Gioachino Rossini

Gioachino Antonio Rossini was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas although he also wrote many songs some chamber music and piano pieces and some sacred music He set new standards for both comic and serious opera before retiring from largescale composition while still in his thirties at the height of his popularity Rossini began to compose by the age of 12 and was educated at music school in Bologna His first opera was performed in Venice in 1810 when he was 18 years old In 1815 he was engaged to write operas and manage theatres in Naples In the period 18101823 he wrote 34 operas for the Italian stage that were performed in Venice Milan Ferrara Naples and elsewhere During this period he produced his most popular works including the comic operas Litaliana in Algeri Il barbiere di Siviglia known in English as The Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola