Franco Ferrara facts for kids
Franco Ferrara (born in Palermo, Italy, on July 4, 1911 – died in Florence, Italy, on September 7, 1985) was a very famous Italian conductor and a wonderful teacher. He taught many students who became well-known conductors themselves. Some of his famous students include Roberto Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, Andrew Davis, and Riccardo Muti.
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Early Life and Musical Journey
Franco Ferrara loved music from a young age. He studied many instruments and music subjects. He earned special certificates in piano, violin, organ, and musical composition. He got these from the Conservatory of Bologna.
Starting as a Violinist
Ferrara began his music career as a violin player. He played in orchestras in cities like Bologna, Rome, and Florence. From 1933 to 1940, he played with the Orchestra of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. People soon saw that he had a special talent for leading music.
Becoming a Conductor
In 1938, Franco Ferrara started his journey as a conductor in Florence. He quickly became very successful. He led many orchestras and became known for his amazing skills.
Teaching and Inspiring Others
In 1948, Franco Ferrara stopped conducting public concerts. This was because of some health issues. But he kept conducting for recordings. He also started teaching at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome. This allowed him to share his knowledge with new musicians.
Teaching Around the World
Ferrara was a popular teacher. He taught at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, many times. From 1964 to 1985, he gave special classes on conducting. Students from all over the world came to learn from him. Many of them became famous conductors later on. He also taught at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna from 1974 to 1975.
Franco Ferrara also taught outside of Italy. He gave lectures at Radio Netherlands Worldwide in Hilversum. He also taught at the Conservatoire de Paris in France. Other places included the Swiss Radio in Lugano, and the "Tibor Varga" Festival in Sion.
He even traveled to the Philippines and Japan to teach. In 1976, Seiji Ozawa, a famous conductor, invited him to TOHO. This is an academy in Tokyo, Japan. It was to honor Hideo Saito, Ozawa's own great teacher. In the United States, Ferrara taught at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. He also taught at the Juilliard School in New York. From 1975, he taught at the Berkshire Music Center (Tanglewood).
Ferrara's Many Students
Over thirty years, about 600 students learned from Franco Ferrara. Many of them became very successful. Some of his notable students include Jorma Panula, Myung-whun Chung, Sir Andrew Davis, Roberto Abbado, Riccardo Chailly, and Riccardo Muti.
Conducting for Movies
Franco Ferrara was also known for conducting music for movies. This music is called film scores. He conducted the music for famous films like The Leopard. This movie had music by Nino Rota. He also conducted for Barabbas, with music by Mario Nascimbene. Another film was John Huston's The Bible: In the Beginning, with music by Toshiro Mayuzumi.
Franco Ferrara was married to Maritza (Maria Letizia) Carini. He passed away in 1985, leaving behind a great legacy in music.
