ROSSINI, GIOACCHINO ANTONIO, one of the most popular, and perhaps the greatest Italian composer of operas; born in Pesaro, Italy, Feb. 29, 1792. His parents belonged to a strolling opera company, and he began his career by playing second horn to his father when he was only 10 years old. Having a fine voice, his father had him taught singing by an eminent professor, and he took the treble parts as a chorister in the Bologna churches, and soon became an excellent singer and accompanist. The breaking of his voice put an end to his occupation as a chorister, and at the age of 15 he was admitted into the Lyceum at Bologna, and received lessons in coun terpoint from Padre Mattei. But his ardent nature turned restive under the strict discipline and dry studies of Mat tei, and, conscious of the possession of genius, he set to work assiduously to educate himself—studying intently the best models, Italian and German. He produced some light operatic pieces, the only one of which juvenile efforts that has lived is the "Lucky Trick," which came out in 1812. "Tancred," brought
out at Venice in 1813, when he was scarcely more than 20 years of age, all at once made his name famous. In 1816 he produced his world-famous "Barber of Seville" at Rome. Those of his other works which still keep the stage are: "Othello," "Moses in Egypt," "Semira mide," "The Pilfering Magpie," "The Lady of the Lake," "Count Ory," and "William Tell." This last, the greatest and most original of his works, was writ ten at the age of 37, and With it closed the career of Rossini as a composer. After holding the post of manager of the Italian Theater at Paris during some time, he, in 1836, returned to his native country, where he continued to reside till 1856, when he repaired to Paris once more. His only important work since the production of "William Tell" is his well-known "Stabat Mater." He died in his villa in Passy, near Paris, Nov. 13, 1868.