| To many through out the world, even opera fans | | | | faithful servant who fights off attempts by his |
| it may be difficult to think of Seville; the capital of | | | | master (count Almaviva) to steal away the |
| Andalucía in Spain as a city of opera. After | | | | woman (Susana) he is engaged to be married to |
| all, when it comes to great opera houses the | | | | while 'Don Giovanni' is based on the story known |
| cities that come to mind more readily are London, | | | | as 'El Burlador De Sevilla'. |
| New York, Milan, Vienna, Paris and even Sydney; | | | | Beethoven though more known as a composer |
| with its legendary opera house however Seville | | | | of symphonies, did not leave Seville out of his |
| should not be ignored as a city of opera. For it is | | | | works as his only opera; 'Fidelio' takes place in a |
| in this city where several of the greatest operas | | | | prison found in the same city as the above |
| take place and I mean not in the sense that they | | | | mentioned operas. Of course in this argument |
| are performed in Seville but the stories in their | | | | what could be a clearer example of an opera |
| librettos were written about this most cultured | | | | story based in Seville; then Rossini's 'Barber Of |
| city, also known for delightful Spanish folklore | | | | Seville' which in fact is the story that precedes |
| dancing and the pageantry of it religious | | | | 'Figaro', in the trilogy that makes use of the same |
| ceremonious . | | | | characters. |
| For instance the French opera 'Carmen' by Bisset | | | | Verdi was without a doubt another great opera |
| begins in Seville where we find the gypsy who | | | | composer and he too felt the need to put a |
| lent her name to the opera working in a tobacco | | | | story about Seville in to music; which he did when |
| factory. It is in this factory that she meets 'Don | | | | he took the story of 'La Forza Del Destino', |
| Jose', the simple soldier who in a fit of jealousy | | | | naturally based in Seville and made a grand opera |
| would go on to kill the woman he claims to adore. | | | | out of it. In conclusion I would say that though |
| Carmen however is not the only opera story that | | | | Paris, Rome and other large cities are not |
| takes place in Seville, as it is in this city where | | | | excluded from having opera librettos based in |
| two of Mozart's greatest operas; 'Figaro' and 'Don | | | | them it is Seville; the city in which the most opera |
| Giovanni' are also held. 'Figaro' being about a | | | | stories take place. |