Franco Bonisolli, an Italian tenor who performed with the Vienna State Opera for decades, has died. He was 65. A spokesperson for the opera house said yesterday (Oct. 30) that Bonisolli died during the night, but did not identify the cause of death or say where he died.
Bonisolli made his opera debut as Ruggero in Puccini’s “La Rondine” at the renowned festival in Spoleto, Italy, in 1962, later singing the part of the Prince in “L’Amour des Trois Oranges.”
His debut with the Vienna State Opera came in 1968, and he eventually performed with top opera houses worldwide, including the New York Metropolitan Opera, where he first sang in 1970.
He sang a total of 25 performances at the Met over the next two decades as Count Almaviva in “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” “Faust,” the Duke in “Rigoletto,” Cavaradossi in “Tosca,” Alfredo in “La Traviata” and Manrico in “Il Trovatore.”
He performed at the Vienna opera house for the last time in 2000 as Manrico in “Il Trovatore,” the Vienna opera house said.
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