 The group also helped with the introduction of Wagner's music into Italy, with musician Franco Faccio (1840–1891) conducting the first Italian performances of "Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg".The major figures of the movement were the poet and painter Emilio Praga (1839–1875) and the poet and musician Arrigo Boito (1842–1918).The latter is memorable for the fact that he wrote both the libretto and the music (an instance which had no precedent in Italian opera) for his opera "Mefistofele", which introduced elements of Wagner's music into Italian opera.