A Return to Rossini

Abstract

This chapter situates The Barber of Seville in the context of the twentieth century, a time when the Rossini Renaissance and a growing sense of fidelity to the “work concept” led to a desire to adhere closely to Rossini’s intent. Following a brief overview of sporadic attempts to access the “original” opera during the nineteenth century, the focus falls on the development of the critical edition project, exploring the various singers, directors, and musicologists who played a role in accessing an authentic version of The Barber of Seville. The chapter concludes with a comparison of the two modern critical editions of the opera.