommended recording:

Roberto Servile (Figaro), Sonia Ganassi (Rosina), Ram贸n Vargas (Count Almaviva), Hungarian Radio Choir; Failoni Chamber Orchestra, Budapest, Willi Humburg
NAXOS 8660027-29 (3CD)

Other recommended recordings:
Below is a shortlist of other recordings which Ben Walton also liked, although we can鈥檛 guarantee the availability of these discs.

Sesto Bruscantini (Figaro), Victoria de los Angeles (Rosina), Luigi Alva (Count Almaviva), Glyndebourne Festival Chorus, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vittorio Gui (conductor)
WARNER CLASSICS 5677622

Nathan Gunn (Figaro), Elina Garan膷a (Rosina), Lawrence Brownlee (Count Almaviva), Choir of Bavarian Radio, Munich Radio Orchestra, Miguel Gomez-Martinez (conductor)
SONY CLASSICAL 82876 80429-2

Tito Gobbi (Figaro), Maria Callas (Rosina), Luigi Alva (Count Almaviva), Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus, Alceo Galliera (conductor)
WARNER CLASSICS 4564442 (2CD)

Release date:

Duration:

51 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Composer Gioachino Rossini

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