Italian mezzo-soprano Francesca Di Sauro has established an international career distinguished by her versatility across the bel canto, Mozart, French and Italian dramatic repertoire. Her performances have taken her to leading opera houses and festivals including Teatro alla Scala, Arena di Verona, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Teatro Massimo di Palermo and Rossini in Wildbad.

A particularly significant aspect of her career is her longstanding artistic collaboration with Riccardo Muti, under whose direction she has performed Santuzza in Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, Fenena in Verdi’s Nabucco, Despina in Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Zerlina in Don Giovanni.

2026/27 SEASON

Francesca Di Sauro’s 2026/27 season includes engagements at leading opera houses in Europe and South America. She appears as Dorabella in Mozart’s Così fan tutte at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and makes her debut as Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma at the Lithuanian National Opera in Vilnius.

Further highlights include Meg Page in a new production of Verdi’s Falstaff at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo, conducted by Francesco Lanzillotta and directed by Ruggero Cappuccio, as well as Lola in Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Mark Elder.

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS

Recent highlights include her acclaimed portrayal of Pippo in Rossini’s La gazza ladra at the Rossini in Wildbad Festival and in Kraków, conducted by José Miguel Pérez-Sierra, as well as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Teatro Verdi di Salerno under Daniel Oren.

Other recent engagements include Fenena in Nabucco at the Arena di Verona, Dorabella in Così fan tutte at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna and with the OperaLombardia circuit, Idamante in Idomeneo at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni in Tokyo under Riccardo Muti.

At Teatro alla Scala, Di Sauro made her debut as Zulma in L’italiana in Algeri and subsequently returned as Giulietta and La Voix in Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Bersi in Andrea Chénier and Lola in Cavalleria rusticana. Further international engagements include Zaida in Il turco in Italia at the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires and the title role in Carmen at Oper im Steinbruch in Austria.

Her repertoire also encompasses Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri, Adalgisa in Norma, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly and a range of Baroque and Classical roles, reflecting both her bel canto expertise and her developing dramatic repertoire.

Born in Naples, Di Sauro graduated with honours from the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella and continued her training at the Accademia del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. In 2018, she won the 69th As.Li.Co. International Competition in the role of Carmen. She has since collaborated with conductors including Riccardo Muti, Marco Armiliato, Daniel Oren, Ottavio Dantone, Carlo Rizzi and Michele Spotti.

SELECTED ROLES

Adalgisa · Norma

Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Vilnius

Dorabella · Così fan tutte

Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires

Carmen · Carmen

Oper im Steinbruch

Rosina · Il barbiere di Siviglia

Teatro Verdi di Salerno

Pippo · La gazza ladra

Rossini in Wildbad · Kraków