January 16, 1956
DEATH OF TOSCANINI: New York, 16 – The famous Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini died in his sleep at his home here today at the age of 89. The announcement of his death saddened all of Italy, according to telegrams from Rome. Newspapers stopped the presses to include an announcement of his death. Toscanini was seen as a national hero in Italy. The director of the Rome Opera, Constantino Parisi, said: «The news devastated me. Although Toscanini was very old, it still seems unbelievable to me that he has died. We have lost a genius.» At La Scala in Milan, maestro Guido Sanpaoli said that Toscanini’s death would shake Italy and the world. The conductor’s funeral will take place at the Campbell Funeral Parlor on Madison Avenue, New York, according to an announcement by his family. Toscanini was recognized as one of the greatest conductors of all time. For over 50 years, he held a prominent position in the world of music. He was gifted with excellent powers of concentration and a brilliant memory. He never used a music score when conducting and it is said that he had memorized the scores of hundreds of operas, symphonies and other works.
