Giaochino Rossini was, in his time, considered the most successful composer of operas in history, creating such enduring favorites as The Barber of Seville, La Cenerentola, and William Tell. Then, having composed an astounding 39 operas before his 37th birthday in 1829, he simply stopped. For the rest of his life, until his death almost four decades later in 1868, his few compositions were mostly religious music.
The clip below is the moving “Agnus Dei” from Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle, which is one of his last works, completed in 1863.
Featured image above: Agnus Dei by Francisco Zurburan, 1640
