Il Barbiere Di Siviglia - 19Sep2026

Il Barbiere Di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini Rossini composed Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) in 1816, completing the entire opera in just under three weeks. Interestingly, this iconic overture contains absolutely no musical themes from the opera itself. Pressed for time - and according to legend, losing a previously drafted Spanish-themed overture - Rossini reused an existing overture he had already employed for two previous, completely unrelated serious operas - Aureliano in Palmira (1813), about a Roman emperor, and Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra (1815), about Queen Elizabeth I. While the music originally introduced Roman soldiers and British royalty, its bouncy rhythms and theatrical flair proved a far better fit for a clever, middle-class Spanish barber. The overture opens with a stately, slow introduction. It features sharp, dramatic orchestral chords contrasted immediately by a slinking, lyrical melody in the strings and woodwinds. The main section shifts into a minor key, driving forward with a hushed, nervous energy from the staccato first theme in the strings. The key soon shifts back to major as the woodwinds introduce a beautifully fluid, singing second theme. The most famous element of the overture is the “Rossini Crescendo”. Rather than just playing louder, Rossini takes a short, simple phrase and repeats it continuously while gradually adding more instruments to the orchestration. This creates an intoxicating wave of acoustic momentum that explodes into a brilliant, triumphant finale. Fairlea Music Tang Wing Hong (Guest Conductor) Debut Concert at Lee Hysan Concert Hall on 19/9/2026