His first wife, Isabella Colbran, was an opera singer, for whom Rossini wrote the title "Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra". She sang the role of Desdemona in his next opera, "Otello, ossia il Moro di Venezia". They separated in 1837 when Rossini began a relationship with artists' model Olympe Pélissier. Rossini married Pélissier the year after Colbran died.