Mattei, Tito

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Mattei, Tito

Mattei, Tito, Italian pianist, conductor, and composer; b. Campobasso, near Naples, May 24, 1841; d.London, March 30, 1914. He studied with Parisi, Conti, and Thalberg, making such rapid progress that at the age of 11 he obtained a nominal appointment as “professore” of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He received a gold medal for playing before Pope Pius XI, and was appointed pianist to the King of Italy. About 1865 he settled in London, where he was active principally as an opera conductor. He composed the operas Maria di Gand (London, 1880), The Grand Duke (London, 1889), and La Prima Donna (London, 1889) and the ballet The Spider and the Fly (London, 1893). Other works include songs and piano pieces.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire