Tenor Bryan Hymel sings shining high Cs in the Rossini aria "Asile héréditaire." Dario Acosta/Warner Classics hide caption
Gioachino Rossini Gioachino Rossini artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Gioachino Rossini
John Bonham of Led Zeppelin at the Los Angeles-area Inglewood Forum in 1973. Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage hide caption
Maria Callas, a masterful bel canto singer, performs in the title role of Bellini's Norma in Paris, May 23, 1964. AFP/Getty Images hide caption
Seismic singing from the bottommost voices: Know your basso buffo from your basso profondo. iStock hide caption
Tenors may be characterized as head-strong and unpredictable, but they can produce pretty sounds. iStock hide caption
Don't mix up your mezzos and contraltos. iStock hide caption
Conductor Antonio Pappano, who leads this 'William Tell.' Musacchio & Ianniello/BBC Proms hide caption
Hear An Introduction To 'William Tell'
The triumph of Italy: Rossini's 'L'Italiana In Algeri' at the Opéra de Lausanne Marc Vanappelghem/Opéra de Lausanne hide caption
Rossini's operatic version of Shakespeare's Othello came long before Verdi's, and is now rarely performed. Wikimedia Commons hide caption
Saverio Mercadante's rarely performed opera Virginia from Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland. Clive Barda/Courtesy of Wexford Festival Opera hide caption
Hear An Introduction To 'Virginia'
The two DiDonatos: one in pants, the other in pearls. Courtesy of Virgin Classics hide caption
Rossini once said, "I know of no more admirable occupation than eating." courtesy of Ira Braus hide caption
Opera singer Joyce DiDonato recalls an ominous letter sent home by a teacher. Nicholas Heavican/Virgin Classics hide caption
Dudamel Conducts The L.A. Philharmonic
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