when Figaro, barber and Seville’s factotum, appears trolling a song in which he recites his accomplishments, the universality of his employments, and the great demand for his services. ("Largo al factotum dello citta.”) The Count recognizes him, tells of his vain vigils in front of Rosina’s balcony, and, so soon as he learns that Figaro is a sort of man of all work to Bartolo, employs him as his go-between.  Rosina now appears on the balcony.  Almaviva is about to engage her in conversation when Bartolo appears and discovers a billet-doux which Rosina had intended to drop into the hand of her Lindoro.  He demands to see it, but she explains that it is but a copy of the words of an aria from an opera entitled “The Futile Precaution,” and drops it from the balcony, as if by accident.  She sends Bartolo to recover it, but Almaviva, who had observed the device, secures it, and Bartolo is told by his crafty ward that the wind must have carried it away.  Growing suspicious, he commands her into the house and goes away to hasten the preparations for his wedding, after giving orders that no one is to be admitted to the house save Don Basilio, Rosina’s singing-master, and Bartolo’s messenger and general mischief-maker.

The letter which Rosina had thus slyly conveyed to her unknown lover begged him to contrive means to let her know his name, condition, and intentions respecting herself.  Figaro, taking the case in hand at once, suggests that Almaviva publish his answer in a ballad.  This the Count does ("Se il mio nome saper"), protesting the honesty and ardor of his passion, but still concealing his name and station.  He is delighted to hear his lady-love’s voice bidding him to continue his song. (It is the phrase, “Segui, o caro, deh segui cosi,” which sounded so monstrously diverting at the first representation of the opera in Rome.) After the second stanza Rosina essays a longer response, but is interrupted by some of the inmates of the house.  Figaro now confides to the Count a scheme by which he is to meet his fair enslaver face to face:  he is to assume the role of a drunken soldier who has been billeted upon Dr. Bartolo, a plan that is favored by the fact that a company of soldiers has come to Seville that very day which is under the command of the Count’s cousin.  The plan is promptly put into execution.  Not long after, Rosina enters Dr. Bartolo’s library singing the famous cavatina, “Una voce poco fa,” in which she tells of her love for Lindoro and proclaims her determination to have her own way in the matter of her heart, in spite of all that her tyrannical guardian or anybody else can do.  This cavatina has been the show piece of hundreds of singers ever since it was written.  Signora Giorgi-Righetti, the first Rosina, was a contralto, and sang the music in the key of E, in which it was written.  When it became one of Jenny Lind’s display airs, it was transposed to F and tricked out with a great abundance of fiorituri.  Adelina Patti in her youth used