Fernando De Lucia

Fernando De Lucia, born Fernando Lucia on October 11, 1860, in Naples, Italy, was an operatic tenor and singing teacher. He studied at the Naples Music Conservatory under Vincenzo Lombardi and Beniamino Carelli. De Lucia made his debut as Faust in Gounod's Faust at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples in 1885. His breakthrough came with his first London appearances at Drury Lane in 1887. He was particularly noted for his role as Canio in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, which he performed extensively starting from its English premiere in 1893. De Lucia also took part in the world premiere of Mascagni’s L'amico Fritz in Rome in 1891 and created the role of Osaka in Mascagni’s Iris at the Costanzi Theatre, Rome, in 1898. He was recognized for his recordings of Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia, which have garnered acclaim among record collectors. De Lucia passed away on February 21, 1925.