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Toscanini

Name: Arturo Toscanini

Achievements: Directed the debut of Puccini’s La Boheme and Turandot.  Director at La Scala, Metropolitan Opera.  The NBC Orchestra was created for him.  First foreigner to conduct at the Wagner festival.  

Born: March 25, 1867; Parma, Italy

Died: January 16, 1957;  New York, New York

Field & Discipline: Performing Arts & Sports; Music; Conducting

Language: Italian; English

Father: Claudio Toscanini

Mother: Paola Montani

Siblings: Cesira

Spouse: Carla De Martini 

Children: Walter; Wanda; Wally

Education: Parma Conservatory, Parma, Italy

Major Work:

Directed the debut of Puccini’s La Boheme and Turandot

Life & Times:

Arturo Toscanini debuted as a conductor on his 17th birthday at the Parma conservatory where he was a star student – they called him “the Genius.”  After graduating, he started as a cellist with the Parma Municipal Orchestra.  On a tour of South America with the orchestra, he became a star conductor overnight.

On the day of the performance of Aida in Rio de Janeiro the orchestra conductor abruptly quit.   The 19-year old Toscanini was the only one who had memorized the entire score, and therefore the only one who could conduct the symphony.  Without rehearsal, he delivered a conducting performance that some critics called the best Aida ever. 

When he returned to Italy, he was already reputed to be a talented conductor.   Ruggero Leoncavallo asked Toscanini to conduct the opening of his opera I Pagliacci.  [conducted for] Puccini* asked the same favor for the premiere of his La Boheme, which  became one of the most staged operas of all time.  With these successes, Toscanini’s fame grew in Italy.  At the age of 31, he was named to the most prestigious conducting post in Italy at La Scala, Milan.  Toscanini broke with the tradition of staging only Italian productions by staging foreign works,  especially by Wagner. 

Toscanini demanded control over every aspect of production. Everyone,  from the musicians to the set directors, feared and hated him for his tyrannical leadership.  He was prone to tantrums and throwing things when the slightest detail was amiss.   Toscanini even tried to control the audience, banning the audience from asking for encores.  In 1903, when the audience refused to abide by his rule, he resigned. 

For the next two years he traveled,  conducting in America and Germany, and becoming the first foreigner to conduct at the Wagner festival.  Although he returned briefly to La Scala, he was lured away by the Metropolitan Opera, the premiere opera house in New York.  He stayed for seven years, sometimes fighting with other stars of the opera world such as [clashed with] Caruso*. 

When World War I broke out, he promptly returned home to conduct for charities and generally support Italy’s war effort.  This show of patriotism earned him respect and popularity with the public.  After the war La Scala  and Toscanini returned for nine years. 

Termed the “Toscanini epoch,” these years produced some of the best operas of all time, the most important being the premier of Turandot, Puccini’s last opera. 

Before Toscanini, the most famous conductors were the composers themselves: Wagner and Strauss, for example.  But during the Toscanini years, composers preferred to leave their masterpieces in his hands. 

As Mussolini and the Fascists came into power in Italy, Nazism was gaining power in Germany.  Outspoken about his opposition to both Fascism and Nazism, Toscanini was placed under house arrest.  When he refused to play the Fascist hymn at one of his concerts he was arrented, but then released to fulfill a contract obligation with NBC.  Toscanini fled to New York vowing never to return to Italy until Fascism fell.  Along with other refugee artists, such as [fellow refugee artist] Kokoschka*,  Toscanini became an anti-Fascist hero. 

He continued to include music from all over the world in his repertoire. The Hungarian  [work dedicated to him by] Kodaly* was one of his favorites.  In return Kodaly dedicated one of his late works to Toscanini. 

In continued opposition to Fascism and Nazism, Toscanini conducted the newly-formed Palestine Symphony Orchestra (made up of Jewish émigrés from Germany)  and refused a fee.   

In America, the NBC Orchestra was founded for Toscanini.  Already in his 60’s when he became the music director, he continued with NBC for seventeen more years.  For most of this time he had at his disposal Radio City Music Hall, where his legendary performances were recorded and broadcast on the radio.  These NBC broadcasts were credited for the growing American interest in classical music. 

In 1946, when Fascism was gone he returned to Italy.  La Scala was badly damaged, but quickly rebuilt and Toscanini led its reopening in an emotional homecoming. 

Toscanini conducted established works, but he also endorsed many new composers.  Under Toscanini’s direction, new works were propelled into popularity.  For example, when Toscanini conducted [conducted] Barber*’s Adagio for Strings, it became a sensation.

His very presence at a performance had an impact.  When [he endorsed]  Menotti*’s Broadway production was having trouble selling seats, he invited his family friend Toscanini to attend.  One appearance by Toscanini was enough to sell out all the seats for the rest of the run. 

Because of his stature in the music community he got anything he wanted: when he directed  I Pini di Roma by [a colleague was] Respighi*, he reserved the American rights to the music for five years. 

He always said that when his memory failed, he would stop conducting.  In 1954, in the middle of a performance, he couldn’t remember a passage.  But he continued to the end, when he  dropped his baton and walked off the stage, refusing to take the standing ovation from the audience.  He stopped conducting and died three years later. 

Extra Connections: He conducted works by [conducted works by] Sibelius*

Assessment: A star conductor from the time he was 19, he reigned supreme in Europe and America throughout a career that spanned seven decades.  His numerous recordings with NBC survive him, as does his legend.    

Oneliner: Toscanini, mega-star conductor

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