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Auguste Vianesi Suggest updates

Auguste-Charles-Leonard-François Vianesi

Born Livorno, 2 Nov 1837.

Died New York, 4 Nov 1908.

Italian, later French, conductor and composer.

Auguste Vianesi was one of the most noted opera conductors of the day, and achieved perhaps the climax of his career in conducting the opening performance of Faust at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1883.

He studied under his father Giuseppe in Livorno before moving to Paris in 1857. The famous soprano Giuditta Pasta, creator of Amina and Norma among other roles, had given him a letter of introduction to Rossini.

A major international career followed, with appearances in many of the important operatic centres. These included Moscow (1863-4) and St Petersburg (1867-9); Paris (Théâtre Lyrique 1873, Opéra 1887-91); New York Metropolitan (1883-4 and 1891-2) and New Orleans (1899-1900).

In London he appeared at Drury Lane (1858-9) and Covent Garden (1870-80). It was during his time with the Italian Opera at Covent Garden that he toured widely in Britain. He conducted the first London performances of Lohengrin (1875), Tannhäuser (1876), Il Guarany (Gomes 1872), Le Roi de Lahore (Massenet 1879), and other works, as well as the standard  French and Italian repertory. 

He taught singing in New York from 1892 onwards.