'Il Barbiere di Siviglia' (1816) is one of the greatest of all comic operas. Based on an excellent play by Beaumarchais, 'The Barber of Seville' delights audiences with its keenly sketched characters, melodic elegance, rhythmic exhilaration, superb ensemble writing and original en delightful orchestration.
The cavatina 'Ecco, ridente in cielo' is sung by the tenor Count Almaviva, disguised as the poor student Lindoro, at the beginning of the first act. The aria is an example of the bel canto style. The key signature is C major, but it also modulates into G major and E major and contains chromatic passages The aria is also notable for having a guitar accompaniment.