Physicians and alternative medicines in “The Barber of Seville” by Gioachino Rossini: A bicentennial debate

Abstract

BackgroundThe year 2016 marks the bicentennial anniversary of the premiere of “The Barber of Seville” by Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868). This opera buffa, one of the most renowned in the world, puts on stage a sharp criticism against the physicians of that time in favour of empiric healers, respectively represented by the doctor Bartolo and the barber Figaro. MethodsThe paper analysed both the opera by Rossini and the French comedy “Le Barbier de Séville” (1775) by Pierre Beaumarchais (1732–1799), on which the Italian composer based his own play. ResultsThe unlearned barber Figaro is portrayed as a poor but wise guy, while his rival, the graduated doctor Bartolo, is defined as an arrogant and opulent old physician. Dr. Bartolo's incompetence, lack of skill and ignorance are evident in the works by Rossini and Beaumarchais. Both plays show empiric and unskilled medicine triumphs over academic medicine, which appears weak in its scientific concepts and corrupted by money. ConclusionsArrogance, presumption and carelessness among physicians are a danger nowadays as they have been for a couple of hundred years, since they may not only lead to misjudgement and errors, but also to an increase of alternative medicines and strange healing remedies.