Although composed in a fortnight of white-hot inspiration, Rossini’s opera The Barber of Seville was a failure at its 1816 premiere in Rome, the music barely audible above the whistles and catcalls. Which is a shame because it is one of the most enjoyable comic operas ever written. It contains much of Rossini’s finest music, including the vocally acrobatic and universally beloved “Largo al factotum”, sung by the hero Figaro, as well as one of Rossini’s most beautiful creations, Almaviva’s aria “Ecco ridente in cielo”. Released shortly after an unsuccessful production at the famous La Scala opera house in Milan, this 1957 recording shines a bright light on the versatility of Maria Callas, who proves just as compelling in her comic role as she is in opera's more tragic ones. Callas and Tito Gobbi were frequent collaborators, and the wit and charm they bring to this recording is infectious.