Rossini would preside at the first three representations, and, after receiving a grand civic banquet, set out for the next place, his portmanteau fuller of music-paper than of other effects, and perhaps a dozen sequins in his pocket.  His love of jesting during these gay Bohemian wanderings made him perpetrate innumerable practical jokes, not sparing himself when he had no more available food for mirth.  On one occasion, in traveling from Ancona to Reggio, he passed himself off for a musical professor, a mortal enemy of Rossini, and sang the words of his own operas to the most execrable music, in a cracked voice, to show his superiority to that donkey, Rossini.  An unknown admirer of his was in such a rage that he was on the point of chastising him for slandering the great musician, about whom Italy raved.

Our composer’s earlier style was quite simple and unadorned, a fact difficult for the present generation, only acquainted with the florid beauties of his later works, to appreciate.  Rossini only followed the traditions of Italian music in giving singers full opportunity to embroider the naked score at their own pleasure.  He was led to change this practice by the following incident.  The tenor-singer Velluti was then the favorite of the Italian theatres, and indulged in the most unwarrantable tricks with his composers.  During the first performance of “L’Aureliano,” at Naples, the singer loaded the music with such ornaments that Rossini could not recognize the offspring of his own brains.  A fierce quarrel ensued between the two, and the composer determined thereafter to write music of such a character that the most stupid singer could not suppose any adornment needed.  From that time the Rossini music was marked by its florid and brilliant embroidery.  Of the same Velluti, spoken of above, an incident is told, illustrating the musical craze of the country and the period.  A Milanese gentleman, whose father was very ill, met his friend in the street—­“Where are you going?” “To the Scala to be sure.”  “How! your father lies at the point of death.”  “Yes! yes!  I know, but Velluti sings to-night.”

II.

An important step in Rossini’s early career was his connection with the widely known impresario of the San Carlo, Naples, Barbaja.  He was under contract to produce two new operas annually, to rearrange all old scores, and to conduct at all of the theatres ruled by this manager.  He was to receive two hundred ducats a month, and a share in the profits of the bank of the San Carlo gambling-saloon.  His first opera composed here was “Elisabetta, Regina d’Inghilterra,” which was received with a genuine Neapolitan furore.  Rossini was feted and caressed by the ardent dilettanti of this city to his heart’s content, and was such an idol of the “fickle fair” that his career on more than one occasion narrowly escaped an untimely close, from the prejudice of jealous spouses.  The composer was very vain of his handsome person, and boasted of his escapades d’amour.  Many, too, will recall his mot, spoken to a beauty standing between himself and the Duke of Wellington:  “Madame, how happy should you be to find yourself placed between the two greatest men in Europe!”