Gioacchino Rossini was a musical prodigy, composing his first opera when he was eighteen years old. At the age of 37, after having written 39 operas, he almost completely stopped composing and devoted himself to the culinary arts and the mysteries of wine! In his opera L'Italiana in Algeri, Rossini shows the differences in mentality between two countries on the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey and Italy. The exotic themes and oriental sound colors used by Rossini, retained in this transcription for concert band, have ensured that L'Italiana is still loved today by a wide audience. Dur: 8:30