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Alfredo AntoniniItalian/American conductor and composer
Date of Birth: 31.05.1901
Country:  Italy |
Content:
- Alfredo Antonini: A Maestro on the International Stage
- Early Life and Training
- Conducting Career
- Television and Collaborations
- Outdoor Concerts and Iconic Performances
- International Collaborations
- Legacy
Alfredo Antonini: A Maestro on the International Stage
Alfredo Antonini, an Italian-American conductor and composer, graced international concert halls, CBS radio, and television from the 1930s to the 1960s. In 1971, he received an 'Emmy' Award for 'Outstanding Achievement in Music for Television' for conducting the premiere of Ezra Laderman's opera 'And David Wept.'
Early Life and Training
Born on May 31, 1901, in Milan, Italy, Antonini studied music at the Royal Conservatory of Milan under the legendary Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini.
Conducting Career
Radio NetworksIn the 1940s, Antonini led several prominent orchestras for CBS radio networks, including the CBS Pan American Orchestra (1940-1949), the Columbia Concert Orchestra (1940-1949), and the CBS Symphony Orchestra. He also conducted the popular radio program 'Viva America' and collaborated with renowned artists such as Nestor Chayres, Terig Tucci, Jonn Serrie, Sr., and the Carnegie Hall Pops Orchestra.
Television and Collaborations
In the 1950s, as CBS's Music Director for Television, Antonini played a pivotal role in bringing classical and opera music to a broad audience. His collaborations with Julie Andrews, Richard Rodgers, and Oscar Hammerstein II in CBS's 'Cinderella' were critically acclaimed in 1957 and drew an estimated 107 million viewers.
Post-1957, Antonini became the music director and conductor of the Tampa Philharmonic, Florida.
Outdoor Concerts and Iconic Performances
Maestro Antonini conducted popular outdoor summer concerts at Lewisohn Stadium in New York City during the 1950s. His 'Italian Night' performances with the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and the Lewisohn Stadium Orchestra attracted up to 13,000 people, featuring arias from the standard Italian opera repertoire and performances by opera stars such as Jan Peerce, Eileen Farrell, Richard Tucker, Beverly Sills, and Robert Merrill.
International Collaborations
In addition to his conducting duties at WOR radio in New York in the 1940s, Antonini guest-conducted major symphony orchestras in Chicago, Milwaukee, Oslo, and Chile in the 1950s. In the 1960s, he served as a guest conductor for the New York Philharmonic in a grand benefit concert featuring Jean Peerce and Robert Merrill, and performed with them in various gala concerts. He also appeared with Roberta Peters at the City College of New York before a multi-thousand audience.
Legacy
Alfredo Antonini passed away on November 3, 1983. The maestro's legacy lives on through numerous long-playing records that showcase his diverse repertoire, ranging from symphonic works to Latin American popular music and grand opera. Antonini recorded for labels such as 'SESAC,' 'Coral,' and 'Columbia Masterworks.'
