Francesco Navarrini

He studied singing under Carlo Boroni and Giuseppe Felix in Milan and made his debut in 1876 at the Teatro Comunale of Ferrara as Alfonso in ‘’Lucrezia Borgia’’ of Donizetti. He made guest appearances in Malta, Venice, Trieste, Florence and Turin and sang in the 1881-83 seasons at the Teatro San Carlo in Lisbon. In 1883 he made his debut at La Scala; sang with success also at the Teatro Costanzi of Rome. He sang at La Scala in the premieres of the operas ‘’Condor’’ of Carlos Gomes (21. 2. 1891) and ‘’Fior d'Alpe’’ of Alberto Franchetti (15. 3. 1894). In 1894 he sang at La Scala in the premiere of the revised version of Verdi’s ‘’Don Carlos’’. He took part at the Teatro Carlo Felice, Genoa in the premiere of Alberto Franchetti's opera ‘’Cristoforo Colombo’’ (6. 10. 1892). He made guest appearances in London (1887), Monte Carlo (1900), Prague (1901), St. Petersburg, Madrid, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Moscow, Odessa and Seville. Especially in Russia Navarrini achieved shining success. In the 1898-99 season he performed at La Scala in Wagner’s ‘’Meistersinger’’ under Toscanini. In 1902 tour through the USA with an opera troupe under the direction of Pietro Mascagni and he excited sensation especially as an Il Cieco in ‘’Iris’’. He retired from the stage in 1912. He spent his old age in Rossano Veneto.