Cesare Sterbini to the music of Francesco Basili in 1820. He died in Rome on 19 January 1831. 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
Otello (Rossini) Otello (Rossini) Otello () is an opera in three acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Berio di Salsa. The work is based on a French adaptation of the story, not Shakespeare's play "Othello" as neither Rossini nor his librettist knew the English drama. The opera deviates heavily from Shakespeare's version not only in that it takes place in Venice and not on Cyprus, but also in that the whole dramatic conflict develops in a different manner. The role of Iago is reduced to some degree, and it is much less diabolical than in the original