Cancer claims an international baritone
mainThe French operatic baritone Franck Ferrari has died after a long illness. His death was announced this morning by the mayor of his home town, Nice.
Franck enjoyed a bustling international career, most overwhelmingly as Escamillo in Carmen.
He had notable triumphs as La Scala, the Met and the Paris Opéra. Born in 1963, he was 52 or 53 when he died.
He was due to sing Hercule in Alceste at the Paris Opéra tonight.
Beautiful voice & great musicality. What a tragedy.
The news of Franck’s death took some time to reach me as I was myself victim of a serious accident on June 19th 2015. Now over a year later I have been able to leave a comment on you tube ( to which his brother kindly replied) and also slippedisc here.
Franck and I spent our first year after conservatory in the chorus and undertaking small roles at the Opera de Nice – his home town. I want to say what a sunny, funny , larger than life character he was….. and in addition there was that voice! Nothing in his background marked Franck out to become an opera singer and fine interpreter of Scarpia, Escamillo, Marcello . He came from the modest working class quartier called l’Ariane.
Our paths diverged but every so often we would meet in a production- at Orange or I think for the last time in a Gluck opera at Palais Garnier or even in a corridor on our way to different rehearsals. Franck would give me a huge hug – he never forgot our beginning together. I always think the world is a sadder place when we lose people as warm and generous as Franck Ferrari, let alone a baritone who found his place on the International stage. I am so sad for his wife and children. When singers and opera fans get together to reminisce he will not be forgotten.