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Born: October 20, 1922 - Fairfield, Connecticut, USA
Died: November 28, 2012 - Fairfield, Connecticut, USA |
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The American bass, Franco Ventriglia, studied first in his native America, then with the great Prima Donna Toti dal Monte in Italy.
Franco Ventriglia made his debut in 1956 at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, in Meistersinger and had a successful career with guest appearances on the major Italian theaters in the world. In 1960 he sang at the Opera of Chicago, in 1961 at the Opera of Monte Carlo, in 1961-1964 at the Wexford Festival in Ireland, in 1963 he was heard at the Festival of Edinburgh in Verdi's Luisa Miller. Since 1963, he appeared often at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples; since 1965 also at the Teatro Comunale in Bologna and at the Teatro Regio of Parma. In 1964 he appeared as a guest at the Opera of Rome, in 1963 in Cairo, since 1969, again in Genoa. Other guest performances at the Teatro Regio Torino (1972), at the Teatro Fenice in Venice, the Teatro Comunale in Florence, at Milan's La Scala, at the Wiener Staatsoper, Amsterdam (1965), Dublin (1965), London (1969) and at the Opera of Dallas. He appeared at the Festival of Verona (1958-1959) and in the Therme di Caracalla in Rome. In 1984 he sang in his home in the Connecticut Opera the role of Oroveso in Norma by Bellini, in 1986 as Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia. His extensive repertoire included also roles as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Elmiro in Rossini's Otello, Ferrando in Il Trovatore, the King and Ramfis in Aida, Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata, Loredano in Verdi's I due Foscari, Count Walter and Wurm in Luisa Miller, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlos, Colline in La Bohème, Timur in Puccini's Turandot and Alvise in La Gioconda by Ponchielli. The artist also had a successful career in the concert halls.
Recordings: RCA (La Traviata), HMV (Manon Lescaut by Puccini), Angelicum. |
