(Section D)
(Led by LAURANCE TURNER )
Conducted by PERCY PITT
OLGA HALEY (Mezzo-Soprano)
Semiramide was the last opera Rossini wrote for Italian audiences, and for an odd reason. He wrote Semiramide with far greater care than was his habit, and the reception, probably in consequence, was very cold; Rossini thereupon wiped his hands of Italian audiences and resolved to establish himself elsewhere. Opportunely he received an invitation to go to London and to write a new opera for the King's Theatre, for which he was to get £240 (he had already had £200 for Semiramide, almost a maximum payment in those days). Rossini had a splendid time in London; he stayed there during the winter and spring of 1823 and 1824; King George made a great fuss of him; he was nobly received everywhere; he gave several concerts and, although the manager of the opera went bankrupt and was unable to pay for the new opera, Rossini left London with £7,000 in his pocket. From London he went to Paris, accepted the post of Musical Director at the Theatre Italien, produced Semiramide, amongst other operas, with a success rightly due to it, and settled down in Paris for the rest of his life.