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Szell, George

(Encyclopedia)Szell, George sĕl [key], 1897–1970, American conductor and pianist, b. Budapest. He moved with his family to Vienna during his childhood and started his piano training at an early age studying at t...

Vestris, Lucia Elizabeth (Bartolozzi)

(Encyclopedia)Vestris, Lucia Elizabeth (Bartolozzi) bärtōlôtˈsē vĕsˈtrĭs [key], 1797–1856, English actress and manager, the first woman to be a lessee of a theater. The daughter of a music and fencing tea...

Lehmann, Lilli

(Encyclopedia)Lehmann, Lilli lāˈmän [key], 1848–1929, German operatic soprano. She made her debut in 1865 in Prague and in 1870 joined the Royal Opera, Berlin. Her stature as one of the greatest singers of her...

serenade

(Encyclopedia)serenade [Ital. sera=evening], term used to designate several types of musical composition. Opera and song literature yield numerous examples of the serenade sung or played by a lover at night beneath...

Smyth, Dame Ethel Mary

(Encyclopedia)Smyth, Dame Ethel Mary smīth [key], 1858–1944, English composer, studied at the Leipzig Conservatory. In addition to her many songs and chamber music she wrote operas, including The Wreckers (1906)...

Ponselle, Rosa

(Encyclopedia)Ponselle, Rosa pŏnzĕlˈ [key], 1897–1981, American operatic soprano, b. Meriden, Conn. First appearing in vaudeville, she made her debut (1918) at the Metropolitan Opera in Verdi's La forza del de...

overture

(Encyclopedia)overture, instrumental musical composition written as an introduction to an opera, ballet, oratorio, musical, or play. The earliest Italian opera overtures were simply pieces of orchestral music and w...

Stratas, Teresa

(Encyclopedia)Stratas, Teresa, 1938–, Canadian soprano, b. Toronto as Anastasia Strataki, studied Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. She made her operatic debut in 1958 with the Canadian Opera Company in an ac...

Busch, Adolf

(Encyclopedia)Busch, Adolf äˈdôlf bo͝osh [key], 1891–1952, German-Swiss violinist. He studied at the Cologne Conservatory. From 1919 to 1935 he headed outstanding chamber music groups, including the Busch Qua...

Viardot-Garcia, Pauline

(Encyclopedia)Viardot-Garcia, Pauline pōlēnˈ vyärdōˈ-gärsēäˈ [key], 1821–1910, French mezzo-soprano; sister of Maria Malibran; pupil of her father, Manuel García. Following her concert debut in Brussel...