Italian conductor Gabriele Ferro, 88, died in Palermo, where he last conducted at Teatro Massimo. A champion of both bel canto and contemporary music, his career spanned decades and continents.
Italian conductor dies at 88
Gabriele Ferro, an Italian conductor, died in Palermo on October 29 at the age of 88. He had recently been conducting at Teatro Massimo, where he held the lifetime title of honorary music director.Final performance included his own work
Ferro’s last performance included a program featuring works by Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as his own composition, Syntropia n° 5 « Pour Barbara », for orchestra and live electronic music, inspired by a fragment of Sappho, as stated in the theater's statement.Early life and musical training
Born in Pescara on November 15, 1937, Ferro was the son of composer Pietro Ferro. He studied piano and composition at the Conservatorio Santa Cecilia in Rome and later refined his skills under Franco Ferrara.Career beginnings and early recognition
In 1970, Ferro won the Young Conductors Competition of RAI, which led to invitations from Italian radio orchestras and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He also worked regularly with Claudio Abbado at La Scala in the 1970s and maintained a long-term collaboration with the Orchestre national de France.Career spanning concert halls and opera houses
Ferro’s career divided between concert halls and opera houses. He was the permanent conductor of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra from 1979 to 1997 and principal conductor of the RAI Rome Orchestra from 1987 to 1991. He later held leadership roles at the Staatstheater Stuttgart and San Carlo in Naples.Recordings and collaborations
Ferro participated in the revival of Rossini’s operas, recording La Cenerentola and L'italiana in Algeri with the Cappella Coloniensis on period instruments. He also recorded Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra and Il barbiere di Siviglia, featuring notable performers such as Cecilia Bartoli.Beyond bel canto
Ferro’s work extended beyond bel canto opera. In Naples, his production of Elektra earned him the Abbiati Prize. He also conducted forgotten works, such as Il Vologeso by Jommelli, and promoted contemporary composers like Berio and Stockhausen.Legacy and teaching
A meticulous musician, Ferro was known for his focus on the clarity of scores rather than dramatic effects. He passed on his expertise to young conductors at the Fiesole Music School, invited by Piero Farulli. His career, which began in Sicily, ended there as well.
