Rossini

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) can be held responsible for my earliest good experiences with opera that I remember. His "Il barbiere di Siviglia" (The Barber of Seville, 1816) has such catchy melodies always capable of awakening some good spirits in me that even when I first heard it I needed no knowledge of the background story to fall in love with it. Here I am posting the Overture and Figaro's aria, Largo al factotum, the two bits that I like most from the opera. The other piece I have involved is from Rossini's last opera, "Guillaume Tell" (William Tell, 1829). The Overture's famous finale provided the musical background for many pillow fights I participated in, its fast paced gallop to a dramatic climax providing the rhythm as we "beat" each other senseless...