''The Barber of Seville'' (French: ''Le Barbier de Séville'') is a 1948

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

directed by

Jean Loubignac Jean Alexandre Loubignac (23 November 1901 - 4 March 1991) was a French film director.Jean Loubignac
sur ...

Le Cinéma Français site
retrieved 29 July 2013 It is a screen version of the 1816 opera by

Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano p ...

based on the 1775 play by

Beaumarchais Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais (; 24 January 1732 – 18 May 1799) was a French playwright and diplomat during the Age of Enlightenment. Best known for his three Figaro plays, at various times in his life he was also a watchmaker, invent ...

(in the translation by

Castil-Blaze François-Henri-Joseph Blaze, known as Castil-Blaze (1 December 1784 – 11 December 1857), was a French musicologist, music critic, composer, and music editor. Biography Blaze was born and grew up in Cavaillon, Vaucluse. He went to Paris ...

). Filmed at the

Billancourt Studios Billancourt Studios was a film studio in Paris which operated between 1922 and 1992. Located in Boulogne-Billancourt, it was one of the leading French studios.Szczepanik & Vonderau p.141 It was founded in the silent era by Henri Diamant-Berger. Dur ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

it uses the Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique production of the time. It was filmed in 1947, released in May 1948, and lasts around 95 minutes. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Louis Le Barbenchon Louis Le Barbenchon (1911–1980) was a French production designer, set decorator, and art director. He designed the sets for a number of French film productions. Selected filmography * ''His Uncle from Normandy'' (1939) * '' My Aunt the Dictato ...

. The opera had been seen at all the principal lyric theatres in Paris; at the

Salle Favart The Salle Favart (), officially the Théâtre de l'Opéra-Comique (), is a Paris opera house and theatre, the current home of the Opéra-Comique. It was built from 1893 to 1898 in a neo-Baroque style to the designs of the French architect Louis ...

it had been performed over 500 times by the time of the film, which features several popular singers from the company.Wolff, Stéphane. ''Un demi-siècle d'Opéra-Comique 1900–1950.'' André Bonne, Paris, 1953, p. 27.

Cast

*Roger Bussonnet as Figaro *Raymond Amade as Almaviva * Lucienne Jourfier as Rosine *

Louis Musy Louis Musy (22 October 1902, in Algeria – 19 October 1981) was a French operatic baritone and stage director principally active at the Paris Opéra-Comique. His teacher was Léon David.Kutsch KJ, Riemens L. ''Großes Sängerlexikon''. Francke, B ...

as Don Bartolo *

Roger Bourdin Roger Bourdin (14 June 1900 in Paris – 14 September 1973 in Paris) was a French baritone, particularly associated with the French repertory. His career was largely based in France. His daughter is Françoise Bourdin. Life and career Born in t ...

as Don Bazile *

Renée Gilly Renée Gilly (19 April 1906 – 31 March 1977) was a French operatic mezzo-soprano. She was a long-time principal member of the Opéra-Comique, where she performed leading roles such as Massenet's Werther, Charlotte, Mascagni's Cavalleria r ...

as Marceline *

Jean Vieuille Jean Vieuille () was a French people, French bass-baritone singer (born Paris, 14 February 1902, died Saint-Georges-de-Didonne, 6 April 1967) who enjoyed a long stage career mainly centred at the Paris Opéra-Comique. Life and career His teacher ...

as Pédrille *Gustave Wion as L'Officier *Serge Rallier as L'Alcade *Jean Retty as Le Notaire The chorus and orchestra of the Opéra-Comique are conducted by

André Cluytens Augustin Zulma Alphonse "André" Cluytens (, ; 26 March 19053 June 1967)Baeck E. ''André Cluytens: Itinéraire d’un chef d’orchestre.'' Editions Mardaga, Wavre, 2009. was a Belgian-born French conducting, conductor who was active in the conce ...

References

Bibliography

* Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.

External links

*
''Le Barbier de Séville''
at

Ciné-Ressources ''Ciné-Ressources'' is a union catalogue of the libraries and archives of French cinema, created on 22 August 2007 and managed by the Cinémathèque française. Initiated by the in collaboration with the , it provides access to more than 200,0 ...

1948 films 1948 musical films French musical films Films directed by Jean Loubignac Films based on The Barber of Seville Films set in Seville Films set in the 18th century Films shot at Billancourt Studios French black-and-white films Opera films 1940s French films 1940s French-language films {{musical-film-stub