The Barber of Seville (1985)

Count Almaviva, a young Spanish nobleman, is in love with Rosina, the rich ward of Dr. Bartolo, an old doctor, who plans to marry her himself.

Scene i
Outside Dr. Bartolo’s house in Seville
The Count serenades Rosina, accompanied by a band of musicians. He enlists the help of Figaro, his barber, who prides himself on his ability to manage the affairs of the city. The Count makes himself known to Rosina as a poor student called Lindoro, and Figaro suggests that in order to gain admittance to the house he should pretend to be a soldier billeted on Dr. Bartolo. The Count congratulates him on the scheme.

Scene ii
Inside the house
Rosina has fallen in love with her unknown admirer, but Dr. Bartolo has heard rumors about Almaviva’s interest in her and decides to marry her immediately. Rosina’s singing teacher, an unscrupulous priest- Don Basilio – is his confidant. Almaviva, disguised as a soldier, arrives to take up his “billet” with the Doctor. Rosina is delighted when he reveals that he is really her admirer. The Doctor’s annoyance at Almaviva’s ebullient behavior causes such a row that the militia are called by the neighbors, and in the confusion the Count is nearly arrested.

The same day

The Count assumes yet another disguise and enters the house as Don Alonso, a music teacher who says he has come to give Rosina her music lesson in place of Don Basilio, who, he says, has suddenly fallen ill. Under the cover of the music lesson, the Count tells her that he will elope with her at midnight. To their consternation, Don Basilio unexpectedly appears and Dr. Bartolo penetrates Almaviva’s disguise. He confronts Rosina with a letter she addressed to Lindoro and catches her by surprise when he makes out that Lindoro is the agent of Count Almaviva, who only wants to marry her for her money. She agrees to marry Bartolo at once and tells him about the planned elopement. After a thunderstorm, Figaro and the Count climb into the room, through the window. Rosina repulses “Lindoro” until she learns that he is himself Count Almaviva and falls into his arms. They are unable to escape, however, because Bartolo has removed the ladder. Basilio arrives with a notary to marry Rosina to her guardian, but a bribe easily persuades him to witness the marriage of Rosina to the Count instead. Bartolo and the magistrate appear too late: he is obliged to acknowledge that he is “The Guardian Outwitted.”