Santi, Nello (1931– )

Italian conductor. He studied in Padua, where he made his debut in 1951, with Verdi's Rigoletto. He has conducted at the Zurich Opera from 1960 (as principal 1985–96), and at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, from 1962 when he made his debut with Verdi's Un ballo in maschera/A Masked Ball); he has made regular appearances at the Metropolitan Opera House from 1976. In 1960 he made his London debut at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, with La traviata, returning in 1983 for Puccini's La Fanciulla del West/The Girl of the Golden West. He conducted London's first ‘arena’ opera (Aïda, 1988), but is more accustomed to Verona, where he has lead Puccini's Tosca and Verdi's Il trovatore/The Troubadore and Aïda.