in June 1907. On his deathbed he received from the Empress Marie Feodorovna of Russia the Red Cross commemoration medal for his services during the Russo-Japanese war. Ardagh died on 30 Sept. 1907 at Glynllivon Park, Carnarvon, and was buried at Broomfield Church, near Taunton. He married on 18 Feb. 1896 Susan, widow of the third earl of Malmesbury and daughter of John Hamilton of Fyne Court House, Somerset, who survived him without issue.
Ardagh served on the council of the Royal Geographical Society, was an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and was a member of the Royal Society's geodetic arc committee in 1900. He was made hon. LL.D. of Trinity College, Dublin, in 1897. He wrote in the 'Quarterly Review' (October 1894) on British rule in Egypt, and contributed occasionally to other periodicals. He was a skilful artist. A collection of 140 water-colour drawings by him was presented by his widow to the Royal Engineers Institute at Chatham.
His portrait, painted in oils by Miss Merrick in 1896, and exhibited at the Royal Academy that year, was presented by his widow to the officers of the royal engineers, and now hangs in their mess room at Chatham. A replica is in Lady Malmesbury's possession.
[War Office Records; The Times, 2 Oct. 1907; Royal Engineers Journal, Nov. 1907; Life, by Susan, Countess of Malmesbury, 1909.]
ARDITI, LUIGI (1822–1903), musical conductor and composer, born at Crescentino, in Piedmont, on 16 July 1822, was son of Maurizio Arditi by his wife Caterina Colombo. He was educated as a violinist at the Milan conservatoire, showing also some talent for composition. In 1840 an overture of his was produced in Milan, and during the carnival of the following year a light opera, 'I Briganti.' He made his first appearance as an operatic conductor at Vercelli in 1843, and became an honorary member of the Accademia Filarmonica there. From 1846 he frequently visited America, where he produced and conducted operas; he brought out his 'La Spia' at New York in 1856. The same year he toured through eastern Europe to Constantinople, and in 1858 settled in London as conductor to the opera at Her Majesty's theatre, retaining this appointment through the management of Lumley, E. T. Smith, and Mapleson until the destruction of the theatre by fire in 1867. Upon the resignation of Costa from Covent Garden, Arditi was engaged there for the single season of 1869. In the winters of 1871 and 1873 he conducted the Italian opera at St. Petersburg, and from 1870 onwards for several years did similar work every spring at Vienna. From 1874-7 he conducted the promenade concerts at Covent Garden, and in 1878 visited Madrid for a two months' season. Arditi was the favourite conductor of Madame Adelina Patti, and between 1882 and 1887 he went on operatic tours to America and through the United Kingdom with Mapleson's company, of which she was a leading member. He conducted the first performances of the following notable works amongst others : Gounod's 'Faust' (Her Majesty's, 11 June 1863); Wagner's 'Flying Dutchman' (Drary Lane, July 1870); Mascagni's 'Cavalleria Rusticana' (Shaftesbury, 19 Oct. 1891); and Humperdinck's 'Hansel and Gretel ' (Daly's, Dec. 1894). He retired shortly after 1894, and died at Hove on 1 May 1903. He married on 20 June 1856 Virginia, daughter of William S. Warwick, of Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A., and had issue one son and one daughter.
Arditi's vocal waltz, 'II Bacio' (1860), has long been a favourite with vocalists; other songs of similar character and merit, such as 'L'Ardita' (1862), enjoyed a temporary vogue. In later life he wrote nothing of value. He published in 1896 'My Reminiscences' (ed. Baroness von Zedlitz). A caricature portrait by 'Ape' appeared in 'Vanity Fair' in 1885.
[Arditi's My Reminiscences, 1896; Musical World, May 1903; Grove's Dict. of Musicians; Benjamin Lumley's Reminiscences, 1864; The Mapleson Memoirs, 1888, passim; personal knowledge.]
ARDWALL, Lord. [See Jameson, Andrew, 1845–1911.]
ARMES, PHILIP (1836–1908), organist and musical composer, born at Norwich on 15 Aug. 1836, was eldest son of Philip Armes (a bass singer) by Mary his wife. A chorister in Norwich Cathedral 1846-8, he joined the choir of Rochester Cathedral in 1848 on the appointment of his father as bass lay clerk there. Possessed of a beautiful voice, he achieved great success as solo boy, and on retiring from the choir in 1850 received a public testimonial. Determined to follow the profession of music, he was articled in 1850 to John Larkin Hopkins [q. v.], organist of Rochester Cathedral, and up to 1856 acted as his assistant, at the same time serving as organist of Milton Church, Gravesend. In 1857 he passed to St. Andrews, Wells Street, London, then to
