Uriel Nespoli
Encyclopedia
Uriel Nespoli was an Italian
conductor
born in Naples
.
A pupil of Leopoldo Mugnone
, Nespoli specialized in Italian opera
. He was considered a National Treasure to Italy, and in 1931 he was secretly brought to the United States
for safety. He first served as music director
of the Houston Symphony, which was reforming after a 13-year break, having dissolved in 1918 owing to World War I
, and from general lack of funding. After conducting concerts in the spring of 1931 and for the entirety of the 1931-1932 season, Nespoli was dismissed from his post in Houston. He continued his conducting career in New York City
. He was the third conductor to conduct Giacomo Puccini
's famed opera La boheme
, and reputedly never forgave Puccini for not having given him the premiere, as they had known each other well as colleagues in younger days. However, it is said that he was in Brazil at the time of its first performance.
Among his musical colleagues was the operatic soprano Rosa Ponselle
. He directed several future opera singers to her for lessons at her Villa Pace in Baltimore
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
conductor
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...
born in Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
.
A pupil of Leopoldo Mugnone
Leopoldo Mugnone
Leopoldo Mugnone was an Italian conductor, especially of opera, whose most famous work was done in the period 1890-1920, both in Europe and South America...
, Nespoli specialized in Italian opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
. He was considered a National Treasure to Italy, and in 1931 he was secretly brought to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for safety. He first served as music director
Music director
A music director may be the director of an orchestra, the director of music for a film, the director of music at a radio station, the head of the music department in a school, the co-ordinator of the musical ensembles in a university or college , the head bandmaster of a military band, the head...
of the Houston Symphony, which was reforming after a 13-year break, having dissolved in 1918 owing to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and from general lack of funding. After conducting concerts in the spring of 1931 and for the entirety of the 1931-1932 season, Nespoli was dismissed from his post in Houston. He continued his conducting career in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was the third conductor to conduct Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini was an Italian composer whose operas, including La bohème, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire...
's famed opera La boheme
La bohème
La bohème is an opera in four acts,Puccini called the divisions quadro, a tableau or "image", rather than atto . by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger...
, and reputedly never forgave Puccini for not having given him the premiere, as they had known each other well as colleagues in younger days. However, it is said that he was in Brazil at the time of its first performance.
Among his musical colleagues was the operatic soprano Rosa Ponselle
Rosa Ponselle
Rosa Ponselle , was an American operatic soprano with a large, opulent voice. She sang mainly at the New York Metropolitan Opera and is generally considered by music critics to have been one of the greatest sopranos of the past 100 years.-Early life:She was born Rosa Ponzillo on January 22, 1897,...
. He directed several future opera singers to her for lessons at her Villa Pace in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
.