It's February 29th! A rare day indeed!
I always enjoy Leap Years because in my mind they're associated with the Olympic Games - falling as they do every same 4 years as the summer games which this time around will of course take place in London.
But as a fan of classical music, there is an extra reason for my being a fan of this quirky date.
On February 29th 1792, Gioachino Rossini was born and he is one of my favourite composers. Today then would've been his 55th birthday but as he was a Leap Day baby - it means that he is in fact 220 years old!
Though he passed away in 1868 in his 76th year aged just 19 (I know but I can't resist!) his musical masterpieces remain.
As a celebration of this special birthday then, here is one of my favourite compositions from the 'Italian Mozart' - the Overture to La Gazza Ladra or as it's more lovingly called, 'The Thieving Magpie'.
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