Ettore Mazzoleni

Ettore Mazzoleni (Brusio, Switzerland, 18 June 1905 – Toronto, 1 June 1968) was a conductor and teacher of Swiss-Italian descent who spent much of his career in Canada. He is significant for establishing the opera school that gave rise to the future Canadian Opera Company.

He trained in England, at Oxford and at the Royal College of Music. In 1929 he moved to Toronto to work as a secondary school teacher, but he was soon drawn into the city's musical life. He became conductor of the conservatory orchestra, taught music history and wrote programme notes for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His reputation grew until he was in demand as a guest conductor, and in 1943–1944 he served as associate conductor of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

In 1945 he took charge of the Toronto Conservatory, a post he held until his death. Under his leadership the opera school assumed a central role, which led to the creation of the Opera Festival Company, the forerunner of the Canadian Opera Company. He gave the North American premieres of Arthur Benjamin's A Tale of Two Cities and Willan's Transit through Fire and Deirdre. Among his pupils were George Hurst and Victor Feldbrill.