An Italian composer trained in Bologna, Rossini quickly became known for his operas, which achieved success throughout Europe (The Barber of Seville, The Thieving Magpie, Semiramide, etc.). He moved to Paris in 1823 to direct the Italian Theatre. After the mixed success of William Tell in 1829, and undoubtedly put off by the difficulty of writing the work, Rossini gave up composing operas.
“If the artist does not throw himself into his work as Curtius sprang into the gulf, as a soldier leads a forlorn hope without a moment’s thought, and if when he is in the crater he does not dig on as a miner does when the earth has fallen in on him; if he contemplates the difficulties before him instead of conquering them one by one, like the lovers in fairy tales, who to win their princesses overcome ever new enchantments, the work remains incomplete; it perishes in the studio where creativeness becomes impossible, and the artist looks on at the suicide of his own talent.
Rossini, a brother genius to Raphael, is a striking instance in his poverty-stricken youth, compared with his latter years of opulence. This is the reason why the same prize, the same triumph, the same bays are awarded to great poets and to great generals.”
Balzac, Cousin Betty, 1846 (Translation James Waring)
In Massimilla Doni, Balzac puts forward an analysis of Rossini’s style.
“In this scene,’ said Massimilla, whose emotion was evident, ‘science is set aside. Inspiration, alone, dictated this masterpiece; it rose from the composer’s soul like a cry of love! As to the accompaniment, it consists of the harps; the orchestra appears only at the last repetition of that heavenly strain. Rossini can never rise higher than in this prayer; he will do as good work, no doubt, but never better: the sublime is always equal to itself; but this hymn is one of the things that will always be sublime.”
Balzac, Massimilla Doni, 1837 (translated by Clara Bell and James Waring)