Performance History
It was one of the earliest Italian operas to be performed in America, premiering in New Orleans on 4 March 1823 at the Orleans Theatre, and subsequently at the Park Theatre in New York City on 29 November 1825.
As a staple of the operatic repertoire, Barber appears as number nine on the Operabase list of the most-performed operas worldwide. The role of Rosina, although written for a coloratura contralto and most frequently sung by a coloratura mezzo-soprano, has, in the past and occasionally in more recent times, been sung in transposition by coloratura sopranos such as Marcella Sembrich, Maria Callas, Roberta Peters, Gianna D'Angelo, Victoria de los Ángeles, Beverly Sills, Lily Pons, Diana Damrau, Kathleen Battle and Luciana Serra. Famous recent mezzo-soprano Rosinas include Marilyn Horne, Teresa Berganza, Lucia Valentini Terrani, Susanne Marsee, Cecilia Bartoli, Joyce DiDonato, Jennifer Larmore, Elīna Garanča, and Vesselina Kasarova. Famous contralto Rosinas include Ewa Podleś.
Read more about this topic: The Barber Of Seville
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