Today's Sound Bite features part of Rossini's Barber of Seville. This is Figaro's aria. I am pretty sure you and your children will be familiar with this peppy tune. I love getting to see the stage performance of it so get a feel for what the story and setting is! Here is the English translation of this humorous song. You'll notice that this translation is somewhat different from what shows up on the screen. The overall message is the same, though.

Handyman of the city. 
Early in the workshop I arrive at dawn. 
Ah, what a life, what a pleasure 
For a barber of quality! 
Ah, bravo Figaro! 
Bravo, very good! 
I am the luckiest, it's the truth! 
Ready for anything, 
night and day 
I'm always on the move. 
Cushier fate for a barber, 
A more noble life cannot be found. 
Razors and combs 
Lancets and scissors, 
at my command 
everything is here. 
Here are the extra tools 
then, for business 
With the ladies... with the gentlemen... 
Everyone asks me, everyone wants me, 
women, children, old people, young ones: 
Here are the wigs... A quick shave of the beard... 
Here are the leeches for bleeding... 
The note... 
Here are the wigs, a quick shave soon, 
The note, hey! 
Figaro! Figaro! Figaro!, Etc.. 
Alas, what frenzy! 
Alas, what a crowd!

One at a time, for goodness sake! 
Figaro! I'm here. 
Hey, Figaro! I'm here. 
Figaro here, Figaro there, 
Figaro up, Figaro down, 
Swifter and swifter I'm like a spark: 
I'm the handyman of the city. 
Ah, bravo Figaro! Bravo, very good; 
Fortunately for you I will not fail.

Length: 4 minutes