Amilcare Ponchielli (1834-1886) was an Italian composer, largely of operas. His best known opera is La Gioconda first produced in 1876 and revised several times. The version that has become so popular today was first given in 1880. The only one of his operas regularly performed today is La Gioconda. It contains the ballet music "The Dance of the Hours", known even to the non-musical from its use in Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940).

More information for this classical composer and his music can be found at Wikipedia... Amilcare Ponchielli