The Life of Rossini

8

There is nothing to prove that Rossini entertained any such opinion of Velluti’s singing.

9

A: Théâtres Lyriques de Paris, “L’Opéra Italien,” p. 317.

10

Cardinal Gonsalvi was devoted to music and had a sincere attachment to Cimarosa, the greatest Italian composer of his time. “At the commencement of my ministry (secretaryship of state),” he writes in his memoirs, “I experienced two very great afflictions, not to speak of many others. One had no connection with my office: it was the death of my great friend Domenico Cimarosa, the first composer, in my opinion, both for inspiration and science, as Raphael is the first of painters.” In Cardinal Gonsalvi’s will the following passage occurs: – “Fifty masses a year for the repose of the soul of the celebrated maestro Domenico Cimarosa, to be said in the church of the Rotunda on the 11th of January, the anniversary of his death, with the gift of the paoli.” Cimarosa had then been dead upwards of twenty years, but the Cardinal forgot neither him nor his family, as will be seen from the following clauses in the same will: – “To the nun Cimarosa at the convent of the Infant Jesus, one hundred ounces of silver and the snuff-box with the portrait of her father; moreover the annual pension of forty crowns spoken of in the will to be increased to eighty. To Paulina Cimarosa one hundred ounces of silver and all the music of her father with his large portrait, the whole free of carriage to Naples; moreover an annual pension of seventy-two crowns.”

11

Dictionnaire Musicale, Article Orchestre. Rousseau wrote the dictionary in 1754, though it was not published for some years afterwards.

12

See Ferdinand Hiller’s Conversations with Rossini.

13

Beaumarchais gave music lessons to Louis XV.’s daughters. To put forward a more positive proof of his acquirements in this art, he composed the incidental music of his own dramas.

14

Préface du “Barbier de Seville,” 1775.

15

Words quoted by M. de St. Georges in his speech at Rossini’s funeral.

16

Rossini sa vie et ses œuvres, par les frères Escudier.

17

M. Azevedo (G. Rossini sa vie et ses œuvres par A. Azevedo) says that “Rossini, consulted as to the correctness of these figures, thought there must be an error of 100 scudi. He was under the impression that he had only received 300 scudi for the “Barber.”

18

Théâtres Lyriques de Paris: – Histoire du Théâtre Italien.

19

In the avvertimento al pubblico the title of the comedy is given in Italian “Il Barbiere di Siviglia Ossia l’inutile precauzione.”

20

L’Ape Italiana, Paris, 1836.

21

One of the worst puns ever made was made in verse on the production of Verdi’s highly instrumental “Nabuchodonosore” at Paris in 1845. It is contained in the following quatrain: —

Vraiment l’affiche est dans son tort,

En faux on devrait la poursuivre:

Pourquoi nous annoncer Nabuchodonos—or

Quand c’est Nabuchodonos—cuivre?

22

Page 21.

23

Meyerbeer et son Temps.

24

See “La Revue de Paris,” March 1, 1856.

25

There are opera-goers still living who have heard Cimarosa’s “Matrimonio Segretto,” but no opera seria by an Italian composer anterior to Rossini has been heard even by the oldest habitué.

26

Rousseau wrote the “Dictionnaire Musicale” in 1754.

27

Preface to Victor Hugo’s libretto of “Esmeralda” (set to music by Mademoiselle Bertin).

28

See page 21.

29

Ferdinand Hiller’s Conversations. M. Azevedo says it was in conformity with Rossini’s advice that Habeneck produced Beethoven’s Symphonies.

30

Conversations with Rossini by Ferdinand Hiller. —Musical World, 1856.

31

This letter was made public at a sale of autographs which took place in Paris last March, and was printed by most of the French papers immediately afterwards.

32

D. F. E. Auber, sa Vie et ses Œuvres. Par B. Jouvin.

33

See the contract for the production of this work, p. 128.

34

“Mémoires pour servir à l’Histoire de mon Temps,” vol. ii. p. 74.