Alfano, Franco (1876–1954)

Italian composer. He is best known for his 12 operas, including Risurrezione/Resurrection (1904), The Shade of Don Juan (performed 1914), Sakuntala (1922), The Last Lord (1930), and Cyrano de Bergerac (1936). He completed Puccini's unfinished opera, Turandot.

He studied first at the Naples Conservatory and afterwards at that of Leipzig, under Salomon Jadassohn (1831–1902). He had some piano pieces published in Germany before the end of the century and in 1896 wrote his first opera, Miranda, on a subject from Fogazzaro. The ballet Napoli, produced in Paris in 1900, was his first big success, and was followed by the still greater success of his third opera, Risurrezione/Resurrection, a work in the verismo tradition. His most successful work was the colourful opera La leggenda di Sakuntala. His first symphony was performed at San Remo in 1910. In 1919 he was appointed director of the Liceo Musicale Rossini in Bologna and in 1923 of the Conservatory in Turin. After Puccini's death in 1924 he completed the unfinished Turandot, finishing the final scenes from Puccini's sketches; his work was not heard complete until 1982.

Works Opera Miranda, La fonte di Enschir (Breslau, 1898), Risurrezione/Resurrection (based on Tolstoy; Turin, 1904), Il principe Zilah (1907), L'ombra di Don Giovanni (Naples, 1930), Sakuntala (after Kalidasa; 1922), L'ultimo lord (1930), Cyrano de Bergerac (after Rostand; Rome, 1936), Il dottor Antonio (begun 1941).

Other ballet Napoli (1900); two symphonies, Suite romantica for orchestra (1907–09); piano quartet, three string quartets; sonata for cello and piano; songs including three settings of poems by Tagore and a cycle Dormiveglia.