Opera Lafayette’s “Barbiere di Siviglia” on Saturday was a contrast in every regard except length and, possibly, unfamiliarity: This was not the well-known version of the opera by Rossini, but one written by Giovanni Paisiello 32 years earlier. Paisiello’s “Barber” anticipates Rossini’s in many ways, with sprightly tunes, lots of duets and ensembles and a closely parallel plot. Paisiello’s opera, like Rossini’s, has a “La calunnia” aria for Don Basilio; it has the count masquerade first as a military officer and then as a music teacher singing “Pace, gioia” in an assumed falsetto; and it even has a storm scene, which the director, Nick Olcott, mimed just as you’ve seen it done so often in productions of the Rossini opera, by having the actors cross the stage struggling with open umbrellas.

Opera Lafayette is riding high this season. As a far more established cousin to Urban Arias, with 17 years of experience under its belt, it’s been able to work out the kinks and start to prove itself on a bigger stage. It’s made an impressive series of CDs of little-known Baroque operas, and this year made its international debut in Versailles with Monsigny’s “Le roi et le fermier,” the kind of little-known rediscovery for which it’s become known. The audience Saturday night exuded the upbeat energy of people who were having fun. (The final performance was Sunday afternoon.)

And Opera Lafayette gave them plenty of reason to enjoy themselves; the curiosity factor alone was enough to sustain interest. Olcott wove the action through the onstage orchestra, while Ryan Brown, the group’s founder and conductor, led from the floor of the auditorium, looking up at the players with his scores resting on the edge of the stage. The orchestra sounded fine, and the singers were quite good and deserved extra praise for not falling, more than necessary, into the pitfall of stereotype, with the possible exception of Robert Baker’s energetic Almaviva. Jennifer Casey Cabot set the tone in her company debut as a mellow-voiced Rosina with dusky tinges to her soprano; Eugene Galvin was an exasperated yet authoritative Bartolo, Peter Becker a bureaucratic Basilio and James Shaffran a metallic-voiced Figaro, a role a good deal smaller than Rossini made it. By its 17th year, Urban Arias may be just as assured and capable as Opera Lafayette is.

“Positions 1956” continues through April 22, alternating with Urban Arias’ other program this season, a double bill of Thomas Pasatieri’s “Before Breakfast” and Peter Hilliard’s “The Filthy Habit.” For information, go to www.urbanarias.org.