Francesc Viñas

Francesc Viñas i Dordal (27 March 1863 – 14 July 1933) was a Spanish operatic tenor. He is also known by the Spanish version of his name, Francisco Viñas and the Italian version, Francesco Vignas. He was particularly known for his performances in the operas of Richard Wagner and sang in the first production of Parsifal outside Bayreuth.[1][2][3][4]

In this Catalan name, the first or paternal surname is Viñas and the second or maternal family name is Dordal; both are generally joined by the conjunction "i".
Francesc Viñas circa 1891

Life and career

Viñas was born in Moià, a small town near Barcelona. At the age of 23, he enrolled in singing lessons at the Barcelona Conservatory where he studied under Gonzalo Tintorer Latour. After hearing him in some of the conservatory's concerts, Juan Goula, a principal conductor at the Gran Teatre del Liceu, urged him to study the title role of Lohengrin. Viñas went on to make his operatic debut at the Liceu on 9 February 1888 in Lohengrin. It was to become one of his signature roles.[5]

Julián Gayarre, another Spanish tenor noted for his Wagnerian roles, was in the audience at the Liceu for Viñas's debut and was reportedly so impressed with the performance that he gave Viñas his own Lohengrin costume.[5] Viñas soon received invitations to sing at other Spanish opera houses and in Italy. In the space of three years he sang Lohengrin 120 times.[6] He debuted at Turin's Teatro Regio in 1890 and at Milan's La Scala in 1891, both times as Lohengrin.

Viñas was married to the Italian operatic mezzo-soprano Giulia Novelli (1859–1932).[7]

Legacy

In 1963 the Francisco Viñas Singing Contest was founded in his honor.[8]

References
  1. Metropolitan Opera Archives. "Vignas, Francesco". Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  2. Casaglia, Gherardo (2005)."Performances as Francesco Vignas". L'Almanacco di Gherardo Casaglia (in Italian)., as Francisco Viñas
  3. Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana (online version). "Francesc Viñas i Dordal". Retrieved 7 February 2013 (in Catalan).
  4. La Vanguardia (15 June 1933). "Muerte de un artista ilustre: Don Francisco Viñas", p. 7. Retrieved 7 February 2012 (in Spanish).
  5. Aspinall, Michael (2006). Liner notes: The Complete Francisco Viñas Archived 2013-02-18 at the Wayback Machine. Marston Records. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  6. El Día (27 December 2009). "Figura pionera del canto en España". Retrieved 9 February 2013 (in Spanish).
  7. "Novelli, Giulia". operissimo.com (in German). Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  8. "Tenor Viñas Contest", Liceu; Francesc Viñas Contest, tenorvinas.com
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