Franco Bonisolli was one of the finest Italian tenors of his generation, renowned for his powerful voice, expressive interpretations and flamboyant stage presence. He enjoyed a successful international career, excelling in roles that required both vocal brilliance and dramatic intensity.
Born in 1938 in Rovereto, in the Trentino-Alto Adige/South Tyrol region of northern Italy, Bonisolli studied music at the Conservatorio di Musica “Giuseppe Verdi” in Milan, where he trained under Alfredo Lattaro, focusing on refining his vocal technique and mastering the tenor repertoire.
He made his professional debut in 1962 in Puccini’s La Rondine and quickly attracted attention for the strength and clarity of his voice. His international breakthrough came in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when he appeared in major European opera houses, including Teatro alla Scala, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House, the Metropolitan Opera, the San Francisco Opera and many others.
Bonisolli possessed a large, ringing tenor voice capable of sustaining dramatic high notes, especially the high C which became a hallmark of his performances, making him ideal for roles requiring both vocal power and lyrical expression. He was also nicknamed “Il Pazzo” (The Madman) for his intense, often unpredictable performances. He had a passionate acting style that could be controversial at times due to his unpredictable behaviour both on and off stage. He had a dramatic, often volatile personality, which added to his stage persona, but also occasionally led to friction with conductors and directors.
His repertoire was vast, including belcanto roles by Rossini and Donizetti, lyrical roles such as Alfredo in La traviata and the Duke in Rigoletto, and the heavy, dramatic tenor repertoire with roles such as Calaf in Turandot, Radames in Aida, Alvaro in La forza del destino and the title role in Verdi’s Otello. He is probably best remembered today for his Manrico in Il trovatore. In 1978 there was a scandal when he sang Manrico at the Vienna State Opera and abruptly cancelled the performance due to expressions of displeasure from the audience.
As his career progressed through the 1980s and early 1990s, Bonisolli continued to appear at major opera houses around the world, although his voice began to show signs of strain in later years, leading to his retirement from the stage later in the 1990s. Bonisolli died on 30 October 2003 in Vienna, Austria, leaving behind a legacy of brilliant yet turbulent artistry. He will be remembered as one of the most exciting and unpredictable tenors of his generation.
