The Silver Crown: Another Book of Fables

ly-which meant that he made them interesting. In dealing with comic subjects he took care to keep above the level of farce, his general tone being that of comedy

. It is said to have been very fine, by those who liked it; but apparently Rossini did not like it, for after trying his hand at a few specimens (of which the notorious little oper

rk of his early youth, "Demetrio e Polibio," of which all that seems to be known

come before them one night as Moses, and the next as Doctor Bartholo, one night as Figaro, and the next as Assur in "Semiramide." At the same time they ap

atural, more like life, as far as life can be re

perfection in "Il Barbiere" and "Cenerentola;" but "L'Italiana" was the forerunner of these wo

the Fenice, but for the San Benedetto. The principal part was written for Madame Marcolini, who again,

same device had proved in "Tancredi." Rossini had now adopted his crescendo, never to forsake i

progress, too, in "L'Italiana" is slow, and the acts, as in all Rossini's two-act operas-that i

ballet, between the acts. As to the lengthiness of the recitatives, that was an affair of very little importance. No one was o

"Aria dei rizzi," because it was composed while rice was being cooked, Berta's air in "Il Barbiere"

erminable recitatives; and when Rossini shortened his, and gave them a more dramatic character, at the same time increasing the number and variety o

c to listen to his operas from beginning to end, he ceased to write. "Il Barbiere

ve hundredth time; but a place for the most celebrated of all the Rossini anecdotes must somew

ligato accompaniment for lamp-shades, of "Tancredi," and of "L'Italiana in Algeri"-that Ross

nary composer would say,

Rossini, "than to write

et. He set to work and composed another, which

" said Rossini, "I wish you would get it for

with his cane, fished it out,

best?" asked Rossini;

was most in keeping with the dramatic situation. Rossini was of t

, sent the two pieces to the theatric

as if a really active man would have got out of bed to pick up th

ody, as liveliness is activity of the mind. So laziness is dulness of the body, dulness laziness of the mind. Rossini had a lively min