Franco Faccio

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Franco Faccio (March 8, 1840 – July 21, 1891) was an Italian composer and conductor.

Born in Verona, Faccio became known as a conductor of Verdi's music. He studied music in Milan and after finishing his studies began his career as a composer, writing I Profughi Fiamminghi (Milan, 1863) and Amleto (Genoa, 1865), the latter being one of the many operas based on William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Both operas failed to achieve success either among the critics or the general public. However the Marcia Funebre composed for the Amleto is considered as an important example of Faccio's lyricism and has been transcribed for woodwind band. In Corfu the Philarmonic Society of Corfu performs this part on the epitaph of St. Spyridon which takes place in the morning of Holy Saturday.

In 1867 Faccio became director of the Milan Conservatory and in 1872 he was nominated director of Milan's Teatro alla Scala. Faccio conducted the first Italian performances of Verdi's operas Aida (1872) and Otello (1887), and he was also the conductor of the London premiere of Otello. Faccio died in Monza at age 51.