Quick Facts
- Born in Italy in 1792 to musical parents
- Learned to play several instruments, including the violin, harpsichord, and French horn
- As a teenager, he sang in theaters to earn money.
- At the age of 14, he enrolled in music school and composed his first opera.
- Known for his use of bel canto singing and using crescendos
- Over the next 20 years, he composed 39 operas, achieving success and wealth in several European cities
- At the age of 37, he decided to stop writing operas (but still wrote some other music)
- Best-known operas include The Barber of Seville and William Tell.
- Met Beethoven, who said, “Oh, I love your Barber of Seville.”
- Popular pieces:
- “Largo al factotum,” (“Figaro, Figaro…”) from The Barber of Seville
- William Tell Overture Finale, “March of the Swiss Soldiers”
See also
YouTube
- Rossini poster (PDF)
