Painterly coiled brass horn draped with red and gold ribbons against mustard yellow.

Original artwork, not a still

Le Barbier de Séville  ·  1775

Pierre de Beaumarchais

Nowadays what isn’t worth saying is sung.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The complaint measures song by the worth of its words. What would not deserve to be spoken is said to reach an audience through singing instead. The judgment dismisses the content without denying that changing its form may allow it to be heard.

Context reviewed

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