Happy birthday to classical music’s most renowned “leap baby,” Gioachino Rossini, born on this date in 1792. Rossini shared with young Frederic of the “The Pirates of Penzance” the most ingenious paradox of celebrating a birthday every four years. So, despite the fact that 232 years have passed since his natal day, if we go by actual birthday anniversaries, it’s really only been 56.
Rossini’s furiously productive operatic career spanned less than 20 years, in which he amassed 39 lucrative works for the stage. He retired a wealthy man at the age of 37. He spent his last 35 years living the good life and composing when and what he wanted, including the occasional sacred work and a fair amount of salon music – what he wryly termed his “sins of old age.”
I can tell by your furrowed brow that you’re trying to check my math. Before you quibble, you had better have a look at this, posted four years ago, because I’m certainly not going to take the trouble to explain it myself.
Happy birthday, Gioachino Rossini! You may look 232, but your music doesn’t sound a day over 56.