The word refers to a management position in the entertainment industry, but has also been used as the name of a TV documentary series on the theatre industry in South Africa.

the impresario as a personage in theatre

Definition

A director of entertainments, one who finances and directly participates in running entertainments. While apparently used of individuals in the more formal forms (ballet and opera) in Britain and Europe, the terms is more commonly applied to the person responsible for the financial and management side of popular musical and other lighter commercial forms of entertainment in South Africa.

Prominent local "impresarios" of the late 19th century and the 20th century would include Luscombe Searelle, Harry Stodel and his sons, I.W. Schlesinger, Bertha Slosberg, Ike Brookes, Alfred Herbert, Griffiths Motsieloa, Brian Brooke, the team of Joan Brickhill and Louis Burke, the Quibell Brothers, Taubie Kushlick, Pieter Toerien, Richard Loring, David Kramer and Mbongeni Ngema.

See also Producer.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impresario

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/impresario

Impresario: The documentary TV series

The programme

A 2009 Afrikaans documentary series (consisting of 17 episodes with interviews with prominent individuals ) about the South African theatre and television industry, created and produced by Albert Maritz and Neil Sandilands. Broadcast on KykNet