Franco Alfano |

Franco Alfano

He studied piano with A. Longo. He studied composition at the Neapolitan (with P. Serrao) and Leipzig (with X. Sitt and S. Jadasson) conservatories. From 1896 he gave concerts as a pianist in many European cities. In 1916-19 professor, in 1919-23 director of the Musical Lyceum in Bologna, in 1923-39 director of the Musical Lyceum in Turin. In 1940-42 director of the Massimo Theater in Palermo, in 1947-50 director of the Conservatory in Pesaro. Known mainly as an opera composer. Popularity was won by his opera Resurrection based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy (Risurrezione, 1904, theater Vittorio Emanuele, Turin), which was staged in many theaters around the world. Among the best works of Alfano is the opera “The Legend of Shakuntala” ind. Kalidasa’s poem (1921, Teatro Comunale, Bologna; 2nd edition – Shakuntala, 1952, Rome). Alfano’s work was influenced by composers of the Verist school, the French Impressionists, and R. Wagner. In 1925 he completed G. Puccini’s unfinished opera Turandot.

Compositions:

operas – Miranda (1896, Naples), Madonna Empire (based on the novel by O. Balzac, 1927, Teatro di Turino, Turin), The Last Lord (L’ultimo Lord, 1930, Naples), Cyrano de Bergerac (1936, tr. Opera, Rome), Doctor Antonio (1949, Opera, Rome) and others; ballets – Naples, Lorenza (both 1901, Paris), Eliana (to the music of the “Romantic Suite”, 1923, Rome), Vesuvius (1933, San Remo); symphonies (E-dur, 1910; C-dur, 1933); 2 intermezzos for string orchestra (1931); 3 string quartets (1918, 1926, 1945), piano quintet (1936), sonatas for violin, cello; piano pieces, romances, songs, etc.