Gennaro Papi (December 21, 1886 – November 29, 1941) was an Italian

operatic Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

conductor Conductor or conduction may refer to: Biology and medicine * Bone conduction, the conduction of sound to the inner ear * Conduction aphasia, a language disorder Mathematics * Conductor (ring theory) * Conductor of an abelian variety * Cond ...

known for his work with the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera is an American opera company based in New York City, currently resident at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center), Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Referred ...

and

Chicago Civic Opera The Civic Opera Company (1922–1931) was a Chicago company that produced seven seasons of grand opera in the Auditorium Theatre from 1922 to 1928, and three seasons at its own Civic Opera House from 1929 to 1931 before falling victim to financia ...

companies. A native of Naples, Papi studied at the conservatory in that city, holding various posts as conductor and choirmaster after his graduation. He came to the

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in 1913, becoming

Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orche ...

's assistant on the conducting staff of the

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. When Toscanini left the Met rather suddenly in 1915, Papi became the house's principal conductor, making his debut in that position on November 16, 1916, with

Giacomo Puccini Giacomo Puccini (22 December 1858 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for List of compositions by Giacomo Puccini#Operas, his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he ...

's ''

Manon Lescaut ''The Story of the Chevalier des Grieux and Manon Lescaut'' ( ) is a novel by Antoine François Prévost. It tells a tragic love story about a nobleman (known only as the Chevalier des Grieux) and a common woman (Manon Lescaut). Their decisio ...

''. He left the Met in 1927 to become the first conductor of the

, but returned to his old post in 1935. Papi had collapsed and was found dead in his apartment just hours before he was to conduct a performance of '' La traviata'' at the Metropolitan on November 29, 1941; the performance, which was broadcast over the radio by

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, marked the company debut of tenor

Jan Peerce Jan Peerce (born Yehoshua Pinkhes Perelmuth; June 3, 1904 December 15, 1984) was an American operatic tenor. Peerce was an accomplished performer on the operatic and Broadway concert stages, in solo recitals, and as a recording artist. He is ...

Ettore Panizza Ettore Panizza (born Héctor Panizza; 12 August 187527 November 1967) was an Argentine conductor and composer, one of the leading conductors of the early 20th century. Panizza possessed technical mastery and was popular and influential during ...

instead conducted. News of Papi's death was intended to be withheld from the company until the performance ended, though the entire cast knew by the end of the first act.

References

*David Ewen, ''Encyclopedia of the Opera: New Enlarged Edition''. New York; Hill and Wang, 1963. *Liner notes of "Lebendige Vergangenheit: Jan Peerce" 1886 births 1941 deaths Italian male conductors (music) Musicians from Naples Italian emigrants to the United States 20th-century Italian conductors (music) 20th-century Italian male musicians {{italy-conductor-stub