Visconti (di Modrone), Count Luchino

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Visconti (di Modrone), Count Luchino

Visconti (di Modrone), Count Luchino, prominent Italian film, theater, and opera director; b. Milan, Nov. 2, 1906; d. Rome, March 17, 1976. After World War II, he assumed a leading position among film directors, producing films notable for their realism. In 1954 he enlarged the scope of his work to include opera, his first production being Spontini’s Le vestaleat Milan’s La Scala with Maria Callas; his first production outside his homeland was Don Carlosat London’s Covent Garden in 1958; that same year, his Macbethopened the Spoleto Festival, where he maintained a close association in subsequent seasons. His opera productions were impressive, particularly for his ability to complement the dramatic qualities of the music with the action on stage to effect a total theatrical experience.

Bibliography

M. Esteve, ed., L. V.: L’Histoire et l’esthétique (Paris, 1963); G. Smith, L V. (London, 1967).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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