Uriel Nespoli

Uriel Nespoli (January 15, 1884 – June 1973) was an Italian conductor born in Naples. A pupil of Leopoldo Mugnone, Nespoli specialized in Italian opera. He was considered a National Treasure to Italy, and in 1931 he was secretly brought to the United States for safety. He first served as music director of the Houston Symphony, which was returning from a 13-year hiatus, having dissolved in 1918 due to World War I and general lack of funding. After conducting concerts in the spring of 1931 and the entirety of the 1931-1932 season, Nespoli was dismissed from his post in Houston. He continued his conducting career in New York City.He was the third conductor to conduct Giacomo Puccini's famed opera La Boheme, and apparently never forgave Puccini of it, as they had known another well as colleagues. Though, he was said to have been in Brazil at the time of it's first performance. Another of his many associations was with operatic soprano, Rosa Ponselle. He directed several future opera singers to her for lessons, at her Villa Pace in Baltimore.

References

• Roussel, Hubert. The Houston Symphony Orchestra 1913-1971. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1972. ISBN 0-292-73000-4.
• Social Security Death Index (United States). Accessed via RootsWeb.com.