Opera Singer. A tenor, he was one of the Metropolitan Opera's most noted comprimarios, the character performers who go onstage virtually every night singing a wide range of roles in a multiplicity of languages. Raised in Boston, he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, clerked at Wanamaker's, and was working at Radio City Music Hall when a "to whom it may concern" letter got him an audition with general manager Edward Johnson at the Metropolitan; Franke sang the first of his 1,980 performances at the venerable house on December 1, 1948, as the Youth in Italo Montemezzi's "L'Amore dei Tre Re". Over the years he appeared in countless different productions, his most frequent role, which he sang 108 times, being that of the villainous Spoletta, Scarpia's henchman from Puccini's "Tosca", while his larger and more noted portrayals included David in Wagner's "Die Meistersinger", Cassio of Verdi's "Otello", the Captain from Alban Berg's "Wozzeck", and the Witch of Englebert Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel", a part written for mezzo but often taken by a tenor. Also appearing with the Santa Fe Opera he kept up a busy schedule until his retirement following an April 16, 1987, performance of Thierry in Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites". After leaving the stage Franke remained in Queens and at his death ranked fourth on the Metropolitan's list of most lifetime appearances behind tenor Charles Anthony (2,928), baritone George Cehanovsky (2,394), and tenor Angelo Bada (2,170). He can be heard on a number of complete opera recordings and many archived broadcasts.
Opera Singer. A tenor, he was one of the Metropolitan Opera's most noted comprimarios, the character performers who go onstage virtually every night singing a wide range of roles in a multiplicity of languages. Raised in Boston, he studied at the New England Conservatory of Music, clerked at Wanamaker's, and was working at Radio City Music Hall when a "to whom it may concern" letter got him an audition with general manager Edward Johnson at the Metropolitan; Franke sang the first of his 1,980 performances at the venerable house on December 1, 1948, as the Youth in Italo Montemezzi's "L'Amore dei Tre Re". Over the years he appeared in countless different productions, his most frequent role, which he sang 108 times, being that of the villainous Spoletta, Scarpia's henchman from Puccini's "Tosca", while his larger and more noted portrayals included David in Wagner's "Die Meistersinger", Cassio of Verdi's "Otello", the Captain from Alban Berg's "Wozzeck", and the Witch of Englebert Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel", a part written for mezzo but often taken by a tenor. Also appearing with the Santa Fe Opera he kept up a busy schedule until his retirement following an April 16, 1987, performance of Thierry in Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites". After leaving the stage Franke remained in Queens and at his death ranked fourth on the Metropolitan's list of most lifetime appearances behind tenor Charles Anthony (2,928), baritone George Cehanovsky (2,394), and tenor Angelo Bada (2,170). He can be heard on a number of complete opera recordings and many archived broadcasts.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Advertisement
See more Franke memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
