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Boito, Arrigo

(Encyclopedia)Boito, Arrigo ärrēˈgo bôˈētō [key], 1842–1918, Italian composer and librettist. His opera Mefistofele (1868, rev. 1875), influenced by Wagner's music-drama, helped to bring about a new dramat...

Salvemini, Gaetano

(Encyclopedia)Salvemini, Gaetano gäātäˈnō sälvāmēˈnē [key], 1873–1957, Italian historian. He taught at the universities of Messina, Pisa, and Florence and also served (1919–21) in parliament. After be...

Guicciardini, Francesco

(Encyclopedia)Guicciardini, Francesco fränchāsˈkō gwēt-chärdēˈnē [key], 1483–1540, Italian historian and statesman. He represented (1512–14) his native Florence at the court of Spain, held offices in t...

Renzi, Matteo

(Encyclopedia)Renzi, Matteo, 1975–, Italian political leader. Renzi was a member of the Italian People's party, which merged (2002) with other parties to form Democracy Is Freedom—The Daisy, which then merged (...

Umberto

(Encyclopedia)Umberto. For Italian kings so named, use Humbert.

Cuoco, Vincenzo

(Encyclopedia)Cuoco, Vincenzo vēnchānˈtsō ko͞o-ôˈkō [key], 1770–1823, Italian political philosopher. A lawyer, he was exiled (1799) from Naples for his part in establishing the Parthenopean Republic. In t...

Cialdini, Enrico

(Encyclopedia)Cialdini, Enrico ănrēˈkō chäldēˈnē [key], 1811–92, Italian general and diplomat. During the wars leading to Italian unification he fought in Sardinian service in the campaigns of 1848–49 a...

Guido of Siena

(Encyclopedia)Guido of Siena sēĕnˈə [key], fl. 13th cent., Italian painter. All that is known of him is an inscription on a large and almost completely repainted Virgin and Child Enthroned, formerly in San Dome...

Taglioni, Maria

(Encyclopedia)Taglioni, Maria, 1804–84, Italian ballerina, b. Stockholm. Taglioni is considered the first and foremost ballerina of the romantic period. She made her debut in Vienna in 1822 in a ballet created fo...

Piccinni, Niccolò

(Encyclopedia)Piccinni or Piccini, Niccolò both: nēk–kōlôˈ pēchēnˈnē, pēchēˈnē [key], 1728–1800, Italian composer of more than 100 operas. His early works were very successful in Italy, and La buon...