his music". Critics described Colbran's talent as "a wealth of exquisitely observed detail [that] could be read into the statuesque calm of her every gesture". The vocal demands of the roles Rossini had created for her is inferred to be a cause to the rapid deterioration of her voice and vocal chords. By the age of 20, she had performed and wooed the crowds of all of Europe. She was described by Stendhal as "a beauty of the most imposing sort; with large features that are superb on the stage, magnificent stature, blazing eyes, , a forest of the most beautiful jet-black hair, and, finally, an instinct for tragedy. As soon as she appeared [on stage] wearing a diadem on her head, she commanded involuntary respect even from people who had just left her in the foyer." From 1806 to 1815, she was considered the most celebrated soprano in all of Europe. In 1823, her fee per opera was £1,500. Overall, she was considered the queen of Theatro di San Carlo, and just the queen of theatre, for a very long time. On 2 January 1823, the phrase "Pray for the Soul of Colbran Rossini" () was inscribed on the walls of Venice. This was because of the opera Maometto IIs first performance in Venice on 26 December 1822, which had been met with much dissent from the audience, who had gone ill-disposed to the theatre. While Colbran's performance was praised, the opera was receiving criticisms and threats to the actors and actresses' lives if they chose to continue. The opera gave 25 performances in Italy, and eventually gave additional performances in France. The opera is considered one of Rossini's boldest and most politically motivated. Later years Colbran's voice and sense of pitch in performance declined in 1815, but she continued to perform for many years after. It is said she suffered from a strained voice, which is another way for saying she had a hard time staying in tune. She finally retired from singing in 1824 at the age of 42 and started composing shortly after. She fell ill around 1830, which may be a contributor to her debilitating gambling habits that started around this time. Her health had become ruined by the chronic gonoccal pelvic inflammatory disease that was given to her by Rossini. Isabella ended up living with Rossini's father Giuseppe Rossini, until her death on 7