A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Arditi, Luigi

by George Grove

ARDITI, Luigi, born at Crescentino in Piedmont. July 16, 1825 [App. p.523 "Paloschi gives July 22, 1822, as the date of his birth."]; studied music at the Conservatorio at Milan, and began his career as a violin player. In 1840 he produced an overture, and in the Carnival of 1841 an opera 'I Briganti,' at the Conservatorio. In 1842 he followed these by a second Overture and a 'Sovenir di Donizetti.' He made his debut as director of the opera at Vercelli in 1843, and was made honorary member of the Accademia Filarmonica there. In 1846 he left Italy with Bottesini for the Havannah, where he composed and produced an opera 'Il Corsaro.' He made frequent visits to New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and amongst other things conducted the opera at the opening of the Academy of Music in New York, and produced a new opera of his own 'La Spia' (1856). The same year he left America for Constantinople, and finally settled in London in 58 as conductor to Her Majesty's Theatre, under the successive managements of Lumley, E. T. Smith, and Mapleson. Mr. Lumley has left on record his verdict of Signor Arditi, 'than whom, taking all qualities into account, a more able conductor never reigned in this country' ('Reminiscences,' 447 note). Arditi took an Italian company (Piccolomini, Giuglini, etc.) on an artistic tour to Hamburgh, Berlin, Dresden, etc., and thus became known and liked by the German public. In the winters of 1871 and 1873 he conducted the Italian Opera at St. Petersburgh, and since 1870 has performed the same office each spring at Vienna. His compositions, besides those mentioned above, comprise a 'Commemoration Ode,' performed at the Crystal Palace June 10, 1873. His vocal waltz 'Il Bacio' is a universal favourite.

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