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45-424: The Bolshoi Ballet receives the majority of its dancers from the academy, as do most other Moscow ballet companies. Numerous choreographers, instructors and graduates of the academy have become renowned, including Olga Lepeshinskaya , Raisa Struchkova , Natalia Bessmertnova , Ekaterina Maximova , Maya Plisetskaya , Nikolai Fadeyechev , Vladimir Vasiliev , Mikhail Lavrovsky , Nikolay Tsiskaridze , to be bestowed

90-719: A People's Artist of the USSR , " prima ballerina assoluta " and "premier dancer", the ultimate title for a ballet performer of the Soviet Union . The academy was awarded the Japanese Foreign Minister ’s Commendation for their contributions to promotion of cultural exchange through art between Japan and Russia on December 1, 2020. Bolshoi is the oldest theatrical school in Moscow , founded as an orphanage by order of Catherine II in 1763. It wasn't until 1773 that

135-608: A fiery forge: the sound of the anvils deafens the ear"). A room in Bartolo's house with a piano Count Almaviva again appears at the doctor's house, this time disguised as Don Alonso, a priest and singing tutor who is substituting for the supposedly ailing Basilio. To gain Bartolo's trust, Don Alonso tells him he has intercepted a note from Lindoro to Rosina, and says that Lindoro is a servant of Count Almaviva who has dishonorable intentions towards Rosina. While Almaviva pretends to give Rosina her singing lesson ("Contro un cor"; "Against

180-435: A heart"), Figaro arrives to shave Bartolo. Not wanting to leave Rosina alone with the singing teacher, Bartolo insists Figaro shave him right there in the music room. Basilio suddenly appears for his scheduled music lesson, but he is bribed by a full purse from Almaviva and persuaded to leave again, with much discussion of how ill he looks. (Quintet: "Don Basilio! – Cosa veggo!"; "Don Basilio! – What do I see?"). Bartolo overhears

225-850: A member of the Front brigade of the Bolshoi Theater. The brigade performed near the front lines, in hospitals, in Moscow and in Saratov where the Bolshoi was evacuated. Lepeshinskaya was a member of the brigade until the end of World War II . Her performances near the battlefields were filmed in the 1941 Soviet Documentary Kontsert – Frontu (Concerto to the Front). In 1942, the Soviet Youth Anti-Fascist Committee

270-420: A public square outside Bartolo's house a band of musicians and a poor student named Lindoro are serenading, to no avail, the window of Rosina (" Ecco, ridente in cielo "; "There, laughing in the sky"). Lindoro, who is really the young Count Almaviva in disguise, hopes to make the beautiful Rosina love him for himself – not his money. Almaviva pays off the musicians who then depart, leaving him to brood alone. Rosina

315-932: Is a staple of the operatic repertoire Because of a scarcity of true contraltos, the role of Rosina has most frequently been sung by a coloratura mezzo-soprano (with or without pitch alterations, depending on the singer), and has in the past, and occasionally in more recent times, been sung by coloratura sopranos such as Marcella Sembrich , Maria Callas , Roberta Peters , Gianna D'Angelo , Victoria de los Ángeles , Beverly Sills , Lily Pons , Diana Damrau , Edita Gruberová , Kathleen Battle and Luciana Serra . Famous recent mezzo-soprano Rosinas include Marilyn Horne , Teresa Berganza , Frederica von Stade , Lucia Valentini Terrani , Susanne Marsee , Cecilia Bartoli , Joyce DiDonato , Jennifer Larmore , Elīna Garanča , Isabel Leonard and Vesselina Kasarova . Famous contralto Rosinas include Ewa Podleś who made her stage debut in that role. The square in front of Bartolo's house In

360-477: Is a table about the history of its former names. Olga Lepeshinskaya (dancer) Olga Vasilyevna Lepeshinskaya ( Russian : Ольга Васильевна Лепешинская ; 28 September [ O.S. 15 September] 1916 – 20 December 2008 ) was a Soviet ballerina . She was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1951. Lepeshinskaya was born to an old Polish noble family in Kyiv , Russian Empire (now

405-498: Is an opera buffa in two acts composed by Gioachino Rossini with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini . The libretto was based on Pierre Beaumarchais 's French comedy The Barber of Seville (1775). The première of Rossini's opera (under the title Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione ) took place on 20 February 1816 at the Teatro Argentina , Rome, with designs by Angelo Toselli . Rossini's Barber of Seville

450-764: Is based on the second part of the Beaumarchais trilogy. (This play was originally conceived as an opéra comique , but was rejected as such by the Comédie-Italienne .) The play as it is now known was premiered in 1775 by the Comédie-Française at the Théâtre des Tuileries in Paris . Other operas based on the first play were composed by Giovanni Paisiello ( in 1782 ), by Nicolas Isouard in 1796, and then by Francesco Morlacchi in 1816. Though

495-481: Is considered to be one of the greatest masterpieces of comedy within music, and has been described as the opera buffa of all "opere buffe". After two centuries, it remains a popular work. Rossini's opera recounts the events of the first of the three plays by French playwright Pierre Beaumarchais that revolve around the clever and enterprising character named Figaro , the barber of the title. Mozart 's opera The Marriage of Figaro , composed 30 years earlier in 1786,

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540-701: Is in the piece of paper in Rosina's hands, but she fools him by handing over her laundry list. Bartolo and the Count argue loudly. Basilio enters; then Figaro, who warns that the noise of the argument is rousing the whole neighborhood. Finally, the noise attracts the attention of the Officer of the Watch and his troops, who crowd into the room. Bartolo demands that the Officer arrest the "drunken soldier". The Officer starts to do so, but Almaviva quietly reveals his true identity to

585-460: Is proof that Lindoro is merely a flunky of Almaviva and is toying with her at Almaviva's behest. Rosina believes the story and agrees to marry Bartolo. During an instrumental interlude, the music creates a thunder storm to indicate the passage of time. Almaviva and Figaro climb up a ladder to the balcony and enter Rosina's room through a window. Rosina accuses Almaviva, whom she believes to be Lindoro, of betraying her. Almaviva reveals his identity and

630-400: Is sometimes transposed a semitone up into F major for coloratura sopranos to perform, giving them the chance to sing extra, almost traditional, cadenzas , sometimes reaching high Ds or even Fs.) Knowing the Count only as Lindoro, Rosina writes to him because she is interested in getting to know him better. As she is leaving the room, Bartolo enters with the music teacher Basilio. Bartolo

675-464: Is suspicious of the Count, and Basilio advises that he be put out of the way by creating false rumours about him (this aria, "La calunnia è un venticello" – "Calumny is a little breeze" – is almost always sung a tone lower than the original D major ). When the two have gone, Rosina and Figaro enter. Figaro asks Rosina to write a few encouraging words to Lindoro, which she has actually already written. (Duet: "Dunque io son...tu non m'inganni?"; "Then I'm

720-712: Is the school from which the Bolshoi Ballet gets the majority of its dancers, as well as most other Moscow ballet companies. The academy has graduated a long list of acclaimed ballerinas and danseurs, including: The academy partners with the Russian American Foundation to hold annual summer intensives at Lincoln Center in New York City and in Middlebury, CT. Throughout its history, the school has changed its name several times. Below

765-511: Is the young ward of the grumpy, elderly Bartolo and she is allowed very little freedom because Bartolo plans to marry her once she is of age and thus appropriate her considerable dowry. Figaro approaches singing (Aria: " Largo al factotum della città"; "Make way for the factotum of the city"). Since Figaro used to be a servant of the Count, the Count asks him for assistance in helping him meet Rosina, offering him money should he be successful in arranging this (duet: "All'idea di quel metallo"; "At

810-532: Is widely adopted by ballet schools around the world. The curriculum includes ballet technique, pointe work, center work, repertoire, pas de deux, jazz, character dance, and historical dance. Amenities at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy include twenty large studios with a professional non-slip dance floor. High ceilings make it possible to offer pas de deux classes, and two levels of ballet barres are provided for young children and adults. The Bolshoi

855-632: The Flames of Paris and the fourth prize for the Tao-Hoa role in The Red Poppy . In 1951, she received the People's Artist of the USSR title along with Galina Ulanova . She married Soviet General Aleksei Antonov in 1956. In 1962, her husband died. The nervous shock was so strong that she became temporarily blind. When her vision returned, after a year of treatment, she found herself unneeded by

900-785: The Kirov Ballet in Leningrad first performed their Don Quixote ballet with Lepeshinskaya as Kitry. The ballet was a great success. In 1941, when the Stalin Prize was established, Lepeshinskaya was among the first laureates of the prize for her performance in Don Quixote . Altogether Lepesinskaya received four Stalin Prizes. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Lepeshinskaya became

945-584: The Teatro Argentina in Rome on 20 February 1816 was a disaster: the audience hissed and jeered throughout, and several on-stage accidents occurred. Furthermore, many of the audience were supporters of one of Rossini's rivals, the veteran Giovanni Paisiello , who played on mob mentality to provoke the rest of the audience to dislike the opera. Paisiello had already composed The Barber of Seville and took Rossini's new version to be an affront to his version. In particular, Paisiello and his followers were opposed to

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990-580: The "audacity" of the young composer and the work is now forgotten. Rossini was well known for being remarkably productive, completing an average of two operas per year for 19 years, and in some years writing as many as four. Musicologists believe that, true to form, the music for Il barbiere di Siviglia was composed in just under three weeks, although the famous overture was actually recycled from two earlier Rossini operas, Aureliano in Palmira and Elizabeth, Queen of England and thus contains none of

1035-458: The "soldier" that he (Bartolo) has an official exemption which excuses him from the requirement to quarter soldiers in his home. Almaviva pretends to be too drunk and belligerent to understand, and dares Bartolo to brawl. While Bartolo searches his cluttered desk for the official document which would prove his exemption, Almaviva whispers to Rosina that he is Lindoro in disguise, and passes a love-letter to her. Bartolo suspiciously demands to know what

1080-692: The Bolshoi Theater or the Bolshoi School. Fortunately, she found a place at the Komische Oper Berlin where she worked as a ballet mistress for ten years. After this, she worked as a trainer in many different companies throughout the world. For thirty years, she served as the Chairperson of Ballet competitions in Moscow. She was the president of the Russian Choreographic Association (from 1992) and

1125-481: The Officer, and he (the Officer) backs off. Bartolo and Basilio are astonished and mystified; Figaro laughs quietly at them. (Finale: "Fredda ed immobile, come una statua"; "Cold and still, just like a statue"). The confusion intensifies and causes everyone to suffer headaches and auditory hallucinations ("Mi par d'esser con la testa in un'orrida fucina; dell'incudini sonore l'importuno strepitar"; "My head seems to be in

1170-582: The Park Theatre. The cast of eight had three other members of his family, including the 17-year-old Maria-Felicia, later known as Maria Malibran . The role of Rosina was originally written for a contralto . According to music critic Richard Osborne, writing in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera , "it is important to record the degree to which singers have sometimes distorted Rossini's intentions. The most serious distortion has been

1215-587: The capital of Ukraine ). Her grandfather, Vasily Pavlovich Lepeshinsky, was arrested as a member of the revolutionary organization Narodnaya Volya . Her father, Vasily Vasilyevich Lepeshinsky, was a railway engineer, one of the builders of the Chinese Eastern Railway . From the early years Lepeshinskaya showed her talents in dancing and in the 1925 she was admitted to the Bolshoi Choreographic School . She appeared for

1260-471: The first dance classes were taught at the home. Other names the school is known by are: The Bolshoi Academy , The Bolshoi Ballet School , The Moscow Choreographic Institute , The Moscow Ballet School , The Bolshoi Moscow Ballet School and The Bolshoi Theatre Ballet School . Heads: The Bolshoi's method of teaching is founded on a Russian training curriculum that is coordinated to the student's ability. This curriculum, commonly known as Vaganova method ,

1305-732: The first time on the stage of the Bolshoi Theatre at the age of ten as one of the little birds in the ballet The Daughter of the Snows . In 1932, she played the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker ballet. Lepeshinskaya graduated from Bolshoi Choreographic School and started working the Bolshoi Theatre. She started as Rosina in a ballet of The Barber of Seville ( Тщетная предосторожность ) performed by

1350-422: The idea of that metal"). Figaro advises the Count to disguise himself as a drunken soldier, ordered to be billeted with Bartolo, so as to gain entrance to the house. For this suggestion, Figaro is richly rewarded. A room in Bartolo's house with four doors The scene begins with Rosina's cavatina , "Una voce poco fa" ("A voice a little while ago"). (This aria was originally written in the key of E major , but it

1395-580: The life of her husband. In March 1953, after Stalin's death, Raykhman was freed, rehabilitated and appointed the head of MVD Control Commission. In August 1953, he was arrested again that time for his own fabrications of criminal cases, tortures of prison inmates and other violations of the "Socialist Law". He was sentenced to five years in prison in August 1956 but amnestied in November 1956. After that, he did research work in astronomy . In February 1940,

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1440-408: The lovers conspiring, and angrily drives everybody away. Berta vents about the crazy household ("Il vecchiotto cerca moglie"). A room in Bartolo's house with a grille looking out onto the square . Bartolo orders Basilio to have the notary ready to marry him to Rosina that evening. Basilio leaves and Rosina arrives. Bartolo shows Rosina the letter she wrote to "Lindoro" and persuades her that this

1485-406: The one...you're not fooling me?"). Although surprised by Bartolo, Rosina manages to fool him, but he remains suspicious. (Aria: "A un dottor della mia sorte"; "To a doctor of my class"). Count Almaviva, disguised as a soldier and pretending to be drunk, enters the house and demands to be quartered there. In fear of the drunken man, Berta the housekeeper rushes to Bartolo for protection. Bartolo tells

1530-441: The practice of inserting Alexander Alyabyev 's "Nightingale". In a recording of a La Scala performance in 1956, Maria Callas sang a shortened version of "Contro un cor", transposed up a tone, in E. Once after Patti had sung a particularly florid rendition of the opera's legitimate aria, "Una voce poco fa", Rossini is reported to have asked her: "Very nice, my dear, and who wrote the piece you have just performed?" The piece

1575-531: The second stage of the theater. In 1935, she performed the main role in the Three Fat Men ballet by Yury Olesha . The ballet became very popular and the 18-year-old ballerina became famous. Lepeshinskaya performed in private concerts at the Moscow Kremlin from the age of 17. She was very close to Polina Zhemchuzhina , wife of Vyacheslav Molotov . It was a great shock for her when Zhemchuzhina

1620-520: The thematic material in Il barbiere di Siviglia itself. Luigi Zamboni , for whom Rossini wrote the role of Figaro, had urged Rossini and Francesco Sforza-Cesarini, the cash-strapped impresario of the Teatro Argentina, to engage his sister-in-law, Elisabetta Gafforini , as Rosina. However, her fee was too high and in the end they settled on Geltrude Righetti . The premiere of Rossini's opera at

1665-405: The two reconcile. While Almaviva and Rosina are enraptured by one another, Figaro keeps urging them to leave. Two people are heard approaching the front door. They are Basilio and the notary. The Count, Rosina, and Figaro attempt to leave by way of the ladder, but discover it has been removed. Using bribes and threats, Almaviva coerces the notary into marrying him to Rosina, with Basilio and Figaro as

1710-525: The upward transposition of the role of Rosina, turning her from a lustrous alto into a pert soprano." However, it has also been noted that Rossini, who frequently altered his music for specific singers, wrote a new aria for the second act for Joséphine Fodor-Mainvielle , a soprano who had sung Rosina in the 1818 London premiere, and sang the new aria c. 1820 at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris, where it

1755-774: The use of basso buffo , which is common in comic opera . The second performance, however, was successful. The original French play, Le Barbier de Séville , had a similar story: poorly received at first, only to become a favorite within a week. The opera was first performed in England on 10 March 1818 at the King's Theatre in London in Italian, soon followed on 13 October at the Covent Garden Theatre by an English version translated by John Fawcett and Daniel Terry . It

1800-429: The work of Paisiello triumphed for a time, only Rossini's version has stood the test of time and continues to be a mainstay of operatic repertoire. On 11 November 1868, two days before Rossini's death, the composer Constantino Dall'Argine  [ es ] (1842–1877) premiered an opera based on the same libretto as Rossini's work, bearing a dedication to Rossini. The premiere was not a failure, but critics condemned

1845-880: Was first performed in America on 3 May 1819 in English (probably the Covent Garden version) at the Park Theatre in New York . It was given in French at the Théâtre d'Orléans in New Orleans on 4 March 1823, and became the first opera ever to be performed in Italian in New York, when Manuel Garcia (who played Almaviva) and his Italian troupe opened their first season there with Il barbiere on 29 November 1825 at

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1890-589: Was imprisoned in a Gulag . Lepeshinskaya was known as the favourite ballerina of Joseph Stalin and even rumoured to be his mistress. In 1943, she became a member of the Communist Party . Lepeshinskaya married a Soviet intelligence MGB general Leonid Raykhman (known as the handler of Nikolai Kuznetsov ). He was arrested on 19 October 1951 as an alleged participant in the fabricated Zionist Plot in MGB . Lepeshinskaya claimed that her appeals to Stalin saved

1935-582: Was organized. Lepeshinskaya was its Deputy chairperson. In 1943, she starred as Assol in the Bolshoi premiere of Scarlet Sails . On 9 May , she was with her Bolshoi brigade with Soviet troops in Warsaw . The next day she received her invitation to perform in the Bolshoi's production of Cinderella . The ballet, first performed on 21 November 1945, was the first post-war show at the Bolshoi. Lepeshinskaya won her second Stalin prize for her performance. She received her third Stalin prize for her performance in

1980-525: Was published. The singing lesson in act 2 has often been turned into "a show-stopping cabaret". Adelina Patti was known to include Luigi Arditi 's "Il bacio", the Bolero from Verdi's I vespri siciliani , the Shadow Song from Meyerbeer's Dinorah , and Henry Bishop 's " Home! Sweet Home! ". Nellie Melba followed suit, accompanying herself on the piano in the final song. Pauline Viardot began

2025-780: Was the Chairperson for the Choreography Entrance Exams at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (for her last fifty years). She helped painter Ilya Glazunov during his early career (she was reprimanded for organizing his first exhibition), so he declared Lepeshinskaya to be his godmother in the art. Lepeshinskaya died of a heart attack on 20 December 2008 in Moscow at the age of 92. The Barber of Seville The Barber of Seville, or The Useless Precaution ( Italian : Il barbiere di Siviglia, ossia L'inutile precauzione [il barˈbjɛːre di siˈviʎʎa osˈsiːa liˈnuːtile prekautˈtsjoːne] )

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