February 29 - Gioachino Rossini (The Musical Birthday Series, 5th Annual Cycle)

A previous post for February 28th is here: Gioachino Rossini (2020)

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Gioachino Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was one of the greatest composers of Italian opera in the early nineteenth century.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chance of Birth

Take a moment now to weep here

For Rossini, born in leap year;

He doubtless raised a fist and cursed

Because it wasn’t March the First.

The story has been often told:

Rossini quit when not yet old.

No one knows the reason why,

Perhaps he was a lazy guy,

Or was the explanation merely

That the lack of birthdays yearly,

Affected him, and that, severely,

And with his twisted sense of time,

He up and quit while in his prime.

Though future’s future, past is past,

And nothing makes an instant last,

Perhaps he thought it would be pleasant

To linger in the birthday present.

 

 

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Rossini’s Overture to…

The famous  overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia was actually recycled from two earlier Rossini operas, Aureliano in Palmira and Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra. – adapted from WIkipedia

In fact they became interchangeable,

  For uses both comic and serious,

Like a cog in the works, rearrangeable,

  To preface the low and imperious.

 

 

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