Amilcare Ponchielli (1834 – 1886) was an Italian opera composer, best known for his opera La Gioconda. He was married to the soprano Teresina Brambilla.

Although in his lifetime Ponchielli was very popular and influential (and introduced an enlarged orchestra and more complex orchestration), only one of his operas, La Gioconda, is regularly performed today. It contains a strong and memorable aria for contralto, ‘Voce de donna o d’angelo’ (the Rosary song); the great tenor romanza “Cielo e mar”; a well-known duet for tenor and baritone titled “Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior”; the soprano aria “Suicidio!”; and the ballet Dance of the Hours, which is widely known thanks in part to its having been featured in Walt Disney’s Fantasia in 1940, in Allan Sherman’s novelty song “Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh”, and in numerous other popular works.