Impresarios

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person responsible for organizing and managing theatrical performances or events
2. one who takes charge of promoting shows by securing venues and artists
3. an individual who coordinates the business side of performances, ensuring successful productions and audience engagement

Etymology: The Italian word "impresario" began as a plain verb: "imprendere" meant "to undertake", built from Latin "in-" and "prehendere", "to seize" or "to grasp", the same root that gives English "prehensile". An "impresa" was therefore an undertaking, a project taken on, and an "impresario" was the person who took such projects in hand. Italian added the suffix "-ario", which turns a noun or verb-root into a person who does or manages something, so the word named a manager long before it was applied to the stage. English borrowed the term from Italian, where it had its theatrical sense of a manager of opera companies and performers. The plural "impresarios" simply follows the usual English pattern for words ending in "-o" that take an "s". Its spread into English reflects how closely Italian opera was tied to the careers of the singers and managers who staged it.

Synonyms: promoters, producers, managers, organizers, directors