Arturo Toscanini
Arturo Toscanini, (1867-1957). Italian conductor. Toscanini made his debut in Rio de Janeiro in 1886 when he was unexpectedly called upon to conduct the opera Aida. After conducting at the La Scala opera house in Milan, he became conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in New York (1908), the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (1928), and the NBC Symphony Orchestra (1937-54). He conducted entirely from memory and was famous for his great energy and perfectionism. Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de (1864-1901). French artist of noble descent, Lautrec broke both legs as a child, an accident that left him crippled and dwarfed. He achieved recognition with his exhibitions of paintings and posters in the early 1890s. His work is characterized by large areas of colour and the simple but striking portrayal of figures. He usually depicted characters and scenes from cafes, dance-halls, brothels, and the circus. Lautrec’s alcoholism seriously affected his health and eventually killed him.
