Regarded the most important Italian opera composer before Puccini, Alfredo Catalani enjoyed a great respect and admiration of Boito and Toscanini. However, Catalani was totally dismissed by Verdi, Puccini and the most influential Italian publisher, Ricordi. Even though Catalani was generally considered old-fashioned, his operas were among the most significant achievement before the verismo school. Catalani was professor at the Milan Conservatory from 1886.