The Touchstone

opera by Rossini

Also known as: “La pietra del paragone”

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

La pietra del paragone (1812), meaning "The Touchstone," was an opera by Gioachino Rossini that marked a significant point in his early career. This opera was commissioned by the La Scala opera house in Milan and is notable for its use of the crescendo effect in its finale, a technique Rossini would later employ extensively.1

Rossini, an Italian composer born in 1792, became renowned for his operas, especially comic ones like The Barber of Seville and Cinderella. He was a pioneer of the bel canto style of singing, characterized by florid melodies and vocal embellishments. While La pietra del paragone was an important step, Rossini's later works, such as The Barber of Seville (1816), achieved even greater fame and are still widely performed today.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Gioachino Rossini
Italian period
…La pietra del paragone (1812; The Touchstone), a touchstone of his budding genius. In its finale, Rossini—for the first time—made use of the crescendo effect that he was later to use and abuse indiscriminately.
Read More
…La pietra del paragone (1812; The Touchstone), a touchstone of his budding genius. In its finale, Rossini—for the first time—made use of the crescendo effect that he was later to use and abuse indiscriminately.
Read More