In the space of 19 years, Gioachino Rossini composed 39 operas, with which he celebrated triumphs all over Europe. Then the maestro retired, pursued his passion for gourmet dining and wrote one or two “pièces d´occasion”. But what works they were! Little delicacies he published under the title “Péchés de vieillesse” (“Sins of Old Age”) with a dedication to “Fourth-rate pianists, one of which I have the honor to be.” There has been a great deal of speculation over Rossini´s withdrawal from operatic life. It seems however that, in view of changing operatic æsthetics, he chose to take his leave from the theatrical world. And so he became a legend in his own time, and he was largely spared the agony of being regarded as a relic of ancient times and watching his star sink in the west. One inglorious exception from the throng of his admirers was the malign statement of Richard Wagner, describing him as a “worn-out old mistress”.
Born on February 29, 1792 in Pesaro
Died on November 13, 1868 in Passy near Paris