Cesare Sterbini Cesare Sterbini Cesare Sterbini (born 1784 in Rome – January 19, 1831) was an Italian writer and librettist. Possessing a deep knowledge of classical and contemporary culture, philosophy, linguistics, he was fluent in Greek, Latin, Italian, French and German. He is best known as the librettist for two operas by Gioachino Rossini: "Torvaldo e Dorliska" (1815) and "The Barber of Seville" (1816). An official in the Pontifical Administration, he also set poetry to music as an amateur. He wrote the libretto to the opera "Il Contraccambio" to the music of Giacomo Cordella in 1819, and the opera "Isaura and Ricciardo"
The Barber of Seville (Paisiello) sembiante" for Almaviva, and a finale for act one. In 1788 the opera was given in Berlin, followed by London and Paris (1789); Lisbon (1791); Brussels (1793); Stockholm (1797); and New Orleans (1801) In 1789 Mozart dedicated the aria " "Schon lacht der holde Frühling"" (K. 580) to his sister-in-law Josepha Hofer as a substitute for Rosina's original act 3 aria ("Già riede primavera"). Although it is missing only the closing ritornello, the incomplete orchestration suggests it was never used. The opera proved to be Paisiello's biggest success. Even after the 1816 premiere of Gioachino Rossini's own version of "The