Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) was an Italian composer known for his 39
operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano
pieces, and some sacred music. In the period 1810–1823 he wrote his
most popular works including the comic operas L'italiana in Algeri, Il
barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) and La Cenerentola,
building on the traditions of masters such as Domenico Cimarosa. He also
composed opera seria works such as Otello, Tancredi and Semiramide. All
of these show innovation in melody, harmonic and instrumental colour,
and dramatic form. In 1824 he was contracted by the Opéra in Paris, for
which he produced an opera to celebrate the coronation of Charles X, Il
viaggio a Reims, later cannibalized for Le comte Ory, and in 1829 his
last opera, Guillaume Tell (William Tell). He retired from large-scale
composition while still in his thirties, at the height of his
popularity.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gioachino_Rossini>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1805:
Napoleonic Wars: A Franco-Spanish fleet recaptured British-held
Diamond Rock, an uninhabited island at the entrance to the bay leading
to Fort-de-France.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Diamond_Rock>
1919:
First Red Scare: Anarchist followers of Luigi Galleani set off
eight bombs in eight cities across the United States.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1919_United_States_anarchist_bombings>
1967:
German university student Benno Ohnesorg was killed during a
protest in West Berlin against the visit of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi
of Iran, sparking the formation of the militant group 2 June Movement.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_June_Movement>
1994:
The Royal Air Force suffered its worst peacetime disaster when
a Chinook helicopter crashed on the Mull of Kintyre, Scotland, killing
all 29 people on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Scotland_RAF_Chinook_crash>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
rubicon:
1. A limit that when exceeded, or an action that when taken, cannot be
reversed.
2. (card games) Especially in bezique and piquet: a score which, if not
achieved by a losing player, increases the player's penalty.
3. (transitive, card games) Especially in bezique and piquet: to defeat
a player who has not achieved the rubicon.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rubicon>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
If all hearts were open and all desires known — as they would
be if people showed their souls — how many gapings, sighings, clenched
fists, knotted brows, broad grins, and red eyes should we see in the
market-place!
--Thomas Hardy
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Thomas_Hardy>
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