Rossini, Gioacchino Antonio (29 February 1792, Pesaro; 13 November 1868, Paris), composer, was the son of parents endowed with enough musical ability to tour the Italian countryside as singers of opera in minor theatres, while the boy remained in the care of his paternal grandmother and aunt. He was able to study music in Bologna and Lugo, and his striking voice gained him employment in churches, while his training on the cembalo made him eligible to play in theatres. This slightly disorganized…