Francesco Sannicandro, born in 1991 in Bitonto (southern Italy), has an amazing career in the field of classical music.
Francesco spent his childhood in Padua, where he first came into contact with music, more precisely with his father's electric keyboard.
Francesco, always fascinated by rock music, founded his first rock band “EXSONO” at the age of 13. He wrote and composed 12 of his own songs for an album produced together in Los Angeles in 2013.
2012 © https://www.youtube.com/user/ExsonoMusic

Meanwhile, Francesco devoted himself to other musical genres such as pop and classical music, constantly creating new compositions and taking part in performances and competitions at the regional level.  He received great recognition for his work as “Virgil” in “Divina Commedia Opera” by Monsignor Marco Frisina. In 2009, Francesco received several prizes in the youth category “GRIFO D’ORO”, among others for the best voice, the best artistic achievement, and for the best costume;  in collaboration with Vittorio Matteucci.

At the age of 16, Francesco was approached by the singing teacher and manager Pino Maiorano, who was very impressed by Francesco's vocal color and advised him to study opera singing.  In 2010 Francesco got one of the coveted places at the “Conservatorio di Musica Niccolò Piccinni” in Bari, where he took courses in classical singing under the direction of the famous character baritone M ° Domenico Colaianni.  With his support, he perfected his musical habits with the kind of "bel canto". There Francesco also had the chance to work with the experienced pianist and singing teacher Lucrezia Messa, who taught him the so-called “voice craft technique” with which he gained full control of his voice.

Francesco was invited to Barcelona to take classes with internationally renowned baritone Roberto Accurso, who firmly believed in Francesco's talent and future prospects.
These many possibilities allowed Francesco to be part of the operatic world from an early age.  As a “comprimario” and “choir member” he interpreted roles infamous pieces for various opera festivals across the country, such as “Gala Lirico Pucciniano” (Bitonto 2009), “Bitonto Opera Festival” & “Casamari Festival Lirico” (2010 and 2011) and “Conversano Estate  ”(2011 and 2015).

Francesco also took part in several musical projects as a solo artist and as a choir singer in pieces such as "Magnificat" by CPE Bach, Mozart's solemn messes and Requiem, "Oratorio de Noel Op.12" by C. Saint-Saens, "Te Deum" by Charpentier and Purcell and Requiem by Faurè.

Participation in these pieces made it possible for Francesco to work with renowned opera directors such as M° Maurizio Arena, Silvano Frontalini, Gaetano Soliman, Gregorio Goffredo and Rino Marrone.
In May 2016, shortly before his graduation, Francesco won the “Traetta opera festival 2016” in the lead role as Prince “Stordilano di Granada” in “Il Cavaliere Errante” in collaboration with the director M ° Vito Clemente and the “Orchestra Metropolitana di Bari”  Prize. ”During this time he worked with the baritone Giovanni Guarino and the professor Antonietta Cozzoli.
     
In July 2016, Francesco completed his master's degree as an opera singer with the highest honors at the ‘Conservatorio di Musica Niccolò Piccinni’ in Bari.
To continue his vocal training, Francesco moved to Los Angeles (CA) in the same year and attended Huntington Beach Music College thanks to receiving two scholarships.  There he worked with Bruce Bales (choir director and expert on baroque music), as well as the Russian pianist and soprano Alina Artemova.  At the same institute, Francesco received awards and good grades for his great progress and commitment.  During this experience, Francesco had the honor of becoming part of the music group L’espirit Baroque, with whom he performed several times at important events, e.g. in collaboration with LittleSaiganTV.  Francesco also had the chance to personally take part in masterclasses by and with Peter Mark in Beverly Hills (CA).  During this time, Francesco also met artists like the great Placido Domingo, Rockwell Blake, Shigemi Matsumoto, Henry Price, and Carol Neblett.

After the great experience in the USA, Francesco wanted to look around for new musical challenges. After several auditions in Europe, he got a role at the Opernloft Hamburg in "Carmen" and performed in their cooperation at the Ernst Deutsch Theater.  He also made his debut as “Guglielmo” in “Così Fan Tutte” for the “Bergedorfer Musiktage Festival” in June 2018.
In the summer of 2018, Francesco won an audition for the masterclass "L’arte in scena è opera divina" in Cerignola (Italy) with Dr. Mara Monopoli and Maestro Antonio Stragapede.  In October 2018 he worked on a new project for his role as "Toante" in "Oreste" by Handel for the University of Music and Theater.
In 2019, Francesco decided to pass on his pedagogical skills and started teaching at various music schools in Hamburg. Since then he has been working freelance for music schools, where he gives individual and group lessons for singing and piano. In addition, he decided to continue his education in the field of early musical education.  He is now active in early musical education for several daycare centers.

In addition to his educational activities, Francesco continues to love to be on stage.

He gives concerts in Italy and Germany.  Among other things, he was on stage for the Jewish Institute in August 2019. Shortly afterward he received another call from the Opernloft Hamburg, who offered him a mixed role in “La Traviata”. The modern staging of this opera follows a new concept and was written for only five performers. Francesco took on the following roles: Marchese, barons, dottors, and parts of the choir. The production was a great success, followed by reports on television and in the newspapers. Due to the success, the Opernloft decided to extend the season and so additional shows followed.
After many performances had to be canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Francesco focused on his own compositions and used the time to compose new things and work on his own projects.

More information:
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSannicandroOpera/
 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChZy6p-ABj37Yu3svzFMZ5Q