Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886) was an Italian opera composer and teacher, active in the generation between Verdi and Puccini. Born near Cremona, he studied at the Milan Conservatory and later taught there.

His best-known opera is La Gioconda, whose Dance of the Hours became famous far beyond the opera house. He also wrote other operas, band music and sacred works.

Ponchielli’s music is theatrical, melodious and strongly coloured, with a gift for large scenes and memorable set pieces. His style points toward later Italian opera while retaining mid-nineteenth-century grandeur.

As a teacher, he influenced composers including Puccini and Mascagni. Ponchielli’s reputation rests mainly on La Gioconda, but that work casts a long and glittering shadow.