Editing Arturo Toscanini (section)

===Early years===
Toscanini was born in [[Parma]], Emilia-Romagna, His father was a tailor. He won a scholarship to the [[Parma Conservatory]], where he studied the cello. Living conditions at the conservatory were harsh and strict. For example, the menu at the conservatory consisted almost entirely of fish; in his later years, Toscanini steadfastly refused to eat anything that came from the sea.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

He joined the orchestra of an opera company organized by Claudio Rossi, with which he toured Brazil in 1886. After performing in São Paulo, the locally hired conductor, [[Leopoldo Miguez]] relinquished the post a few hours before the performance of ''[[Aida]]'' in [[Rio de Janeiro]] on June 25, telling the newspapers that his decision had been caused by the behavior of the orchestra. His substitute, Carlo Superti, was heavily contested by the public, failing even to give the attack to the orchestra. 
In desperation, the singers suggested the name of their assistant chorusmaster, who knew the whole opera from memory. Although he had no conducting experience, Toscanini was eventually persuaded by the musicians to take up the baton at 9:15&nbsp;pm, and led a performance of the two-and-a-half hour opera, completely from memory. <ref>''Jornal do Commercio'', 5th July 1886 p.1: [http://memoria.bn.br/DocReader/docreader.aspx?bib=364568_07&pasta=ano%20188&pesq=&pagfis=15636 '' Microcosmo. Theatro Imperial.'']</ref>

The public was taken by surprise, at first by the youth, charisma and sheer intensity of this unknown conductor, then by his solid musicianship. The result was astounding acclaim. For the rest of that season, Toscanini conducted 18 operas, each one an absolute success. Thus began his career as a conductor, at age 19.<ref>{{cite book | last=Tarozzi | first=Giuseppe | title=Non muore la musica – La vita e l'opera di Arturo Toscanini |page=36 | publisher=SUGARco Edizioni | year=1977 }}</ref>

[[File:Arturo Toscanini 1908.png|thumb|Toscanini in 1908]]
Upon returning to Italy, Toscanini set out on a dual path. He continued to conduct, his first appearance in Italy being at the [[Teatro Carignano]] in [[Turin]], on November&nbsp;4, 1886,<ref>Mortimer H. Frank, ''Arturo Toscanini: The NBC Years'', p. 149</ref> in the world premiere of the revised version of [[Alfredo Catalani]]'s ''Edmea'' (it had had its premiere in its original form at [[La Scala]], Milan, on February 27, of that year). This was the beginning of Toscanini's lifelong friendship and championing of Catalani; he even named his first daughter Wally after the heroine of Catalani's opera ''[[La Wally]]''.<ref>David Mason Greene, ''Greene's Biographical Encyclopedia of Composers'', p. 819</ref> He also returned to his chair in the cello section, and participated as cellist in the world premiere of [[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]]'s ''[[Otello]]'' (La Scala, Milan, 1887) under the composer's supervision. Verdi, who habitually complained that conductors never seemed interested in directing his scores the way he had written them, was impressed by reports from [[Arrigo Boito]] about Toscanini's ability to interpret his scores. The composer was also impressed when Toscanini consulted him personally about Verdi's ''Te Deum'', suggesting an ''[[allargando]]'' where it was not set out in the score. Verdi said that he had left it out for fear that "certain interpreters would have exaggerated the marking".<ref>{{cite book | last=Conati | first=Marcello | page=303 | title=Encounters with Verdi | publisher=Cornell University Press | year=1986 | isbn=0-8014-9430-3|display-authors=etal}}</ref><ref>Verdi, however, was quick to criticise Toscanini when appropriate, as in a rehearsal of ''[[Otello]]'' where he was unhappy with the playing of the solo for four muted cellos that ushers in the final duet of the first act of ''Otello'': "Gia nella notte densa". cf. Conati et al., p. 304</ref>