Largo al factotum

The repeated "Figaro"s before the final patter section are an icon in popular culture of operatic singing.

The term "factotum" refers to a general servant and comes from Latin where it literally means "do everything".

[1] This, along with the tongue-twisting nature of some of the lines, insisting on Italian superlatives (always ending in "-issimo"), have made it a pièce de résistance in which a skilled baritone has the chance to highlight all of his qualities.

[3] For this reason, a few dramatic tenors have also sung the aria, notably Mario Del Monaco[4] and Plácido Domingo.

Original lyrics Largo al factotum della città.

Pronto a far tutto, la notte e il giorno sempre d'intorno in giro sta.

Miglior cuccagna per un barbiere, vita più nobile, no, non si da.

Rasori e pettini, lancette e forbici, al mio comando tutto qui sta.

V'è la risorsa, poi, del mestiere colla donnetta ... col cavaliere ...

Qua la sanguigna ... Presto il biglietto ... Figaro!

Ah, what a beautiful life, what lovely pleasure For a barber of quality!

Scissors in hand, 'mongst my combs and my razors, I stand at the door, when customers call.

I am in such request, nor night nor day I've rest, old men and maidens, matrons and gallants.

Beyond its frequent operatic and orchestral performances, the aria has appeared in cartoons and live-action films.

The first example of the song appearing in an animated cartoon is Notes to You, released in 1941, where a cat annoys Porky Pig out of his slumber.

The most popular examples in animation are The Barber of Seville (a 1944 film with Woody Woodpecker acting as a mischievous barber), the final segment from the 1946 Disney film Make Mine Music, "The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met", Long-Haired Hare (1949), Magical Maestro (1952), One Froggy Evening (1955), and The Cat Above and the Mouse Below (1964).

In the opening animated sequence by Chuck Jones of Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Robin Williams plays a canary singing the song.

Examples in film are For the Love of Mary (1948, by actress/soprano Deanna Durbin),[7] Hopscotch (1980), Oscar (1991), and Luca (2021).