Franco Leoni was born in Milan in 1864, the same year
as Richard Strauss. In 1892, he moved to London
and achieved some popularity as a song and opera
composer. His fourth opera was his most successful
work: L’Oracolo, based on the drama The Cat and
the Cherub by Chester Bailey Fernald. The opera
premiered on June 28, 1905 at Covent Garden with
Antonio Scotti in the role of Cim-Fen. This became
Scotti’s best-known role, which he sang for many
years at New York’s Metropolitan Opera. The piece
was a repertoire staple from 1917 to 1926, then again
after 1931. Scotti also chose it for his 1933 farewell
from the Met; this was the opera’s 55th performance.
Amazingly, however, the work disappeared almost
completely from opera stages following this. Franco
Leoni died on February 8, 1949 in the British town
of Hampstead.