Franco Tagliavini

October 29, 1934 – August 15, 2010

On August 15, 2010, Franco Tagliavini died in Novellara. He is not to be confused with the more famous Ferruccio Tagliavini. Franco was born in Novellara (Reggio Emilia) on October 29, 1934. He studied singing at the Liceo Musicale di Vercelli, with the distinguished soprano Zita Fumagalli-Riva (1893–1994).

He made his debut in 1962 at the Nuovo Theater of Milan, as Canio in Pagliacci.

In 1962, he made his Scala debut. He appeared at the Rome Opera, the San Carlo in Naples, the Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Fenice in Venice, the Regio in Turin, the Comunale in Bologna, the Massimo in Palermo and at the Baths of Caracalla. He sang in addition in Vienna, Brussels, Montecarlo, Lyon, Nice, Budapest, Zürich, at the Bolshoi, Covent Garden, and at the Festival in Edinburgh.

In Spain, Tagliavini sang in 1963 at the Campoamor in Oviedo (Nabucco and Mefistofele), in 1965 at the Coliseo Albia in Bilbao and again the Campoamor (Traviata and Lohengrin). In 1969, he sang at the Zarzuela in Madrid Gabriele Adorno with Linda Vajna, Giuseppe Taddei and Ruggero Raimondi. In 1975, he returned to Oviedo and Bilbao to sing Arrigo in I vespri siciliani. He also sang at the Liceo.

In the United States, he sang in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco and Philadelphia. He made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera on March 27, 1970, as Pollione with Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne. He sang there six seasons (from 1970 to 1974) and took part in 37 performances: Norma (5); Cavalleria rusticana (11); Un ballo in maschera (1); Macbeth (7); Der Rosenkavalier (Italian tenor) (2); Tosca (6) and I vespri siciliani (5).

Spanish original

El 15 de agosto de 2010 falleció en su ciudad natal, Novellara, el tenor italiano FRANCO TAGLIAVINI (no confundir con el mucho más famoso Ferruccio Tagliavini).

Franco había nacido en Novellara (Reggio Emilia) el 29 de octubre de 1934. Realizó sus estudios de canto en el Liceo Musicale de Vercelli, con la otrora distinguida soprano Zita Fumagalli-Riva (1893-1994). Debutó en 1962 en el Teatro Nuovo de Milán, como Canio en Pagliacci.

En 1962 debutó en el Teatro alla Scala de Milán. Se presentó en la Opera de Roma, San Carlo de Nápoles, Maggio Musicale de Florencia, La Fenice de Venecia, Regio de Turín, Comunale de Bolonia, Massimo de Palermo y en las Termas de Caracalla. Cantó, además, en Viena, Bruselas, Montecarlo, Lyon, Niza, Budapest, Zurich. En el Teatro Bolshoi de Moscú y en el Covent Garden de Londres, como también en el Festival de Edimburgo.

En España, Franco Tagliavini cantó en 1963 en el Teatro Campoamor de Oviedo (Nabucco y Mefistofele), en 1965 en el Coliseo Albia de Bilbao y el Campoamor de Oviedo (La Traviata y Lohengrin) y en 1969 cantó en el Teatro de la Zarzuela de Madrid el rol de Gabriele Adorno, en el Simon Boccanegra, con Linda Vajna, Giuseppe Taddei y Ruggero Raimondi. En 1975 regresó a Oviedo y Bilbao para cantar el rol de Arrigo en I vespri siciliani. También cantó en el Liceo de Barcelona.

En los Estados Unidos cantó en Boston, Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco y Filadelfia. Debutó en el Metropolitan Opera de Nueva York el 27 de marzo de 1970, como Pollione en Norma, junto a Joan Sutherland y Marilyn Horne. En este escenario cantó seis temporadas (de 1970 a 1974) y 37 funciones: Norma (5); Cavalleria rusticana (11); Un ballo in maschera (1); Macbeth (7); Der Rosenkavalier (rol: el tenor italiano) (2); Tosca (6) e I vespri siciliani (5).
Juan Dzazópulos

Tagliavini died on August 15, 2010 from an embolism after an operation necessary because of a broken leg. He was buried on August 18, 2010. The whole village followed his coffin from his residence to the church in Novellara. He took up in his home his teacher Zita Fumagalli-Riva, when she became destitute, until her death. He supported the reopening of the small opera house in Novellara that was also one of the oldest in Italy.
He was married to the soprano Eliane Claustre, who was from Marseille. She is completely forgotten. There exists a small Carmen excerpt with her and Tony Poncet: Parle-moi de ma mère, cast: Lucienne Delvaux (Carmen), Tony Poncet (Don José), Pierre Le Hémonet (Escamillo), Eliane Claustre (Micaëla), Pierre Héral (Dancaïre), Claude Milon (Remendado) Conductor: Jean Aynaud, Aix-en-Provence 19 January 1964
Claude Ribou
Franco Tagliavini sings Macbeth: Ah, la paterna mano
In RA format

Nicola Martinucci sings Macbeth: La patria tradita, with Franco Tagliavini (Macduff)
In RA format

Franco Tagliavini sings Norma: Meco all'altar di Venere ... Me protegge , with Rod MacWherter
In RA format

Franco Tagliavini sings Maria Stuarda: Ah, rimiro il bel sembiante
In RA format
I wish to thank Juan Dzazópulos for the biographical notes.
I wish to thank Thomas Silverbörg for the recordings.

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