Alberto Franchetti facts for kids

Alberto Franchetti in 1902.

Alberto Franchetti (born September 18, 1860 – died August 4, 1942) was a famous Italian composer. He is best known for his opera Germania, which came out in 1902.

Life and Music

Alberto Franchetti was born in Turin, Italy. His family was wealthy. He studied music in different cities. First, he went to Venice, then to Munich, and finally to Dresden.

His first big success was with his opera Asrael in 1888. Franchetti's music style mixed ideas from composers like Richard Wagner and Giacomo Meyerbeer. It also had elements of Italian verismo, which means it tried to show real life. Some critics even called him the "Meyerbeer of modern Italy."

One music critic, G. B. Nappi, said that Franchetti was great at creating music for stories that were fantastic, romantic, or epic. He was especially good at using orchestras and large choirs.

Many people think Cristoforo Colombo (1892) is his best work. But his most popular opera was Germania (1902). This opera was performed all over the world. Famous musicians like Arturo Toscanini and Enrico Caruso loved it. Caruso even recorded songs from Germania several times. However, after World War I, the opera became less known.

Interestingly, the story for the famous opera Tosca was first offered to Franchetti. But he was busy with other projects. So, he passed the idea on to his friend, Giacomo Puccini. Some say Franchetti felt the story was too violent for an opera. Others believe he thought Puccini would do a better job with it.

Sadly, after 1938, Franchetti's works were banned in Italy. This happened because of new laws against Jewish people. Even though another composer, Pietro Mascagni, tried to help him, the ban stayed.

Recently, some of Franchetti's operas, like Cristoforo Colombo and Germania, have been performed again. These performances show that his music is very good. He was skilled at writing for orchestras and choirs.

Franchetti also wrote a symphony. He was the director of the Florence College of Music from 1926 to 1928. This was the only official music job he ever held. He passed away in Viareggio in 1942, when he was 81. His home, Villa Franchetti, is now a historical residence and a hotel.

His son, Arnold Franchetti (1911–1993), also became a composer. Arnold moved to the United States in 1949. He studied music with Richard Strauss. He later became a professor of composition at the Hartt School of Music in Connecticut.

Famous Operas

Here are some of Alberto Franchetti's well-known operas:

• Asrael (1888)
• Cristoforo Colombo (1892)
• Fior d'Alpe (1894)
• Il signor di Pourceaugnac (1897)
• Germania (1902)
• La figlia di Iorio (1906)
• Notte di leggenda (1915)
• Giove a Pompei (1921) – he wrote this with Umberto Giordano
• Glauco (1922)

See also

In Spanish: Alberto Franchetti para niños