Google Doodle Joins Rossini Birthday with Leap Year

Google has come up with a new two-in-one doodle to observe the 220th birth anniversary of the Italian composer Gioachino Rossini and leap year which falls on the same day, 29 February.

The new doodle shows four frogs, the leaping amphibians, in different postures in front of the Google logo and is inspired by a scene from Rossini's famous opera The Barber of Seville.

In the illustration, Count Almaviva is seen as a music teacher trying to declare his love towards the woman he admires from a distance, Rosina.

The barber in the scene is Figaro, trying to distract Bartolo, who objects to the relationship between Almaviva and Rosino.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini was born on February 29, 1792, the son of a horn player and singer. He started composing songs at the age of 15 and is known as one of the influential opera composers of the 19th century.

It is not the first time that Google has come up with a combination of doodle themes.

Google's two-in-one doodle illustrations depicted St George's Day and Shakespeare's Birthday on its UK website on 2009 and 4 July with Rube Goldberg's Birthday on the US website in 2010.

In the same year, Google combined Valentine's Day and Vancouver Olympic Games with the illustration of a pair skating.

Happy Leap Day: Google Doodle Marks Gioachino Rossini's Birthday With Leaping Frogs