Twenty Minutes - 13/10/2010

Rossini's return to Paris in the 1850s led to an Indian summer of composition for him, with the composition of the pieces he dubbed 'My Sins of Old Age'. And yet this wasn't just an Indian summer of composition. Hand-in-hand with this went Rossini's social life and his famous 'Saturday Soirées' at his apartment in Paris. Many of these 'Sins of Old Age' were written for performance at these soirées or other salons throughout Paris. Rossini's reputation as a gourmand also held true at these events with his gastronomic legacy still being felt in the dishes he inspired. Igor Toronyi-Lalic explores Rossini's role in the salons of mid-19th century Paris and the legacy of these salons today. Producer: Rosie Childs.