Baritones

Benvenuto Franci

Benvenuto FranciBenvenuto Franci born on July 1st 1891 in Pienza (Siena), was another pupil of the Accademia Santa Cecilia in Rome (Antonio Cotogni and Enrico Rosati were his teachers). In 1918 his debut in opera took place at Rome`s Teatro Costanzi in the role of Gianetto in Mascagni`s “Lodoletta”. He remained closely associated with the Teatro Costanzi during the following years but at the same time made guest appearances at the Teatro Liceo in Milan, the San Carlo in Naples and the Carlo Fenice in Genoa as well as the Teatro Real in Madrid. Franci was engaged at the Scala of Milan in 1923 where his debuting role was Amonasro in “Aida” under the baton of Toscanini himself. For more than two decades he remained a member of the Scala ensemble and became an indispensable representative of the Verdi-repertory.

Along with his activities in Milan Franci gave a great number of guest performances abroad: important stations in the baritone`s career were London`s Covent Garden Opera (1925-31), the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires (1926-28 and 1930) and the Arena di Verona where Franci appeared in seven seasons. He was also heard in Paris and Berlin. The singer enjoyed a remarkably long career and could still be heard in the years after World War II at various opera houses around the world. Franci`s stage activity was tragically ended by an accident in Turin in1955.

On February 27th 1985 Benvenuto Franci died in Rome.