ABSTRACT
Italian conductor and cellist, born in Parma. He entered the Parma Conservatory at age nine, and graduated with a first prize in cello in 1885. He was cellist with an Italian opera troupe in Rio de Janeiro,in 1886, when he had the opportunity to substitute for the regular conductor in a performance of Aida; from then he pursued a conducting career. Back in Italy he conducted the 1892 premiere of Pagliacci, and the 1896 premiere of Boheme. His genius was recognized by an appointment as chief conductor of La Scala at age 31; a post he held from 1898 to 1903, and again from 1906 to 1908. He was principal conductor at the Metropolitan Opera from 1908 to 1913, and also conducted orchestral concerts in New York. Toscanini returned to La Scala as artistic director in 1921-1929; but he was again invited to the U.S. and conducted the newly merged New York PhilharmonicSymphony Orchestra from 1928 to 1936. Meanwhile, he had been the first non-German to conduct at Bayreuth, in 1930-1931. The NBC Symphony Orchestra was formed for
him to conduct in 1937, and he brought it to world stature, remaining with it to 1954, when he retired. When he died in New York, he was widely considered to have been the greatest conductor of his time.
