Difference between revisions of "Le Barbier de Séville, ou La Précaution Inutile"

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''[[Le Barbier de Séville, ou La Précaution Inutile]]'' ("The Barber of Seville or the Useless Precaution") is a comedy in four acts by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (usually referred to simply as "Beaumarchais", 1732-1799)[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Augustin_Caron_de_Beaumarchais], with original music by Antoine-Laurent Baudron (1742–1834)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine-Laurent_Baudron].  
 
''[[Le Barbier de Séville, ou La Précaution Inutile]]'' ("The Barber of Seville or the Useless Precaution") is a comedy in four acts by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (usually referred to simply as "Beaumarchais", 1732-1799)[https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Augustin_Caron_de_Beaumarchais], with original music by Antoine-Laurent Baudron (1742–1834)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine-Laurent_Baudron].  
  
(The texts of the Beaumarchais play and the popular Rossini opera based on it, are both often referred to simply as '''''[[Le Barbier de Seville]]''''' or '''''[[The Barber of Seville]]''''')
+
(The texts of the Beaumarchais play and the popular Rossini opera based on it, are both often referred to simply as '''''[[Le Barbier de Seville]]''''', '''''[[Barbier de Seville]]''''',  or '''''[[The Barber of Seville]]''''')
  
 
==The original text==
 
==The original text==
Line 21: Line 21:
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
  
1783: According to travel-writer Le Vaillant (cited by [[Jill Fletcher|Fletcher]], 1994: p. 18) a good production of Beaumarchais's play was done in French in the Cape in 1783. Performed (wholly or in part) in the [[Garrison Theatre|Cape Town Barracks Theatre]] during the occupation by French troops sent to defend the Cape against the British Fleet (1781-1795), it was possibly the first production by them and it counts as one of the first documented performances in South Africa.
+
1783: According to travel-writer [[Le Vaillant]] (cited by [[Jill Fletcher|Fletcher]], 1994: p. 18) a good production of Beaumarchais's play was done in French in the Cape in 1783. Performed (wholly or in part) in the [[Garrison Theatre|Cape Town Barracks Theatre]] during the occupation by French troops sent to defend the Cape against the British Fleet (1781-1795), it was possibly the first production by them and it counts as one of the first documented performances in South Africa.
  
 
1804: Performed in the [[African Theatre]] by [[Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap]], a new French company, amalgamated with the ordinary French Theatre-lovers in the Cape, under the leadership of [[C.M. Villet]] on Saturday 2 April, repeated on 30 April - this time with the addition of ''[[Arlequin Afficheur]]'' (Desfountaines and Barré).
 
1804: Performed in the [[African Theatre]] by [[Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap]], a new French company, amalgamated with the ordinary French Theatre-lovers in the Cape, under the leadership of [[C.M. Villet]] on Saturday 2 April, repeated on 30 April - this time with the addition of ''[[Arlequin Afficheur]]'' (Desfountaines and Barré).
Line 27: Line 27:
 
1824: Performed in [[Dutch]] as ''[[De Barbier van Seville, of De Onnutte Voorzorg]]'', on 31 July in the [[African Theatre]] by  the amateur company [[Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense]], apparently with the overture of Rossini's opera and other music provided by [[Charles Etienne Boniface]]. It was accompanied by the one act play ''[[Jérome Pointu]]'' by Beaunoir (but wrongly accredited to "D'Orvigny" by [[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1928: p. 279; or by his source).
 
1824: Performed in [[Dutch]] as ''[[De Barbier van Seville, of De Onnutte Voorzorg]]'', on 31 July in the [[African Theatre]] by  the amateur company [[Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense]], apparently with the overture of Rossini's opera and other music provided by [[Charles Etienne Boniface]]. It was accompanied by the one act play ''[[Jérome Pointu]]'' by Beaunoir (but wrongly accredited to "D'Orvigny" by [[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1928: p. 279; or by his source).
  
1847: A "laughing pantomime[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantomime]" called ''[[Barbier de Seville]]'' (sic) was performed in Buitekant Street, Cape Town by the [[Italian Circus]] of [[Signor Severo]] and Signor [[Dalle Case]].
+
1847: A "laughing pantomime[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantomime]" called ''[[Barbier de Seville]]'' (sic) was performed in Buitekant Street, Cape Town by [[The Italian Circus]] of [[Signor Severo]] and Signor [[Dalle Case]].
 +
 
 +
1893-4: The Rossini opera performed by the [[Lyric Opera Company]] of [[A. Bonamici]] and [[Edgar Perkins]] in the [[Opera House]], Cape Town.
 +
 
 +
1903: The Rossini opera performed in the [[Good Hope Theatre]], Cape Town, by the [[Italian Opera Company]] of [[Miss Capellaro]] and [[Mr Deneri]], under the management of the [[Wheeler Theatre Company]].
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
Line 37: Line 41:
 
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Barbier_de_S%C3%A9ville
 
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Barbier_de_S%C3%A9ville
  
[[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855''. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp. 89-90, 279-80, 434
+
[[D.C. Boonzaier]]. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage",  in ''SA Review'', 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in [[F.C.L. Bosman|Bosman]] 1980: pp. 374-439.)
 +
 
 +
[[F.C.L. Bosman]], 1928. ''Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855''. Pretoria: [[J.H. de Bussy]]. [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/bosm012dram01_01/]: pp. 29, 31, 89-90, 110, 279-80, 434
  
 
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Augustin_Caron_de_Beaumarchais
 
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Augustin_Caron_de_Beaumarchais

Revision as of 07:10, 5 December 2019

Le Barbier de Séville, ou La Précaution Inutile ("The Barber of Seville or the Useless Precaution") is a comedy in four acts by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (usually referred to simply as "Beaumarchais", 1732-1799)[1], with original music by Antoine-Laurent Baudron (1742–1834)[2].

(The texts of the Beaumarchais play and the popular Rossini opera based on it, are both often referred to simply as Le Barbier de Seville, Barbier de Seville, or The Barber of Seville)

The original text

Conceived as a opéra comique[3] and written in 1772, rewritten as a four act play in 1773. It was the first of a trilogy of plays entitled Le Roman de la Famille Almaviva, with the others being La Folle Journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro[4] (1778) and L'Autre Tartuffe ou La Mère coupable (1792)[5].

First performed in Paris on 23 and 25 February, 1775 at the Comédie-Française and was published by Ruault, Paris, in the same year.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into Dutch as De Barbier van Seville, of De Onnutte Voorzorg, published in 1793.

It was twice adapted into an opera:

Il Barbiere di Siviglia, ovvero La Precauzione Inutile by Paisiello (1782).

Il Barbiere di Siviglia[6] by Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) with an Italian libretto by Cesare Sterbini (1784–1831). The première of Rossini's opera, under the title Almaviva, o sia L'inutile precauzione, was on 20 February 1816 at the Teatro Argentina, Rome.

Performance history in South Africa

1783: According to travel-writer Le Vaillant (cited by Fletcher, 1994: p. 18) a good production of Beaumarchais's play was done in French in the Cape in 1783. Performed (wholly or in part) in the Cape Town Barracks Theatre during the occupation by French troops sent to defend the Cape against the British Fleet (1781-1795), it was possibly the first production by them and it counts as one of the first documented performances in South Africa.

1804: Performed in the African Theatre by Het Fransche Liefhebbery Geselschap, a new French company, amalgamated with the ordinary French Theatre-lovers in the Cape, under the leadership of C.M. Villet on Saturday 2 April, repeated on 30 April - this time with the addition of Arlequin Afficheur (Desfountaines and Barré).

1824: Performed in Dutch as De Barbier van Seville, of De Onnutte Voorzorg, on 31 July in the African Theatre by the amateur company Honi Soit qui Mal y Pense, apparently with the overture of Rossini's opera and other music provided by Charles Etienne Boniface. It was accompanied by the one act play Jérome Pointu by Beaunoir (but wrongly accredited to "D'Orvigny" by F.C.L. Bosman, 1928: p. 279; or by his source).

1847: A "laughing pantomime[7]" called Barbier de Seville (sic) was performed in Buitekant Street, Cape Town by The Italian Circus of Signor Severo and Signor Dalle Case.

1893-4: The Rossini opera performed by the Lyric Opera Company of A. Bonamici and Edgar Perkins in the Opera House, Cape Town.

1903: The Rossini opera performed in the Good Hope Theatre, Cape Town, by the Italian Opera Company of Miss Capellaro and Mr Deneri, under the management of the Wheeler Theatre Company.

Sources

http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/worp001gesc02_01/worp001gesc02_01_0019.php

Jill Fletcher. 1994. The Story of Theatre in South Africa: A Guide to its History from 1780-1930. Cape Town: Vlaeberg: pp. 18, 32

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Barbier_de_S%C3%A9ville

D.C. Boonzaier. 1923. "My playgoing days – 30 years in the history of the Cape Town stage", in SA Review, 9 March and 24 August 1923. (Reprinted in Bosman 1980: pp. 374-439.)

F.C.L. Bosman, 1928. Drama en Toneel in Suid-Afrika, Deel I: 1652-1855. Pretoria: J.H. de Bussy. [8]: pp. 29, 31, 89-90, 110, 279-80, 434

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre-Augustin_Caron_de_Beaumarchais

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine-Laurent_Baudron

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