The Barber of Seville Composer Gioachino Rossini Librettist Cesare Sterbini Based On the comedic play by Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais Company San Francisco Opera Association Location San Francisco, CA Venue War Memorial Opera House Season 1953 Language Italian Creative/Crew Conductor Karl Kritz Stage Director(s) Carlo Piccinato Chorus Director Kurt Herbert Adler Cast Count Almaviva Cesare Valletti Figaro, the Barber of Seville Enzo Mascherini(9/30, 10/7) Frank Guarrera(10/14) Doctor Bartolo, a physician Salvatore Baccaloni Rosina, his ward Barbara Gibson(9/30, 10/7) Giulietta Simionato(10/14) Don Basilio, a music master Italo Tajo Berta, Rosina's governess June Wilkins(9/30, 10/7) Janice Moudry(10/14) Fiorello, servant to the Count Alessio De Paolis Officer Virginio Assandri Ambrogio, Doctor Bartolo's servant Colin Harvey Show Dates Wed, Sep 30 1953, 1pm Wed, Oct 7 1953, 1pm Wed, Oct 14 1953, 1pm Time and Place Seventeenth Century; Seville Scenes Act I -- A Street in Seville, Early Morning Act II -- A Room in Doctor Bartolo's House Act III -- The Same Document SFO_PUB_01_SFO_1953_03_compressed.pdf (8.18 MB) Acknowledgements Matinees for Young People Presented by the San Francisco Opera Guild Notes To access the full production program, click the PDF link above. --------------------- The Company General Director Gaetano Merola died on August 20th, while conducting Butterfly's "Un bel dì" in San Francisco's Stern Grove. The entire 1953 season was labeled "Gaetano Merola, 1879-1953 -- In Memoriam." In the lesson scene, Miss Gibson sings Proch's "Theme and Variations." In the lesson scene on October 14th, Miss Simionato sings Rossini's original aria.