Meet a Composer: Gioachino Rossini

 Meet a Composer: Gioachino Rossini

Gioachino Rossini

Years Lived: 1792-1868

Period: Classical

Country: Italy

Gioachino Rossini was an Italian composer most famous for writing operas. He was extremely prolific—he wrote 39 operas in his short career!

Rossini's parents were both musicians so his love for music started at a young age. He was composing by the age of 12. By 18, his first opera was premiered in Venice, Italy!

Rossini went on to compose 34 of his operas in a span of 13 years and they were performed all over Italy. Although he became very popular, he was not popular at the start of his career. Other Italian composers felt he was changing the Italian Opera genre too much. However he soon won the affection of the composers and audience and became one of the most popular Italian Opera composers of his time. 

Some of his most famous operas include The Barber of Seville, William Tell, Semiramide, and La Gazza Ladra. Rossini retired from composing at the young age of 37. There is a lot of speculation as to why he retired early, but the most likely reason was problems with his health, and he already had enough money to support himself for the rest of his life. (He was THAT popular!)

Did You Know?

Rossini was born on leap year, February 29, 1792.

 

Rossini composed his famous comic opera, The Barber of Seville, in less than three weeks when he was only 23 years old. The Barber of Seville became the composer's most popular opera, despite its unsuccessful premiere.

Rossini's operas are some of the most often performed operas—along with those of Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi.

 

Read about Rossini on the Classics for Kids website then listen to this Classics for Kids podcast about Rossini, which includes music from nine of his compositions including The Barber of Seville.  Then, for more about William Tell, listen to this Classics for Kids podcast.

 

This light-hearted YouTube video from David Bodemann adds words to four well-known Rossini melodies along with some facts about the composer.  Another fun video about Rossini is this one from ABC Classic.

 

This Google Doodle from 2012 celebrates Rossini's 220 birthday with an illustration of frogs singing The Barber of Seville.