View source for Largo al factotum

{{Short description|Musical aria from Rossini's "The Barber of Seville"}}
{{Listen|type=music|filename=PDP-CH - La Scala - Lorenzo Molajoli - Il barbiere di Siviglia - Atto 1-Sc 02-Cavatina- Largo al factotum della città - Rossini - Columbia-d14566-bx615.flac|title="Largo al factotum"|description=[[Riccardo Stracciari]], [[La Scala]] Orchestra, conducted by [[Lorenzo Molajoli]], 1929}}
"'''{{Lang|it|Largo al factotum|italic=no}}'''" (Make way for the factotum) is an [[aria]] (''cavatina'') from ''[[The Barber of Seville]]'' by [[Gioachino Rossini]], sung at the first entrance of the title character, Figaro. The repeated "Figaro"s before the final patter section are an icon in popular culture of operatic singing. The term "[[wikt:factotum|factotum]]" refers to a general servant and comes from Latin where it literally means "do everything".

==Music==
<score sound="1">{ \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"trombone" \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 8 = 270
\clef bass \time 6/8
c'4.( c'8)\noBeam d'\noBeam b
c'8 d'\noBeam b c'\noBeam d'\noBeam b
c'8 r r e'4.
e8
}
\addlyrics { Lar -- go al fac -- to -- tum del -- la cit -- tà, lar -- go }
</score><div style="float:right;"><score>\new Staff \with { \remove "Time_signature_engraver" }{\clef bass \key c \major d_"Range"\glissando g'  \parenthesize a'}</score></div>

Because of the constant singing of [[eighth note]]s in [[Compound meter (music)|{{music|time|6|8}} meter]] at an [[Allegro (music)|allegro]] [[Wikt:vivace#Italian|vivace]] tempo, the piece is often noted as one of the most difficult [[baritone]] arias to perform.<ref>[http://www.operapulse.com/explore-opera/features/aria-of-the-week/largo-al-factotum-barber-of-seville-rossini/ "Largo al factotum" – ''Barber of Seville'' – Rossini] by Joel Herold, OperaPulse {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150112042345/http://www.operapulse.com/explore-opera/features/aria-of-the-week/largo-al-factotum-barber-of-seville-rossini/|date=January 12, 2015}}</ref> This, along with the tongue-twisting nature of some of the lines, insisting on Italian superlatives (always ending in "[[Wikt:-issimo|''-issimo'']]"), have made it a ''[[Wikt:pièce de résistance|pièce de résistance]]'' in which a skilled baritone has the chance to highlight all of his qualities.<ref>[http://www.viennaticketoffice.com/il-barbiere-di-siviglia-8201-8201-the-barber-of-seville-tickets-172623-en.html ''Il barbiere di Siviglia'' – Event details], performance details, [[Semperoper]] Dresden</ref>

The aria is written in [[C major]]. The [[voice range]] covers [[Scientific pitch notation|D<sub>3</sub>]] to G<sub>4</sub> (optional A<sub>4</sub>), with a very high [[tessitura]].<ref>{{cite book|title=From Studio to Stage: Repertoire for the Voice|author=Barbara M. Doscher|page=270|editor=John Nix|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=2002|isbn=9780810842397}}</ref> For this reason, a few [[Tenor#Dramatic|dramatic tenors]] have also sung the aria, notably [[Mario Del Monaco]]<ref>{{YouTube|LRculFQJMGo|Largo al factotum}}, [[Mario Del Monaco]]</ref> and [[Plácido Domingo]].<ref>{{YouTube|QHrAEBQ5lS0|Largo al factotum|link=no}}, [[Plácido Domingo]]</ref>

==Libretto==
The [[libretto]] to the opera was written by [[Cesare Sterbini]].

<poem lang="it" style="margin-left:2em; float:left;">'''Original lyrics'''
Largo al factotum della città.
Presto a bottega che l'alba è già.
Ah, che bel vivere, che bel piacere
per un barbiere di qualità!

Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo!
Fortunatissimo per verità!

Pronto a far tutto, la notte e il giorno
sempre d'intorno in giro sta.
Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere,
vita più nobile, no, non si da.

Rasori e pettini, lancette e forbici,
al mio comando tutto qui sta.
V'è la risorsa, poi, del mestiere
colla donnetta ... col cavaliere&nbsp;...

Tutti mi chiedono, tutti mi vogliono,
donne, ragazzi, vecchi, fanciulle:
Qua la parrucca ... Presto la barba&nbsp;...
Qua la sanguigna ... Presto il biglietto&nbsp;...
Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!, ''ecc.''

Ahimè, che furia! Ahimè, che folla!
Uno alla volta, per carità!
Ehi, Figaro! Son qua.
Figaro qua, Figaro là,
Figaro su, Figaro giù.

Pronto prontissimo son come il fulmine:
sono il factotum della città.
Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, bravissimo;
a te fortuna non mancherà.
Sono il factotum della città!</poem>
<poem style="margin-left:1em; float:left;">'''Literal translation'''
Make way for the city's servant.
Off to the shop soon. It is already dawn.
Ah, what a beautiful life, what lovely pleasure
For a barber of quality!

Ah, worthy Figaro! Worthy, superb!
Most fortunate for sure!

Ready to do anything, night and day,
Always around and about.
A better [[Cockaigne]] for a barber,
A nobler life, there is none.

Razors and combs, lancets and scissors
Are all here at my command.
There is also resourcefulness, in the trade,
With the young lady, with the young man.

Everyone asks for me. Everyone wants me:
Women, boys, the elderly, girls.
Here this wig; quickly this beard;
Here this bleeding, quickly this note;
"Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!" ''etc.''

Alas, what a fury! Alas, what a crowd!
One at a time, for charity's sake!
"Hey, Figaro!" Here I am!
Figaro here, Figaro there,
Figaro up, Figaro down.

Swift, swifter, like lightning I am.
I am the city's servant.
Ah, worthy Figaro! Worthy, superb;
Fortune will not fail you.
I am the city's servant!</poem>
<poem style="margin-left:1em; float:left;">'''Singable translation'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/bhr1214/large/sco10031.html |title=''Il barbiere di Siviglia'' |type=[[piano–vocal score]] |publisher=G. Schirmer |year=1900 |translator=[[Natalia Macfarren]] |via=indiana.edu}}</ref>
I'm the factotum of all the town, make way!
Quick now to business, morning hath shown, 'tis day.
Oh, 'tis a charming life, brimful of pleasure,
that of a barber, used to high life.

No-one can vie with the brilliant Figaro, no, none.
Always in luck where good fortune is rife. Well done!

Early and late, for all who require me,
Nothing can tire me.
Of all the professions that can be mentioned,
That of a barber is best of all.

Scissors in hand, 'mongst my combs and my razors,
I stand at the door, when customers call.
Then there are cases, quite diplomatic,
Here damsel sighing, there [[wikt:swain|swain]] ecstatic.

I am in such request, nor night nor day I've rest,
old men and maidens, matrons and gallants.
"Have you my wig there?" "Quick here and shave me."
"I've got a headache." "Run with this letter."
Figaro, Figaro, Figaro, ''etc.''

No more this clamor! I'll bear no longer!
For pity's sake, speak one at a time!
Eh Figaro! I'm here.
Figaro here, Figaro there,
Figaro high, Figaro low.

I'm indispensable, irreprehensible,
I'm the factotum of all the town.
Ah bravo, Figaro, bravo, bravissimo,
thou art a favorite of Fortune.
I'm the factotum of all the town.</poem>
{{clear}}

==Legacy==
Beyond its frequent operatic and orchestral performances, the aria has appeared in cartoons, including ''[[The Barber of Seville (1944 film)|The Barber of Seville]]'' (a 1944 film with [[Woody Woodpecker]] acting as a mischievous barber), and the final segment from the 1946 [[Walt Disney Animation Studios|Disney]] film ''[[Make Mine Music]]''. Examples of the song in film include ''[[A Farewell to Arms (1932 film)|A Farewell to Arms]]'' (1932), ''[[For the Love of Mary]]'' (1948, by actress/soprano [[Deanna Durbin]]),<ref>{{YouTube|Mol_ttm6uVI&t|"Largo al factotum"}}, [[Deanna Durbin]] in ''[[For the Love of Mary]]''</ref> ''[[Hopscotch (film)|Hopscotch]]'' (1980), ''[[Oscar (1991 film)|Oscar]]'' (1991), and ''[[Luca (2021 film)|Luca]]'' (2021).<ref>{{Cite news|title=''The Barber of Seville'' in Pop Culture|url=https://www.vancouveropera.ca/2020/01/22/barber-in-pop-culture/|date=January 26, 2020|access-date=January 9, 2021|publisher=[[Vancouver Opera]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200416165243/https://www.vancouveropera.ca/2020/01/22/barber-in-pop-culture/|archive-date=April 16, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=''The Barber of Seville'' – A Cartoon Classic|url=http://localsantacruz.com/concert/the-barber-of-seville-cartoons/|last=Wise|first=Dorothy|date=October 13, 2016|access-date=January 9, 2021|work=Local Santa Cruz}}</ref><ref>[https://www.victorianopera.com.au/behind-the-scenes/where-have-i-heard-that-overture-the-barber-of-seville "Where Have I Heard that Overture: ''The Barber of Seville''] by Beata Bowes, [[Victorian Opera (Melbourne)|Victorian Opera]], 12 November 2019, [https://web.archive.org/web/20200323162357/https://www.victorianopera.com.au/behind-the-scenes/where-have-i-heard-that-overture-the-barber-of-seville Archived] from the original on March 23, 2020</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.aria-database.com/translations/barber01_largo.txt Translation of "Largo al factotum"], Aria-Database.com
*[https://archive.org/details/rossinisoperailb00ross ''Il barbiere di Siviglia'', Italian text, with an English translation], [[Oliver Ditson]], Boston, 1860, "Largo al factotum" on pp.&nbsp;8–9
*{{Dailymotion|x3wew0h|Animated score}}, [[Gino Quilico]]

{{Figaro Trilogy|state=collapsed}}
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[[Category:Arias by Gioacchino Rossini]]
[[Category:Baritone arias]]
[[Category:Opera excerpts]]
[[Category:1816 compositions]]
[[Category:Humor in classical music]]
[[Category:Patter songs]]
[[Category:Compositions in C major]]
[[Category:The Barber of Seville]]