Van Westerhout, Nicola

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Van Westerhout, Nicola

Van Westerhout, Nicola, Italian pianist and composer of Dutch descent; b. Mola di Bari, Dec. 17, 1857; d. Naples, Aug. 21,1898. He was a pupil of Nicola d’Arienzo, De Giosa, and Lauro Rossi at the Naples Cons, and of Antonio Tari at the Univ. of Naples, then pursued a fine career as a pianist. He taught harmony at the Naples Cons. (1897-98).

Works

dramatic: Opera: Una notte a Venezia (rev. as Cimbelino,Rome, April 7,1892); Fortunio (Milan, May 16, 1895); Dona Flor (Mola di Bari, April 18,1896, on the opening of the Teatro Van Westerhout, named after him); Colomba (Naples, March 27, 1923); Tilde (not perf.). ORCH.: 3 syms., No. 3 unfinished; Serenata; Overtureto Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar;Violin Concerto. OTHER: Chamber music; many piano pieces of considerable merit; songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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