Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Wikidata P18)
Francesco Meli
Tenor (lyric to spinto)
Born May 15, 1980 in Genoa, Italy (46 years old)
Opera
10 Signature Roles5 Principal Houses
Up next
Aida as Radamès · Semperoper · Jun 28, 2026
Spotlight
Career Trajectory
Debuting professionally in 2002 as Malcolm in Verdi's *Macbeth* at the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Francesco Meli has evolved from a promising bel canto interpreter into one of Europe's most authoritative Verdi tenors. Over two decades, he has mastered more than fifty roles across the Italian operatic canon, performing at La Scala, the Royal Opera House, and the Vienna State Opera, while earning the prestigious Abbiati Award in 2013 for his Verdi interpretations. Now an established master of the romantic repertoire, Meli continues to refine his craft while mentoring emerging singers through his leadership of the Academy of Advanced Professional Training in Genoa.
Career Highlight
Abbiati Award (2013) for his interpretations of Verdi; Croce d'Oro di San Giorgio, the highest honor conferred by the Liguria Region (December 2023)
At a Glance
- Voice
- Tenor (lyric to spinto)
- Nationality
- Italian
- Born
- 1980 · Genoa, Italy
- Active since
- 2013
Training & Education
Conservatorio di Musica "Niccolò Paganini", Genoa
Engagements
Verified past & upcoming performances
YeartoCompanyRole
Upcoming (3)
AidaRadamès
SemperoperDresden
Jun 28, 2026
verified
La TraviataAlfredo Germont
Arena di VeronaVerona
Jul 5, 2026
verified
NabuccoIsmaele
Arena di VeronaVerona
Aug 8, 2026
verified
Showing engagements within the last 24 months. Upgrade to Patron to see Francesco Meli's full career archive.
Most-Performed Roles
The roles Francesco Meli returns to most, by productions on record
Don José
Carmen3
productions
Alfredo Germont
La Traviata3
productions
Ismaele
Nabucco3
productions
Mario Cavaradossi
Tosca3
productions
Career Arc
A chronological journey through key moments
1980Born in Genoa, Italy
2013Abbiati Award (2013) for his interpretations of Verdi; Croce d'Oro di San Giorgio, the highest honor conferred by the Liguria Region (December 2023)
Available Performances
Looking for Francesco Meli's live performances? Their engagement history is in the timeline above.