After winning the prize at the age of eighteen at the Conservatorio
of Bologna for his cantata, 'Il piantô d'armonia
per la morte d'Orfeo', Rossini's first opera, 'La
Cambiale di Matrimonio' was produced under the auspices
of the Marquis Cavalli at Venice. But out of his
numerous compositions composed in Rome, Venice and Milan from 1810
to 1813, 'Tancredi', was the most successful. Melodies
such as, 'Mi rivedrai, ti rivèdrô'
and 'Di tanti palpiti', rendered by Rossini were
so popular that the Italians would even sing it in crowds at the
law courts till the judge called order to the court!
Rossini continued writing operas for Venice and Milan over the
years till 1815, when he retired to his home in Bologna. Barbaia,
the Impresario of the Naples Theatre requested him to take up music
direction of the Teatro San Carlo and the Teatro
Del Fondo at Naples composing for each of them an opera
per year. His payment for composing operas would be 200 ducats per
month besides sharing Barbaia's income from gaming tables which
was popular at that time. In spite of criticism from older composers,
Rossini won more favour with his composition, 'Elisabetta
regina d'Inghilterra'. Isabella Colbran who took the leading
role, eventually became Rossini's wife. Rossini also wrote the admixtures
of the compositions which were normally left to the imagination
of the singers. He even wrote for the first time the recitativo
secco, a recitative accompanied by a string quartet. |
