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Item# B1605
B1605. Luigi Arditi. My Reminiscences. London, Skeffington and Son, 1896, Original Edition. 351pp. Numerous Photos. Excellent contents; sales sticker inside front cover, rubbed boards & sl.cracked spine.
"These 'Reminiscences' of Signor Arditi, edited by the Baroness von Zedlitz, are exactly what we might expect. The book overflows with trivialities. But it has one note- worthy merit—its unfailing good nature. Signor Arditi rarely relates an unpleasant story, even of a rival conductor. He is alive to the great merits of Wagner, and while upholding the claims of Italian opera, shows at least an appreciation of German music. But the book is the merest chit-chat, which may pleasantly while away an idle hour, especially for those with operatic memories of Grisi and Mario, Patti and Nilsson. Judging by the letters of Madame Arditi, an American lady with much of her countrywomen's sharpness of observation, it might have been as well if she had undertaken to write her husband's ' Life'. We might then have got an altogether better book ; for notwithstanding the immense number of published reminiscences of this kind, few really faithful pictures of stage life, as seen by an intelligent and acute observer, are to be met with."
- THE SPECTATOR, 5 December 1896
"Luigi Arditi (16 July 1822 – 1 May 1903) was an Italian violinist, composer and conductor.
Arditi was born in Crescentino, Piemonte (Italy). He began his musical career as a violinist, and studied music at the Conservatory of Milan. He made his début in 1843 as a director at Vercelli, and it was there that he was made an honorary member of the Philharmonic Academy. Arditi conducted opera throughout Italy and in 1846 found himself conducting as far afield as Havana, Cuba. (This was where he first met Bottesini). He visited America, where he remained for a while, conducting operas in New York, Philadelphia and other cities until 1856. Then, following a visit to Constantinople, he decided to settle in London, but made several trips again to America with the Royal Italian Opera Company. He also conducted in Germany, and in other major European cities such as St. Petersburg, Vienna and Madrid. After 1885, he was in England, conducting at Covent Garden and in various prestigious theatres and promenade concerts in London's parks. He died at Hove, near Brighton (England), and is buried in Hove Cemetery. Arditi's best-known operas are: I BRIGANTI, II CORSARO, and LA SPIA, ('The Spy'). In addition, he wrote numerous songs and vocal waltzes, the most popular of which are 'Il Bacio', 'Le Tortorelle', 'Se Saran Rose' and 'Parla'."