Chapter I · "Il Barbiere di Siviglia"

First performance of Italian opera in the United States—Production of Rossini's opera in Rome, London, Paris, and New York—Thomas Phillipps and his English version—Miss Leesugg and Mrs. Holman—Emanuel Garcia and his troupe—Malibran—Early operas in America—Colman's "Spanish Barber"—Other Figaro operas—How Rossini came to Write "Il Barbiere" —The story of a fiasco—Garcia and his Spanish song—"Segui, o caro" —Giorgi-Righetti—The plot of the opera—The overture—"Ecco ridente in cielo"—"Una voce poco fà,"—Rossini and Patti—The lesson scene and what singers have done with it—Grisi, Alboni, Catalani, Bosio, Gassier, Patti, Sembrich, Melba, and Viardot—An echo of Haydn.