Even during his lifetime, anecdotes began to circulate about Rossini. There is a simple reason for this: the maestro possessed a cheerful disposition, courtesy, simplicity, and an irresistible charm. Rossini never held a grudge against anyone; he sincerely admired even those with whom he had to compete – the famous Italian composers Giovanni Paisiello and Domenico Cimarosa, as well as the legendary Richard Wagner. Even Carl Maria von Weber, who was extremely biased against Rossini and Italian opera, could not resist his charm and quickly became friends with him.

Legends abound about how quickly Rossini composed his operas: according to various sources, the «”The Barber of Seville” took him no more than two to three weeks. The story of how the aria "di tanti palpiti" was created is even more colorful; Stendhal recounts it in his short biographical sketch of the composer.

"In Venice, this aria is called 'aria dei risi' (the rice aria). I must admit that this is a rather crude name, and I even feel a bit awkward sharing a little anecdote that is more gastronomic than poetic, with which this name is associated. 'Aria dei risi,' since I have brought it up, means 'the rice aria.' In Lombardy, all dinners, from those of the grandest noblemen to the humblest musicians, invariably begin with rice. And since they prefer their rice not too overcooked there, about four minutes before serving, the cook always asks the essential question: 'Bisogna mettere i risi?' And so, when Rossini returned home in despair, his servant asked this usual question; the rice was placed on the stove, and before it was even cooked, Rossini had finished his aria: "Di tanti palpiti..”.
The title "aria dei risi" serves as a reminder that it was written in an instant.

Rossini knew how to enjoy life, loved a sound sleep, and appreciated a hearty meal. If time was pressing, he would even make use of drafts from his previous operas or reuse melodies from them (a common practice in the 18^th and 19^th centuries). Here is another historical anecdote recorded by Stendhal: "One very cold winter day in 1813, the composer was staying in a rather poor room of a Venetian inn. To avoid lighting a fire, he was writing music without getting out of bed. Having finished a duet (he was working on the score of Il signor Bruschino at the time), he accidentally dropped the sheet of paper he was writing on, and it fell to the floor. Rossini tried in vain to spot it; the paper had apparently slid somewhere under the bed. He tried to reach down and lean over to pick it up, but in the end, he got too cold and wrapped himself back in the blanket, deciding: "I will just write the duet again; it's as easy as pie, I will remember everything." But it turned out he had forgotten it all; a good fifteen minutes passed, and he could not recall a single note. Finally, laughing, he exclaimed: "What a fool I am! I can just write a brand new duet! Let wealthy composers heat their rooms; I will not trouble myself to pick up duets that have slipped away – besides, it's bad luck."

Rossini also practiced the art of cooking quite a bit, leaving behind several intriguing recipes for posterity. His refined taste made him famous among all the leading chefs of the era (such as Marie-Antoine Carême, the personal chef to the Rothschilds). It remains unknown whether Rossini composed these recipes himself or if they were merely inspired by his passion for gastronomy, but it is an undeniable fact that dishes bearing the name "Rossini" were documented as early as the 19^th century.

Even after retiring from his musical career, Rossini remained a figure of European stature, writing music criticism and hosting eminent guests like Saint-Saëns, Stasov, and Wagner. His meeting with the latter was particularly significant. The young Wagner, who was deeply anxious about the maestro’s criticism, was surprised by Rossini's simplicity and honesty. During their conversation, Wagner shared his creative plans with his older colleague and, quite unexpectedly, received the Italian's approval. Rossini, however, cautioned the youth against excessive boldness, noting that not all contemporaries were ready to appreciate musical innovation. In response, Wagner pointed out to Rossini that the finale of the third act of William Tell already contained many of these ideas. Surprised, Rossini remarked: "So, I was composing the 'music of the future' without even realizing it?". Wagner replied: "Maestro, you composed music for the ages, which is even better!"

Rossini inspired not only musicians and culinary experts but also writers, philosophers, and playwrights. Rossini was also very much loved in our country. Alexander Pushkin dedicated the following lines in Eugene Onegin to him:

But now the blue of evening darkens,
To the Opera we must make haste:
There the enchanting Rossini harkens –
Europe’s favorite, Orpheus in taste.
Unheeding of the critics' strictures,
He's ever the same, yet ever new;
He pours forth sounds that boil, pursue,
They flow, they burn like youthful kisses,
All in the glow and flames of love,
Like sparkling, golden streams above
From freshly fizzing Ai blisses...

Rossini's music became the symbol of an entire era: it resonates in the novels of Stendhal, Balzac, and Leo Tolstoy, in the poems of Pushkin and Apollon Maykov, in theatre, visual arts, and philosophy... The most remarkable thing, however, is that Rossini's music stirs our emotions today just as it did for his contemporaries nearly two centuries ago. We hope that now, having come to know Rossini’s personality better, you will look at his work in a whole new light!