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Pizzetti, Ildebrando

(Encyclopedia)Pizzetti, Ildebrando ēldābränˈdō pēt-tsĕtˈtē [key], 1880–1968, Italian opera composer, chiefly concerned with dramatic projection. Among his 23 operas are Fedra (Milan, 1915; libretto by D'...

Sacchini, Antonio Maria Gasparo

(Encyclopedia)Sacchini, Antonio Maria Gasparo äntôˈnyō märēˈä gäˈspärō säk-kēˈnē [key], 1730–86, Italian operatic composer of the Neapolitan school. His best work, Oedipe à Colone (1786) was in t...

Mahler, Gustav

(Encyclopedia)Mahler, Gustav go͝osˈtäf mäˈlər [key], 1860–1911, composer and conductor, born in Austrian Bohemia of Jewish parentage. Mahler studied at the Univ. of Vienna and the Vienna Conservatory. He wa...

Sendak, Maurice Bernard

(Encyclopedia)Sendak, Maurice Bernard, 1928–2012, American writer and illustrator of children's books, b. Brooklyn, N.Y. Largely self-taught, he was widely acclaimed as the 20th-century's most important childrens...

Chéret, Jules

(Encyclopedia)Chéret, Jules zhül shārāˈ [key], 1836–1932, French painter and draftsman, originator of the modern poster. His colorful, sophisticated designs for the theater and opera influenced Toulouse-Laut...

Humperdinck, Engelbert

(Encyclopedia)Humperdinck, Engelbert hŭmˈpərdĭngk, Ger. ĕngˈəlbĕrt ho͝omˈpərdĭngk [key], 1854–1921, German composer and teacher. He is known chiefly for his first opera, Hänsel und Gretel (1893), suc...

Kabalevsky, Dmitri

(Encyclopedia)Kabalevsky, Dmitri dəmēˈtrē käˌbəlĕfˈskē [key], 1904–87, Soviet composer. His large output includes the opera Colas Breugnon (1938); The Commedians suite (1940); a Requiem (1963); concerto...

Murger, Henry

(Encyclopedia)Murger, Henry äNrēˈ mürzhĕrˈ [key], 1822–61, French poet and novelist. His Scènes de la vie de Bohème (1845–49; tr., 1905, 1930), like many of his works, is a romantic and sentimental acco...

Leclair, Jean-Marie

(Encyclopedia)Leclair, Jean-Marie zhäN-märēˈ ləklĕr [key], 1697–1764, French violinist and composer. Leclair studied in Italy, and his music was strongly influenced by Italian models, especially Vivaldi, al...

Robert the Devil

(Encyclopedia)Robert the Devil, hero of a medieval legend. He was sold to the devil by his mother before his birth but upon discovering the fact did penance and was able to purify himself of his many sins. The tale...