The Resume

(March 25, 1867-January 16, 1957)
Specialized in Italian opera
Conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the La Scala Theater Orchestra, the Bayreuth Festival Orchestra
Recorded ‘Otello,’ ‘Falstaff,’ ‘La Boheme,’ Verdi’s ‘Requiem,’ and the nine Beethoven symphonies

Why he might be annoying:

As a young man, he ran for office on the Fascist ticket.
He had a horrible temper.
He was known for throwing heavy musical scores into the orchestra when they played badly.
He was once taken to court for hitting a violinist who played a wrong note.
He would sing along with his orchestra without even realizing it.
He was a womanizer.
One of his mistresses used to send him handkerchiefs stained with her menstrual blood.

Why he might not be annoying:

At 19, he jumped up and conducted a performance of ‘Aïda’ after the conductor was booed off the stage.
He had a photographic memory, and remembered every note of every instrument in the orchestra.
He gave his American musicians the day off on the Fourth of July.
He conducted the world premieres of several famous Puccini operas.
He was considered the finest conductor of his day.
He quickly gave up Fascism, and eventually left Europe altogether to protest it.

Credit: Wieland Kalligaro

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire'
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [March] (Ranked: 3251867)
• Ed Sullivan Show Guests
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (Ranked: 1987)
• I am an Adulterer
• I am on a U.S. Postage Stamp [R-T]
• I Died in 1957 (Ranked: 89)
• I Have a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame[R-T]
• I Rode the Orient Express
• Look at Me, I'm Wearing a Beret
• Mustaches
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1977)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1996)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2008)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1998)
• My Song was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2007)
• Opera Singers and Composers
• Profiles 13751-14000 (Ranked: 13893)
• Short Fuses
• Sixty-Nine
• Top 100 Old Time Radio Moments of the 20th Century (Ranked: 28)
• Wieland Kalligaro's Profiles [Series 5]

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 17 Votes: 5.88% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 68 Votes: 42.65% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 20 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 35 Votes: 65.71% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 39 Votes: 64.10% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 24 Votes: 54.17% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 27 Votes: 62.96% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 42 Votes: 59.52% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 34 Votes: 58.82% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 90 Votes: 58.89% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 99 Votes: 62.63% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 157 Votes: 57.96% Annoying