Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (; 29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as some sacred music, songs, chamber music, and piano pieces. He was a precocious composer of operas, and he made his debut at age 18 with "La cambiale di matrimonio". His best-known operas include the Italian comedies "The Barber of Seville" ("Il barbiere di Siviglia"), "The Italian Girl in Algiers" ("L'italiana in Algeri"), and "Cinderella" ("La Cenerentola"). He also wrote a string of serious operas in Italian, including works such as "Tancredi", "Otello", and "Semiramide". "The Thieving
Gioachino Rossini two passions fully once he retired from composing, and today there are a number of dishes with the suffix ""alla Rossini"" to their names that were created either by or specifically for him. Probably the most famous of these is "tournedos Rossini", still served by many restaurants today. In the meantime, after years of various physical and mental illnesses, he had slowly returned to music, composing obscure little works intended for private performance. These included his "Péchés de vieillesse" ("Sins of Old Age"), which are grouped into 14 volumes, mostly for solo piano, occasionally for voice and various chamber ensembles.