Merola, Gaetano

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Merola, Gaetano

Merola, Gaetano, Italian-American conductor and opera manager; b. Naples, Jan. 4, 1881; d. while conducting a performance of the San Francisco Sym. Orch. at Sigmund Stern Grove in San Francisco, Aug. 30, 1953. He studied at the Naples Cons. He went to the U.S. in 1899, and was appointed asst. conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in N.Y.; also conducted the Henry Savage English Opera in N.Y. (1903) and at the Manhattan Opera. Merola subsequently became music director and manager of the San Francisco Opera in 1923, where he remained until his death. He also conducted opera in Los Angeles (1924–32).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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