Baritone Franco Pomponi's sensational Paris Debut as Pentheus, in Hans Werner Henze's THE BASSARIDS at the Théâtre du Châtelet , was hailed by the world press as  “a true discovery" Le Figaro, “the voice is a grand and splendid baritone” Concert Classic, “American baritone, Franco Pomponi stands out.  His powerful plangent voice is perfect for the arrogant, sexually repressed king.” Bloomberg News and “Franco Pomponi,     The Revelation! “  Diapason

In 2010 Franco had several impressive debuts. In Marseille he once again triumphed in the tiltle role of HAMLET in a new production and broadcast on Radio France and awarded “Best Opera” of 2010 by Opéra Magazine. At Opernhaus Zürich in a new production of LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES as Zurga and in Moscow as DON GIOVANNI for his debut at The Bolshoi Opera.

A member of the prestigious Juilliard Opera Center in New York, he sang many leading baritone roles at Lincoln Center, including Ford in FALSTAFF, Tarquinius in Britten's RAPE OF LUCRETIA, and John the Butcher in HUGH THE DROVER by Vaughn Williams .  Franco was the first recipient of The DeRosa Prize , the largest award from Juilliard.

His European debut came as The Prince, HAMLET, at the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona.  The Metropolitan Opera heard him as Schaunard in LA BOHÈME, Count Dominik in ARABELLA and Presto in LES MAMELLES DE TIRÉSIAS.  Franco followed his success with debuts at The Canadian Opera Company as Ford in Verdi's FALSTAFF, Nick Shadow in THE RAKE’S PROGRESS at Teatro Massimo, Palermo, Italian debut, and again as Ford in FALSTAFF for Santa Fe Opera. His debut in the U.K. was as Hérode in Massenet's HÉRODIADE for Dorset Opera and this season as Arcalaüs in AMADIS DES GAULES by J.C. Bach for the and Royal Opera Theatre at Versailles and the famous Opéra Comique in Paris.

Carnegie Hall first heard him as the Baritone Soloist in the Eighth Symphony of Mahler with Christoph Eschenbach and the Philadelphia Orchestra and also in Paris with the Orchestre de Paris.

Franco has performed Escamillo in CARMEN for The New York City Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Qatar Philharmonic, Opéra Toulon, France, with Les Musiciens du Louvre and the Florida Grand Opera in which Octavio Roca wrote:

“Even in the present age of beautiful baritones, Franco Pomponi’s Escamillo signals the arrival of someone to notice:  a good looking man with a voice, and a charismatic stage presence...Pomponi commanded attention in the famous “Toreador’s Song” and later suggested macho vulnerability when facing Carmen before the bullfight.” Miami New Times

For The Lyric Opera of Chicago, Franco was a member of the elite Lyric Opera Young Artists and was seen at the Lyric as Malatesta in DON PASQUALE as well as Germont in LA TRAVIATA for the Grant Park Music Festival.

“As Germont, Franco Pomponi was the real article with a warm, focused tone and a genuine feel for true Italian legato singing.  Pomponi provided the best singing of the evening, his vital characterful voice ....  “Di Provenza il mar was even better, Pomponi rendering the waltz-like aria with sensitivity and a golden liquid tone.”

The Chicago Tribune

Theaters world wide have heard Franco as Lescaut in MANON LESCAUT at Spoleto USA,  Ernesto in I PIRATA at Washington Concert Opera. Count Di Luna in IL TROVATORE for Austin Lyric Opera, Enrico in LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR for Opera Omaha, DON GIOVANNI in Montpellier broadcast on Radio France,  Golaud in PÉLLEAS ET MÉLISANDE, and Lindorf-Miracle-Coppélius-Dapertutto in LES CONTES D' HOFFMANN Netherlands, Guglielmo in COSI FAN TUTTE for L’Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg, Valentin in FAUST, Toulon France, Fritz the Pierrot in Korngold’s DIE TOTE STADT at Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Paolo Albiani in SIMON BOCCANEGRA for Grand Theatre Geneve, Le Roi in LE CID in Marseille with Roberto Alagna (Mezzo “Opera of the Year) Marcello in LA BOHEME at Festival d’Opéra, Switzerland and SWEENEY TODD at Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris.

This charismatic singer is also a champion of rare and modern works and received high praise for his portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in Previn's, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE for The New Orleans Opera and the Tennessee Williams Festival and Frank Chambers in THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE by Stephen Paulus for Boston Lyric Opera both directed by Colin Graham,  Johnny in NAPOLI MILIONARIA!, by Nino Rota in Cagliari, Italy and Richard Nixon in Adam’s NIXON IN CHINA this year in a new production at Théâtre du Châtelet with June Anderson and Sumi Jo.

Franco’s upcoming projects include Prince Metternich in the rare Ibert & Honneger opera L’AIGLON for Opéra Lausanne and Opéra de Tours, Fouché  in Madame Sans-Gêne by Giordano for Radio France Montpellier Festival and the melancholy Dane, HAMLET in Olivier Py’s production for La Monnaie in Brussels conducted by Marc Minkowski.

                                                                Franco Pomponi all rights reserved 2012