AUTHORITATIVE | CURATED | First 500 words Free

• Personalities
• Classical
• Conductor
• Modern Era

1867–1957 Italian conductor Trained as a cellist, Toscanini was artistic director of La Scala, Milan 1898–1903, 1906–08 and 1920–29, and of the Metropolitan Opera, New York 1908–15. A strict disciplinarian, he inspired devotion for his artistic integrity, his respect for the composer’s intentions and the electricity of his performances. He conducted the New York ...

• Major Operas
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

suddenly, on 29 November, Puccini died. The task of completing Turandot fell to Franco Alfano, whose version is most often heard today. The premiere was conducted by Toscanini who, at the point where Puccini’s music came to an end, turned to the audience and quietly announced the fact. There followed a hushed silence into which someone ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Modern Era
• Singer

1892–1990 English soprano Turner’s early career was spent with the Carl Rosa company, with which she appeared at Covent Garden in 1920. As Madam Butterfly she was spotted by Toscanini’s assistant at La Scala; her subsequent Italian career included her first Turandot, at Brescia in 1926. At Covent Garden, 1928–39 and 1947–48, she sang not only Turandot ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Conductor
• Contemporary Classical

1912–97 British conductor Solti joined the Budapest Opera as a répétiteur (coach), and assisted Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) at the 1936 and 1937 Salzburg Festivals. After spending the war years in Switzerland, he was music director at the Bavarian State Opera 1946–52, in Frankfurt 1952–61, and at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden 1961–71. He was also music director ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Conductor
• Modern Era

17 before pursuing a career conducting. In the 1920s and 30s he conducted the British National Opera Company, the Covent Garden Opera Company and the Scottish Orchestra. He succeeded Toscanini as permanent conductor of the New York Philharmonic in 1937. In 1943 he became permanent conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, with which he remained for the rest ...

• Personalities
• High Romantic
• Opera

began another opera, Nerone (‘Nero’) in 1877, but it was still unfinished when he died some 40 years later. Nerone was completed by Vincenzo Tommasini (1878–1950) and Arturo Toscanini and premiered at La Scala, Milan on 1 May 1924. Introduction | High Romantic | Opera Major Operas | Mefistofele by Arrigo Boito | High Romantic Personalities | Alexander ...

• Personalities
• Modern Era
• Opera

1892–1957, Italian Pinza’s bass voice was notable for its beauty of tone. Following the First World War, he sang at La Scala under Toscanini. His debut at the Met in 1926 began a run of 22 consecutive seasons as a leading bass. He sang all the bass roles, Don Giovanni and Figaro being among his most memorable portrayals ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Composer
• Late Romantic

del Lago. The final duet of Turandot was orchestrated from the composer’s sketches by Franco Alfano. The premiere took place at La Scala on 23 April 1926. The conductor, Toscanini, laid down his baton after the death of Liu, saying ‘at this point in the opera, the composer died’. Puccini had an unrivalled sense of the theatre ...

• Personalities
• Opera
• Turn of the Century

, Milan 1889 Edgar premieres at La Scala, Milan 1893 Manon Lescaut performed, Turin; Puccini becomes star overnight 1896 Premiere of La bohème, Turin, conducted by Toscanini 1900 Tosca performed, Teatro Costanzi, Rome; Covent Garden premiere of Tosca 1904 Madama Butterfly’s premiere, La Scala, is a fiasco; revised Madama Butterfly performed at Bresica; ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Composer
• Late Romantic

Leonora, responsible for the death of her father, asks the Father Superior for shelter in his monastery. Recommended Recording: Otello, NBC Symphony Orchestra and Choruses (cond) Arturo Toscanini (Naxos) Giuseppe Verdi: Works Operas: Oberto (1838); Un giorno di regno (1840); Nabucco (1842); I Lombardi alla prima Crociata (1843); Ernani (1844), I due Foscari (1844); Giovanna d’Arco (1845), Alzira ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Composer
• Conductor
• Late Romantic

season he also conducted concerts, including his own Second Symphony, at Carnegie Hall, but his relations with the Met’s new Italian regime soured, especially after Arturo Toscanini (1867–1957) insisted on being allowed to make his own debut with Tristan. Mahler protested and eventually prevailed, but he later left the Met to take over the New York ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Conductor
• Modern Era

led to his appointment as music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, 1912–36, where he created the world-famous ‘Philadelphia sound’. Introduction | Modern Era | Classical Personalities | Arturo Toscanini | Modern Era | Classical ...

• Personalities
• Classical
• Composer
• Conductor
• Contemporary Classical

1930–2014 American conductor and composer A child prodigy, whose conducting won the praise of Toscanini, Maazel’s career began in earnest in Europe, and in 1960 he was the first American to conduct at Bayreuth. Directorships followed at the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra 1964–75, the Deutsche Oper, Berlin 1965–71, the Cleveland Orchestra 1972–82, the Orchestre ...

• Personalities
• Modern Era
• Opera

1888–1968, Italian What Stabile did not possess vocally, he made up for with a complete mastery of character. His imagination and timing made him unparalleled among his contemporaries. Toscanini coached him for the role of Falstaff, which he would sing nearly 1,200 times. During his 1926 debut season at Covent Garden, Stabile sang Falstaff, Iago ...

• Personalities
• Modern Era
• Opera

1922–2004, Italian Tebaldi studied at the Conservatory of Milan before auditioning for Arturo Toscanini in 1946. Impressed with her exceptional voice, Toscanini offered Tebaldi a concert engagement at La Scala, where she remained on the roster for the next five years. By the mid-1950s, both Tebaldi and Maria Callas were performing regularly at the Met and, ...