News & Dates to Remember

TENOR

ABOUT FRANCISCO

Praised for his expressive bel-canto style - in the tradition of Aureliano Pertile and Pier Miranda Ferraro - Francisco Casanova sang for 25 years in the great theaters of the world, performing an extensive repertory comprising a total of 56 leading tenor roles - twenty two by Giuseppe Verdi alone.

His interpretations of the Jew Élèazar, Mario Cavaradossi, Manrico, Arrigo (both in Vespri Siciliani and La Battaglia di Legnano), Riccardo (Un Ballo in Maschera), Enzo Grimaldo, Didier (Marion Delorme, by Amilcare Ponchielli), Jacopo Foscari and Avito (L’Amore dei Tre Re) elicited enthusiastic applause from audiences as well as positive commentaries from the press, who would finish their reviews with such personal notes as “...when Francisco Casanova sang his third act aria, it seemed as if he were singing directly to God.” (Concertgebwou, Amsterdam, L’Amore dei Tre Re, March 2003) and “I pray to the Holy Father to keep him in good singing health for a long time to come.” (with Teatro alla Scala, I Due Foscari Milano, May 2003).

Francisco Casanova, has been honored with many awards world-wide, amongst them the Beniamino Gigli d’Oro 2004 (Recanati) and the Beniamino Gigli d”Oro (Helsinki 2007). He was the first non-Italian singer ever to receive this particular award.

Awards also include: Singer of the Year 2002 by the Berlin Opera, The First Grand Prize for Male Voices of the 28th. Edition of the Francisco Viñas Singing Competition as well as the Special Prize La Traviata (Barcelona 1990) , the Second Prize for Male Voices of the Bilbao III Singing Competition (Bilbao 1990).

In the year 2000, Mr. Casanova was made honorary member of the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Verdi Studies.

He was a National Finalist of the Metropolitan Opera Guild Singing Competition in 1989.

In 2001 he recorded live for Radio France Amilcare Ponchielli’s last opera, Marion Delorme. This recording won the Prix du Disc in 2002 in France.

Francisco Casanova studied singing with late Italian tenor Maestro Pier Miranda Ferraro who was his mentor for 20 years, until Maestro Ferraro’s death in 2008.

In 2009, Mr. Casanova opened his singing school in New York City, Singing Academy Pier Miranda Ferraro.