The Italian Job

Giuseppe Verdi happened to be the right man at the right time, writing Italian grand-opera and other music in the risorgimento period of the mid-19th century as Italy sought to become a unified nation state. His catchy tunes on themes such as the liberation of Biblical slaves caught the public ear, and his surname VERDI was even daubed as a graffito in public places, because it was a nifty acronym (in Italian!) for ...

If a piece of music ~ a salon miniature, perhaps ~ is marked Andantino Comodo, how should it be played?

Which very successful operatic composer once met Beethoven (communicating with this other, deaf composer, entirely on paper); was accused of having a machine to churn out his overtures; and, as a gourmet, had a number of dishes named in his honour?

Who is the odd one out here?

One of the most famous Italian Baroque composers was Tomaso Albinoni. Outside the ranks of his later devotees, he is probably best known for a piece of which he only sketched the first six bars, and the rest of it was reconstructed on that basis by Remo Giazotto. It is usually, and perhaps thus to some extent falsely, known as 'Albinoni's ... (?)

In interesting ways a Southern European analogue for his close Anglo-German contemporary, Handel, this musician, known as the Red Priest, wrote many works ~ including a Gloria and a famous set of violin concertos ~ for a Venetian girls' orphanage (somewhat akin to London's Foundling Hospital, which benefited from Handel's Messiah). Bach, too, was attracted by this composer's sparkling and sensitive string writing, to the extent of making several complete keyboard transcriptions from his works.
Who was this composer?

Another 'serendipitous' Question!
This (Italian) composer, chiefly known for a string of romantic operas, would be found not very far away from the Frenchman, Francis Poulenc in the alphabetical listings ~ by composer ~ in a CD shop or publisher's catalogue. Like Poulenc, he survived a serious car accident (in this case, in 1903) and went on to write further excellent music, including Madama Butterfly and a later 'tripych' of works including possibly his most famous arietta of all, O mio babbino caro.
Who was he?

Various composers (and others) who visited Italy have had their imaginations caught by the saltarello which they then included in their later works or musical reminiscences. What is the saltarello?

This Italian-born conductor was an active and successful setter of standards during the first two generations which grew up with recording and broadcasting, and all the technical and performance developments and opportunities that went with these processes. His three children, perhaps in strikingly un-Italian fashion, were called Walter, Wally and Wanda.
Who was he?

Gian Carlo Menotti is remembered ~ certainly by those who have ever re-performed or seen it ~ for a children's Christmas opera which he wrote for television: the first ever created specifically for the medium, and broadcast on NBC in 1951, under the baton of the same conductor we met in Q.9 (above).
What is the title of the opera?