Graziani, Francesco
Graziani, Francesco
Graziani, Francesco, noted Italian baritone, brother of Giuseppe and Lodovico Graziani; b. Fermo, April 26, 1828; d. there, June 30, 1901. Following vocal training with Cellini, he made his operatic debut in Gemma di vergy in Ascoli Piceno in 1851. From 1853 to 1861 he sang at the Theatre-Italien in Paris. On April 26, 1855, he made his first appearance at London’s Covent Garden as Carlo in Ernani. He continued to sing there regularly during the next 25 years, making his farewell appearance in La Traviata on July 17, 1880. In 1854 he sang in the U.S. In 1861 he appeared for the first time in St. Petersburg, where he was chosen to create the role of Don Carlo in La forza del destine on Nov. 10, 1862. He continued to sing there until 1871. Graziani’s roles in Verdi’s operas were particularly remarkable, especially Rigoletto, Germont, Di Luna, Renato, and Amonasro. He also was a convincing exponent of roles in operas by Mozart, Rossini, and Donizetti.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire