Fernando Previtali, born on February 16, 1907 in Adria, Italy, was an Italian conductor and composer. He studied at Turin with Franco Alfano and began his career as an assistant to Vittorio Gui in Florence from 1928 to 1935. Previtali then directed in Genoa from 1935 to 1936 before becoming a consultant for the Italian radio (RAI) from 1936 to 1953, where he organized the Giuseppe Verdi cycle in 1951. He led the Orchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia from 1953 to 1973 and served as artistic director of the Teatro Regio (Turin) starting in 1971. Notable works conducted by Previtali include Re Hassan (1939), Le Baccanti (1948) by Giorgio Federico Ghedini, and Vole di Notte (1940) by Luigi Dallapiccola. He also composed several pieces, including the ballet Hallucinations, Élégie et fugue pour orchestre, and various chamber works. Previtali passed away on August 1, 1985 in Rome.
