The CAT DUET (DUETTO BUFFO DI DUE GATTI) has been a popular performance piece for two sopranos and piano, although other voice types may be substituted. The perfect comical encore to any concert, it consists entirely of the repeated word "miau" ("meow") sung by the singers representing two cats who do not seem terribly fond of each other. While the work is typically attributed to Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) directly, there is some question as to whether he actually wrote it or if it was created by someone else. Regardless, the 1825 audience pleaser remains a compilation that draws principally from Rossini’s 1816 opera OTELLO for melodic material. Instrumentation in set: 1.1.1.1: 0.0.0:0: Str (9-8-7-6-5): [2 voices].