Nello Santi was associated with the Zurich Opera House for six decades, and was a regular conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.
15 Facts About Nello Santi
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Nello Santi was focused on Italian repertoire, especially operas by Verdi and Puccini, in a style following the tradition of Toscanini.
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Nello Santi made sound and video recordings of Italian operas, including in 1971 Leoncavallo's Pagliacci with Placido Domingo, Montserrat Caballe and Sherrill Milnes, in 1976 Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re with Anna Moffo, Domingo and Pablo Elvira, in 2000 Verdi's I due Foscari, and in 2006 Donizetti's Don Pasquale in a Zurich production.
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Nello Santi was born on 22 September 1931 in Adria, Kingdom of Italy, to Giovanni and Alfonsina Nello Santi.
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Nello Santi's mother took him to an open-air performance of Verdi's Rigoletto at age four, which made a lasting impression.
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Nello Santi learned to play several instruments as a child, and studied them further at the Liceo musicale of Padua.
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Nello Santi was appointed music director of the Zurich Opera House in 1958, where he had first conducted Verdi's La forza del destino, sung in German.
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Nello Santi remained until 1969, and returned to conduct for decades, including rarities such as Verdi's Ernani, I Lombardi and I due Foscari, Rossini's Semiramide, Bellini's Il pirata and Donizetti's Poliuto.
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Nello Santi had a contract with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1962 when he made his debut with Verdi's Un ballo in maschera.
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Nello Santi conducted at many more opera houses all over the world including the Verona Arena.
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Nello Santi followed the tradition of Arturo Toscanini, to stay close to the score, accompanying the singers without overpowering them, but restraining "excessive liberties" in embellishments and drawn out notes.
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Nello Santi was able to sing "any Italian opera vocal role from memory while conducting".
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Nello Santi retired to Riehen, but still occasionally gave much-appreciated concerts in Basel and Zurich.
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Nello Santi was often called "Papa Santi" by his fellow musicians to show their high respect for his work.
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Nello Santi died in Zurich on 6 February 2020 at the age of 88 while undergoing treatment for a blood infection.