Franco Alfano
b. 1875 (Naples) · d. 1954 (Sanremo)
Franco Alfano was an Italian composer and pianist. He was born in Posillipo, near Naples, on 8 March 1875, and died in Sanremo on 27 October 1954.
Alfano is probably best known for completing Giacomo Puccini's unfinished opera Turandot in 1926. He composed around twelve operas of his own. His first two, written in the verismo style, achieved little success.
His third opera, Risurrezione, was first performed in 1904 and was successful. He also composed Cyrano de Bergerac, which premiered in Rome in 1936; its French production premiered in Paris one week later.