Italian Conductor Alberto Zedda died in Pesaro, at the age of 89. Zedda, who was artistic director of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova and the Rossini Opera Festival, was born in Milan in 1928. He studied with Antonino Votto and Carlo Maria Giulini. In 1957 he won the international RAI conductors competition, which enabled him to start a long career on the podium of the most prestigious Italian theatres. He has served as director of Italian repertory at The New York City Opera. He had also taught music history at the University of Urbino.
Zedda was among the founders of the Rossini Festival and editor of many critical editions of Rossini’s operas.
He was still an active conductor and was scheduled to conduct Cinderella on 28 February at the Teatro Rossini, but the after-effects of surgery had prevented him from getting on the podium (he was replaced by Manlio Benzi). The same problems let finally to his death.
