Comic opera had a real story that people liked; it had dramatic variety; and, musically, it had strong melodies and even strong supporting orchestral parts, including a strong "stand-alone" overture (i.e., you could even enjoy the overture as an independent orchestral piece). Verdi was also enthusiastic because the music was by a southern Italian and the text by a northerner, which appealed to Verdi's pan-Italian vision. The genre was developed further in the 19th century by Gioachino Rossini in his masterpieces such as "The Barber of Seville" (1816) and "La Cenerentola" (1817). French composers eagerly seized upon the Italian model and made
Madeleine Boyd Dvořák, with the director Alessandro Talevi. She has worked primarily in Europe with the American opera director Thaddeus Strassberger and the South African opera director Alessandro Talevi. Notable productions include Set and Costume Design: "La Cenerentola", by Gioachino Rossini for Malmö Opera, Sweden; "Orfeo ed Euridice" by Christoph Willibald Gluck, at Theater Augsburg, November 2007; "La Gazzetta" by Gioachino Rossini, Rossini in Wildbad Festival, July 2007. Her designs for Elizabeth Maconchy's one-act operas "The Sofa" and "The Departure", for Independent Opera at Sadler's Wells, in November 2007, were received with acclaim. The Chandos label released a recording of both operas