Stefanos Valtetsiotis (1876-1975)

Born on the island of Syros, Valtetsiotis studied composition in the Royal Conservatoire in Milan, where he also served as conductor in its Great Lyric Theatre. In 1905, he was awarded the Silver Prize by the Philharmonic Academy of Palermo.

Valtetsiotis returned to Greece, where he conducted visiting melodrama companies from Italy. In 1911, he undertook the revival of the Greek Melodrama, which he conducted from 1912 to 1939 (when the Royal National Opera was founded). He was professor at the Athens Conservatoire and was in charge of the Hellenic Conservatoire’s opera studies. He also taught at the Piraeus Conservatoire, and served on the Board of Directors of the National Conservatoire, as well as the Board of the Ministry of Education, pertaining to the appointment of music educators.

Valtetsiotis was honoured by the Greek Academy for his contributions to Greek music (1952). He composed several symphonic works, operettas, incidental music for Oedipus Rex, songs for voice and orchestra, many transcriptions, and chamber music.