Fernando Previtali
Encyclopedia
Fernando Previtali was an Italian conductor
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially Verdi operas.
He studied at the Music Coservatory in Turin
, and later with Franco Alfano
. He began his career as assistant conductor to Vittorio Gui
in Florence
from 1928 to 1935, and later in Genoa
from 1935 to 1936.
He was artistic director of the Radio Italiana (RAI
) Orchestra from 1936 until 1953, and conducted the Verdi cycle in 1951, to commemorate the composer's 50th death anniversary, and left recordings of Nabucco
, Ernani
, La battaglia di Legnano
, Il trovatore
, and Don Carlo. He also conducted at all the major opera houses of Italy, and was principal conductor at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires
in the 1960s.
He was appointed artistic director of the Teatro Regio in Turin in 1970, and later of the Teatro Comunale in Genoa.
He conducted the first performances of Dallapiccola's Volo di notte and Ghedini's Rè Hassan and Le Baccanti.
His students included the British conductor Meredith Davies
.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, particularly associated with the Italian repertory, especially Verdi operas.
He studied at the Music Coservatory in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, and later with Franco Alfano
Franco Alfano
Franco Alfano was an Italian composer and pianist. Best known today for his opera Risurrezione and above all for having completed Puccini's opera Turandot in 1926. He had considerable success with several of his own works during his lifetime.- Biography :He was born in Posillipo, Naples...
. He began his career as assistant conductor to Vittorio Gui
Vittorio Gui
Vittorio Gui was an Italian conductor and composer.Gui was born in Rome in 1885. In 1933 Bruno Walter invited him to be guest conductor at the Salzburg Festival....
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
from 1928 to 1935, and later in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
from 1935 to 1936.
He was artistic director of the Radio Italiana (RAI
RAI
RAI — Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane, is the Italian state owned public service broadcaster controlled by the Ministry of Economic Development. Rai is the biggest television company in Italy...
) Orchestra from 1936 until 1953, and conducted the Verdi cycle in 1951, to commemorate the composer's 50th death anniversary, and left recordings of Nabucco
Nabucco
Nabucco is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Temistocle Solera, based on the Biblical story and the 1836 play by Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois and Francis Cornue...
, Ernani
Ernani
Ernani is an operatic dramma lirico in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, based on the play Hernani by Victor Hugo. The first production took place at La Fenice Theatre, Venice on 9 March 1844...
, La battaglia di Legnano
La battaglia di Legnano
La battaglia di Legnano is an opera in four acts, with music by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian-language libretto by Salvadore Cammarano. It was based on the play La Bataille de Toulouse by Joseph Méry. The opera received its first performance on 27 January 1849, at the Teatro Argentina, Rome...
, Il trovatore
Il trovatore
Il trovatore is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, based on the play El Trovador by Antonio García Gutiérrez. Cammarano died in mid-1852 before completing the libretto...
, and Don Carlo. He also conducted at all the major opera houses of Italy, and was principal conductor at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
in the 1960s.
He was appointed artistic director of the Teatro Regio in Turin in 1970, and later of the Teatro Comunale in Genoa.
He conducted the first performances of Dallapiccola's Volo di notte and Ghedini's Rè Hassan and Le Baccanti.
His students included the British conductor Meredith Davies
Meredith Davies (conductor)
Meredith Davies CBE was a British conductor, renowned for his advocacy of English music by composers such as Benjamin Britten, Frederick Delius and Ralph Vaughan Williams....
.