Lyric Libations: THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

Rossini's The Barber of Seville is an operatic classic. Channel the characters and composer with these delightful cocktail recipes, but don't count on Figaro to get you out of a jam if you overindulge!

Escape to sunny Seville with this cocktail, made with sour Seville oranges (named for the Spanish city). Like Rosina, it's well-behaved with a bit of a kick!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1/2 ounce sherry
• 2 teaspoons sugar, to taste according to your oranges
• 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice (sour Sevilles if possible)

Shake all the ingredients vigorously with cracked ice. Strain into a stemmed cocktail glass. Serve. (Recipe from SippitySup)

The busiest man in Seville deserves a refreshing cocktail after a long day of solving everyone else's problems. This one fuses Prosecco and tequila with - what else? - figs!

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Italian fig preserves
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup
• 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
• 3 dashes bitters
• 1 ounce reposado tequila
• Prosecco

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all ingredients except Prosecco. Shake for 10 seconds and strain into a champagne flute. Top with Prosecco. (Recipe from La Cucina Italiana magazine)

As part of the plan to woo Rosina, Figaro convinces Almaviva to pose as a drunken soldier. This strong rum-based cocktail will give anyone the courage to approach their beloved.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. gold rum
• 1/4 oz. sloe gin
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• Ginger ale or ginger beer (the spicier, the better!)
• Crushed ice
• Garnish: skewered slice of orange, candied ginger, lime and cherry

Fill old-fashioned glass with crushed ice and then add rum, gin, and lime juice. Top with ginger ale and garnish. (Recipe adapted from Imbibe magazine)

Nothing pairs better with scheming to marry your much-younger ward than a classic dirty martini.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 shots gin
• 1/2 shot of brine from cocktail olives
• 1/8 shot extra-dry vermouth

Shake ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker and strain. Serve chilled. (Recipe from Food Network's Michael Chiarello)

The hypocritical Don Basilio is Rosina's music teacher-and he's willing to do just about anything if the price is right. Indulge your inner money maker with this appropriately green concoction.

Ingredients

• 1/4 ounce pear-flavored vodka
• 1/2 ounce green melon liqueur (preferably Midori)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Lemon wedge & lime twist for garnish

Combine vodka, liqueur, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into a chilled short glass. Garnish with a lime twist and a lemon wedge. (Recipe from Food Network).

Named after composer Giaochino Rossini (a noted foodie!), this cocktail is a new take on the classic Bellini.

Ingredients

• 1 pint strawberries, hulled
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar syrup (boil 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water until dissolved completely, chill)
• 1 tsp. Grand Marnier
• 6 orange zest strips, for garnish
• 1 (750 ml) bottle Prosecco, chilled

Place strawberries in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and puree until smooth. Strain liquid through fine-mesh sieve to make a seedless puree. Add sugar syrup and Grand Marnier to puree, and refrigerate until very cold. Rub the rim of each glass with orange zest. Pour Prosecco into champagne glasses until 3/4 full. Carefully stir 2 Tbsp. puree into each glass and serve very cold. (Recipe by Ina Garten from Oprah.com)

Header image: Todd Rosenberg