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8.

What was the nature of Respighi’s relationship with the fascist government of Benito Mussolini?

In a word, difficult. Most biographies indicate that Respighi maintained an uneasy relationship with Mussolini, and offer evidence indicating Respighi’s staunch support for conductors such as Arturo Toscanini, who was violently anti-fascist.  On the other hand, reports also indicate that Respighi was an early supporter of Mussolini in the 1920s.  It should be noted that many people in Europe and the United States were initially supporters and admirers of Mussolini, including Winston Churchill.