Filippo Galli (bass) 26 September 1812. His performance in the "Sigillara" aria was the hit of the immensely successful opera. His collaboration with Rossini increased: on 22 May 1813 he sang Mustafà in the premiere of "L'italiana in Algeri" at the Teatro San Benedetto in Venice. Rossini then composed numerous other bass parts specifically for Galli. On 14 August 1814 he appeared in "Il turco in Italia" at La Scala; on 31 May 1817 (again at La Scala), in the very difficult role of Fernando in "La gazza ladra". The title role in "Maometto II" followed on 3 December 1820 at the Teatro
Academy of Music (New York City) role and Giuseppe Mario as Pollione headlining the performance under Max Maretzek's baton. The first season's repertoire was ambitious, and included "Semiramide" and "The Barber of Seville" by Rossini; "Norma" and "La Sonnambula" by Bellini; and "Don Pasquale", "Lucrezia Borgia", "La Favorita" and "Lucia di Lammermoor" by Donizetti. Maretzek's company performed an annual season at the Academy through 1878. His company was not the only group active at the opera house as the theater during this time. Musicologist George Whitney Martin writes: New York's Academy of Music, from 1854 to 1883 the city's leading house for opera, did not offer