Francesco Merli (1887-1876)
Born in Milan on 27 January 1887, Francesco Merli received his vocal education in his natal city under Negrini and Borghi, and after coming second in a singing conpetitioin in Parma in 1914, where the winner was the young Beniamino Gigli, he made his operatic debut the very same year in Milan as Elisero in Rossini's Mosè in Egitto. Appearances at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires followed. His La Scala debut came in 1916 as Alvaro in Spontini's "Fernando Cortez," and he enjoyed particular success with his Walther von Stolzing in Wagner's "Meistersinger" in 1922. Merli continued to sing at La Scala until 1946and was much admired by Toscanini, appearing as Lohengrin, Calaf, Des Grieux, Dimitri in Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, Radames, Turiddu, Manrico, Vassili in "Siberia" by Giordano, Canio, Florestan and from 1935 Otello.
In 1926 he was Calaf in the Rome premiere of Turandot, and in 1927 at Covent Garden. Between 1926 and 1930 he appeared at Covent Garden as Faust in Boito's "Mefistofele," Calaf, Enzo in "La Gioconda," Gennaro in "I Gioielli della Madonna" by Wolf Ferrari, Dimitri in "Boris Godunov" and as Des Grieux. Merli also sang in the world premieres of Respighi's "Belfagor" (La Scala, 26 April 1923) and Bruno Barilli's "Emiral" (Teatro Costanzi di Roma, 1924).
In 1924 and 1930-36 he sang at the Arena Di Verona, and in 1928 he participated in a tour of Australia with the Melba Williamson Company, During his short engagement with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where he made his debut in 1932 as Radames, he sang Edgardo in "Lucia Di Lammermoor," Pinkerton in "Madama Butterfly" and Gabriele Adorno in "Simon Boccanegra." He interupted his engagement with the Met due to acute illness, and returned to Italy only after one month.
In 1935 he performed at the Paris Opera, at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees and also appeared in Copenhagen, moreover he toured with the opera company Carro Di Tespi in Belgium.
Francesco Merli was active on stage in Italy until 1950 when he retired from the scene and began to teach in Milan. He died in Milan on 12 December 1976.