Tullio Serafin

Tullio Serafin (September 1, 1878 - February 2, 1968) was an Italian conductor of opera.

Biography

Tullio Serafin was a leading Italian opera conductor with a long career and a very broad repertoire who revived many 19th century bel canto operas by Bellini, Rossini and Donizetti to become staples of 20th century repertoire. He had an unparalleled reputation as a coach of young opera singers and famously channelled Callas's temperamental talents.

Born in Rottanova (Cavarzere), near Venice, and trained in Milan, he played viola in the Orchestra of La Scala, Milan under Toscanini, later being appointed Assistant Conductor. He took over as Musical Director at La Scala when Toscanini left to go to New York and served 1909 - 1914, 1917 - 1918 and returned briefly after the second World War, 1946 -1947.

He joined the conducting staff of the Metropolitan Opera in 1924 and remained for a decade, after which he became the artistic director of the Teatro Reale in Rome. During his long career he helped further the careers of many important singers, including Rosa Ponselle and Joan Sutherland, and Maria Callas with whom he made numerous recordings.

Serafin was instrumental in expanding the repertory, conducting the Italian premieres of works by Alban Berg, Paul Dukas, and Benjamin Britten. He also conducted important world premieres by both Italian and American composers such as Franco Alfano, Italo Montemezzi, Deems Taylor, and Howard Hanson.

He died in Rome in 1968.

Recordings

Serafin made the following complete opera recordings with Callas for Angel/EMI Records:

*"Lucia di Lammermoor" - 1953
*"I puritani" - 1953
*"Cavalleria rusticana" - 1953
*"Norma" - 1954
*"Pagliacci" - 1954
*"La forza del destino" - 1954
*"Aida" - 1955
*"Rigoletto" - 1955
*"Turandot" - 1957
*"Manon Lescaut" - 1957
*"Medea" - 1957
*"Lucia di Lammermoor" - 1959
*"Norma" - 1960

He conducted the Orchestra of the Rome Opera House in tenor Jon Vickers's highly acclaimed first recording of Verdi's Otello, made by RCA Victor in 1960.

References

*Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), "The Oxford Dictionary of Opera", 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=41:52410 AMG AllMusic entry]