Alfredo Antonini

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Alfredo Antonini

Born Alfredo Antonini

May 31, 1901

Milan, Italy

Died November 3, 1983 (aged 82)

Occupation Conductor, Composer, Musical Director

Spouse(s) Sandra

Alfredo Antonini (May 31, 1901 – November 3, 1983) was a leading Italian-American
symphony conductor and composer who was active on the international concert stage as
well as on the CBS radio and television networks from the 1930s through the early
1970s.[1][2][3][4] In 1972 he received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in
Religious Programming on television for his conducting of the premiere of Ezra Laderman's
opera And David Wept for CBS television during 1971.[5][6][7]

Contents
[hide]

 1Biography
 2Compositions
 3Albums
 4Filmography
 5Awards
 6Professional affiliations
 7References
 8External links

Biography[edit]
Maestro Antonini was born in Milan, Italy and pursued his musical studies at the Royal
Conservatory in Milan. He was a student of the legendary Italian conductor Arturo
Toscanini. In addition, he distinguihed himself as both an organist and pianist with La
Scala Orchestra in Milan prior to emigrating to the United States in 1929. .[8]
During the 1940s he distinguished himself as a conductor of several leading orchestras
while performing on the CBS radio network. These included: the CBS Pan American
Orchestra (1940–1949), as part of the cultural diplomacy initiative of the Department of
State and the Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs during World War II, the
Columbia Concert Orchestra (1940–1949) and the CBS Symphony Orchestra.[9][10]
He also conducted live radio broadcasts of the popular program Viva America[1] on
the CBS radio network and La Cadena de las Americas (Network of the Americas) in
collaboration with such noted artists as Nestor Chayres (Mexican tenor aka "El Gitano De
Mexico")[2] Terig Tucci (Argentine composer/arranger), Elsa Miranda (Puerto Rican
vocalist/actress) and John Serry, Sr. (Italian-American concert accordionist).[11][12] He also
appeared with Nestor Chayres (tenor) at the Night of the Americas Concert series
at Carnegie Hall.[13] His performances with the Carnegie Hall Pops Orchestra at Carnegie
Hall were eagerly anticipated by the general public.[14][15] Additional performances in
collaboration with Juan Arvizu ("El Troubador de las Americas") and the CBS Tipica
Orchestra for the Inter-America Music Fiesta at Carnegie Hall attracted widespread
acclaim.[16][17] In 1946 Antonini recorded several popular Latin American songs on the
album Latin American Music for Alpha Records (catalogue #'s 12205A, 12205B, 12206A,
12206B) including: Tres Palabras (Osvaldo Farres), Caminito de Tu Casa (Julio Alberto
Hernandez), Chapinita (Miguel Sandoval) and Noche De Ronda (Augustin Lara).[18][19]Critical
review of the albums in The New Records praised his conducting talents and hailed the
collection as among the best new albums of Latin American music.[20]
Later in the 1940s Antonini collabroated with the vocalist Victoria Cordova and John Serry
Sr. in a series of recordings for Muzak, featuring popular compositions familiar to audiences
in both North and South America. Included among these musical selections were: What a
Difference a Day Made - Maria Grever, You Belong to My Heart - Agustin Lara, Siboney -
Ernesto Lecuona, Amor - Gabriel Ruiz, Edelma Passilo - Terig Tucci, Say It Isn't So - Irving
Berlin, How Deep is the Ocean - Irving Berlin and A Perfect Day - Carrie Jacobs-
Bond [21][22][23][24]
As a musical director at CBS Television during the 1950s, Mr. Antonini was instrumental in
presenting an extensive program of classical and operatic music to the general public. His
collaboration with Julie Andrews, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II in a
production of Cinderella for CBS television was critically acclaimed in 1957 and was
telecast live to an audience of 107 million people.[25] During this decade he also appeared in
concert with such operatic divas as Eileen Farrell (soprano) and Beverly
Sills (soprano).[26] Later in this decade (1957) Mr. Antonini emerged as the musical director
and conductor of the Tampa Philharmonic in Florida.
Maestro Antonini also served as a conductor of the popular open air summer concerts held
at the landmark Lewisohn Stadium in New York City during the 1950s. His appearances
with the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra and the Lewisohn Stadium
Orchestra during the series of Italian Night concerts frequently attracted audiences which
exceeded 13,000 guests. These performances featured arias from the standard Italian
operatic repertoire and showcased such operatic luminaries as: Jan Peerce, Eileen
Farrell, Richard Tucker, Beverly Sills, Licia Albanese [27] and Robert
Merrill [26][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]
During the late 50's and early 60's, Maestro Antonini conducted the CBS Orchestra on
"American Musical Theater". This was a TV show produced by the New York City Board of
Education (as a public service before the advent of the Public Television Network) that
chronicled the evolution of musical theater in America in front of a small audience of high
school students. Guests included Richard Rodgers, John Bubbles and many others. He
also collaborated as a guest conductor with leading instrumental soloists during this period
including Benny Goodman in 1960, for a performance of Mozart's Clarinet Concerto at
Lewisohn Stadium.[38]
In 1962 Antonini's interest in public affairs broadcasting emerged once again in a
collaboration with the First Lady of the United States Jacqueline Kennedy, the
director Franklin J. Schaffner and the journalist Charles Collingwood of CBS News for the
groundbreaking television documentary A Tour of the White House with Mrs. John F.
Kennedy. This documentary television program was enjoyed by over 80 million views
throughout the world and received wide critical acclaim.[39]
In 1964 Antonini appeared as conductor of the CBS Symphony Orchestra in an acclaimed
adaptation of Hector Berlioz's sacred oratorio L'enfance du Christ for CBS Television. His
operatic soloists included: Sherrill Milnes, Giorgio Tozzi, Ara Berberian and Charles
Anthony as supported by the choral voices of the Camerata Singers. At this time he also
collaborated as conductor for a televised episode of The CBS Repertoire Workshop - "Feliz
Borinquen", which showcased the talents of such leading Puerto Rican performers
as: Martina Arroyo and Raul Davila [40][41][42]
In addition to performing as a conductor on WOR radio in New York City during the 1940s,
he appeared as a guest conductor for leading symphonic orchestras
in Chicago, IL, Milwaukee, WI, Oslo, Norway, and Chile during the 1950s. During this time
he also founded the Tampa Philharmonic Orchestra in Tampa, Florida, which eventually
merged into the Florida Gulf Coast Symphony.[43] In the 1960s Maestro Antonini also
appeared as a guest conductor with the New York Philharmonic at Philharmonic Hall during
a grand opera benefit concert which featured the artistry of Jan Peerce and Robert
Merrill.[44] Throughout the 1960s he continued to collaborate with such operatic luminaries
as Jan Peerce (tenor), Robert Merrill (baritone)and Franco Corelli (tenor) in a variety of
gala concerts.[44][45] He also performed with Roberta Peters at the Lewisohn Stadium at City
College for an audience of thousands.[46]
In 1971, Antonini excelled once again as Musical Director on the CBS Television premier
of Ezra Laderman's opera And David Wept, earning an Emmy Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Religious Programming (1972). He collaborated in this premier production
with such operatic luminaries as Sherrill Milnes, Rosalind Elias and Ara Berberian. Several
years later in 1975 he joined forces once again with Berberian and the mezzo-
soprano Elaine Bonazzi for the CBS Television movie, A Handful of Souls. [6][47][41][48]
Antonini's collaborations at CBS Television extended beyond the realm of opera to include
prominent figures from several professions including: Philanthropy - (John D. Rockefeller
III),[49]) Government - (Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis)[50] Journalism - (Charles
Collingwood,[51][49] Walter Cronkite,[52][53][54] Daniel Shorr)[53][55] Art - (Henry Moore,[49] Kenneth
Clark)[49] Dance - (Mary Hinkson) [56] Drama -(John Alexander,[57] Julie Andrews,[58] Ingrid
Bergman,[59] Betty Comden,[60] Henry Fonda, [61] Jackie Gleason,[62] Steven Hill,[63] Ron
Holgate,[64] Celeste Holm,[65] Richard Kiley,[66] Howard Lindsay,[67] Michael Redgrave) [68] and
the Concert Stage - (Charles Anthony,[69] John Browning).[70]
Maestro Antonini's musical legacy has been preserved on a variety of LP recordings which
reflect his interest in symphonic compositions, popular music from Latin-America and grand
opera. He has recorded for Coral Records, Columbia Masterworks and SESAC Records.