Votto, Antonino
Votto, Antonino
Votto, Antonino, Italian conductor; b. Piacenza, Oct. 30, 1896; d. Milan, Sept. 9, 1985. He studied piano with Longo and composition with De Nardis at the Cons, di Musica S. Pietro a Majella in Naples. He made his debut as a concert pianist in Trieste in 1919. From 1919 to 1921 he taught piano at the Cons, di Musica G. Verdi in Trieste. In 1921 he became a conductor at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires; in 1923 he made his first appearance at Milan’s La Scala conducting Manon Lescaut;then was a répétiteur and asst. conductor there under Toscanini until 1929. He subsequently made guest conducting appearances throughout Italy, Europe, and South America. From 1948 to 1970 he was a regular conductor at La Scala, during which period he led performances in major productions with Callas and other famous singers; also conducted at the Chicago Lyric Opera (1960-61; 1970). He was on the faculty of the Milan Cons. (1941-67).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire