+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "Humour"
date = 2021-10-08T04:00:00Z
disclaimer = ""
image_gallery = []
postamble = ""
preamble = ""
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1633705427/media/2021/10/sqSeinfeld_l9u4bx.jpg"
primary_image_credit = ""
related_articles = ["articles/6-tv-shows-that-should-be-operas.md", "articles/the-brief-history-of-madefortv-opera.md"]
related_companies = []
related_people = []
short_description = "The whole episode is an opera, guys! The barber thing, the memorable music from The Barber of Seville, it's all very self-aware. It's even got the Rossini-style comedy devices: people hiding in closets, slapstick scenes involving Newman — Don Basilio, maybe?"
slug = "the-opera-buffa-seinfeld-episode"
title = "The opera buffa Seinfeld episode "
youtube_url = ""

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So, because _Seinfeld_ is on Netflix, I recently stumbled on a complete and utter opera gem.

Season five, episode eight, ["The Barber"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Barber_(Seinfeld)) is a bizarrely brilliant fusion of opera tropes and _Seinfeld_ tropes. It reminds me that Larry David seems to really like opera and classical music, like with the recurring clips from _Carmen_ in _Curb Your Enthusiasm_.

The plot, broad strokes: Jerry's barber Enzo is the worst, and he just got another bad haircut. Kramer tells him to go to Enzo's nephew Gino instead, but Jerry's afraid of Enzo finding out and getting offended. Jerry meets Gino secretly, but of course Enzo finds out, and all hell breaks loose.

<figure data-type="image">{{% md %}}

![](https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1633705446/media/2021/10/Seinfeld_yj89tz.jpg){{% /md %}}

<figcaption>A still from "The Barber", season 5, episode 8 of Seinfeld, 1993.</figcaption>

</figure>

The whole episode is an opera, guys! The barber thing, the memorable music from _The Barber of Seville_, it's all very self-aware. It's even got the Rossini-style comedy devices: people hiding in closets, the subsequent scene that plays out while said person is hiding in the closet, slapstick scenes involving Newman (Don Basilio, maybe?) — it's _opera buffa_ to a tee. 

I also think Jerry is Count Almaviva, and Kramer is Figaro.

Anyway. I thought you guys should know. If you end up watching it, [I want to know what you think](mailto:hello@schmopera.com).