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Synonyms

impresario

American  
[im-pruh-sahr-ee-oh, -sair-] / ˌɪm prəˈsɑr iˌoʊ, -ˈsɛər- /

noun

impresarios plural
  1. a person who organizes or manages public entertainments, especially operas, ballets, or concerts.

  2. any manager, director, or the like.


impresario British  
/ ˌɪmprəˈsɑːrɪˌəʊ /

noun

  1. a producer or sponsor of public entertainments, esp musical or theatrical ones

  2. the director or manager of an opera, ballet, or other performing company

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

impresario Cultural  
  1. A sponsor or producer of entertainment, especially someone who works with opera or ballet companies or performers of classical music.


Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

Etymology

Origin of impresario

1740–50; < Italian, equivalent to impres ( a ) impresa + -ario -ary

Explanation

An impresario is a promoter: someone who books, promotes, and organizes shows such as concerts. Impresario comes from an Italian word for a businessperson, and in English it especially refers to someone in the promotion business. In the music business, Bill Graham was a famous impresario who arranged concerts for huge bands such as The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd. An impresario signs a band — or other entertainment — and makes a deal with the venue. Impresarios then arrange advertising and promotion to alert fans and arrange for tickets to be sold. Impresarios make shows happen.

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Vocabulary lists containing impresario

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A jury found Ye, the controversial music impresario formerly known as Kanye West, liable in the legal dispute brought by his former contractor and ordered him to pay $140,000.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Music impresario Irving Azoff, who booked acts like the Eagles into the Forum, called her “the pioneer of the arena music show,” whose respect for music in buildings built for sports rippled across the industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

In real life he’s an Australian impresario who, surprise, plays the trumpet.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 14, 2025

For 10 long, intimidating seconds, the pair played piano and sang for the impresario.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 14, 2025

“I have taken the liberty of informing the impresario that you acquired your astounding musical facility in one night through conversation with the Devil at a crossroads.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

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