This year Italy is commemorating the genius of Gioachino Rossini, the great Italian composer.
He was born in Pesaro (Marche region) on the 29nd February 1792 and died in Passy (France) on the 13rd November 1868.
Called “The swan of Pesaro”, he was very emotional, a lover of food and women, and, probably, a victim of depressive crises. For sure he was a complex and fascinating individual.
He devoted his life to music, wrote operas, sacred music, chamber music, and instrumental and piano pieces, and contributed to development of Italian opera in Europe: some of his works were composed, translated and adapted for French theaters.
Listen to “Il Barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) – overture” played at Teatro La Fenice, and directed by Antonio Fogliani.
The overtures: a peculiar trait of Gioachino Rossini
He had a great career as a composer of operas: composed his first at the age of fourteen, made his debut in 1810 with “The Bill of marriage”, staged in Venice at San Moisé Theatre, produced thirty-nine works and ended this part of his career in 1829, crowned by his masterpiece “William Tell”.
His operas are still loved, specially because of the amazing overtures: a peculiar trait of Rossini composition. An overture is the orchestral introduction to an opera and it resumes and reveals few tunes of the opera.
For further information about the overtures composed by Gioachino Rossini, visit the Classic FM website.
Listen to “
Pesaro and Italy are commemorating Rossini
Nowadays the operas of Gioachino Rossini, such as “The Barber of Seville”, “The Thieving Magpie”, “William Tell”, are staged in the most important theaters around the world and lots of scholars are involved in critical editions of his masterpieces.
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the composer’s death, Pesaro is hosting a great calendar of events to celebrate the life, the music and the works of Gioachino Rossini.
Furthermore, the birthplace house of the composer was transformed into a museum. So if you decide to visit Italy you could visit Pesaro and the ‘Rossiniani’ places.
Moreover, every year the Rossini Opera Festival is organized in Pesaro, and lovers of his music reach the city to enjoy operas and other events.
He was an Italian with great musical talent that changed the history of music and opera. Because of this is still loved in all around the world.
Which is your favorite work of Gioachino Rossini? Share your taste with us!
If you never heard about him, we suggest you “Rossini: Overtures” by Antonio Pappano and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia on Spotify.