Francesco 
Malapena

Born in Naples (Italy) in 1972, Francesco, treads the  

boards very early, already as a small child, and having  

regard to his superb music talent, he first studies violin  

at the Conservatory of San Pietro a Majella in Naples  

and later mandolin and opera singing. 

Winner of the “E. Caruso” prize in 2004 (competition  

only for tenors), critics wrote about him: “Born exactly  

one hundred years after the great Neapolitan tenor,  

Francesco is the potential heir of the legendary Enrico  

Caruso, being gifted with an ‘argentine’ vocal timbre  

and a very rare ability to interpret. His vocal style  

perfectly blends with his ability of multi-instrumentalist musician.” 

He performs at the Metropolitan Theatre in New York, at the St. Patrick Cathedral and in several theatres in  Broadway. 

In the same year he wins the audition at the San Carlo Theatre in Naples. In 2006 he reaches the second  place of the international competition of opera singing Ritorna Vincitor. 

In 2007 he takes part to the traditional Christmas Concert in Italy, together with several international stars. 

In 2008 he plays the role of Alfredo in La Traviata for the Ravenna Festival, under the direction of Cristina  Mazzavillani Muti at the Dante Alighieri Theatre in Ravenna. He performs in several concerts abroad:  Germany, France, Switzerland (Saint Moritz in Concert), Japan, Bulgaria, Serbia Montenegro, United Kingdom  (at the Royal Albert Hall), United States of America (at the Columbus Day in New York, in the presence of the  former President Bill Clinton and in Chicago). 

He takes part to several television shows such as Domenica in, conducted by Pippo Baudo in videoconference  with Placido Domingo and Maurizio Costanzo Show. He is Guest of honour at the conference held in Rome  by Accademia Italia-Tunisia (on Development and Mediterranean Culture) and Special guest at the Musica e  Amore show, brought by UTET on the Adriatic coast. 

He takes part to the Gran Gala della Voce held at the Dante Alighieri Theatre in Ravenna, together with great  artists like Fiorenza Cedolins, Andrea Bocelli and Roberto Servile.  

In 2009 he performs in Rigoletto (Duca di Mantova), La Traviata (Alfredo) at the Auditorium della RAI in  Naples with the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti, Madama Butterfly (Pinkerton), L'elisir d'amore (Nemorino), Bohème (Rodolfo) and Messa da Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi. 

In 2009 he performs in Poland gaining a huge success. Invited in Moscow by famous opera singer Yelena  Obraztsova he performs in two important concerts at the Bolshoi theatre (Gran Gala).  

In 2010 he sings for the Gran Concerto di Capodanno (New Year’s Concert) in Piazza del Plebiscito (Naples)  accompanied by the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti. He takes part to several concerts in Tunisia, Morocco  accompanied by a prestigious and reknown ensemble, named I Solisti del San Carlo. He takes part to the  International Festival of El Jem in Tunis, sings in several concerts in Romania and for the Gran Gala Lirico in  Dubai. 

In 2011, he perfoms in La Traviata at the Opera festival of Casalbordino, again in La Traviata and Gran Gala  finale at the Opera festival of Casamari (abbey) and other concerts in Copacabana, Budapest, Tirana.  

In 2012 he sings for several concerts in Poland and Germany; Madama Butterfly in Naples (Museo Diocesano)  and La Finta Parigina (opera buffa in three acts by Domenico Cimarosa), the Christmas concert (Casamari  abbey) and a concert with the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti in Naples.

In 2013 he sings for the Gran Concerto di Capodanno (Giuseppe Verdi Theatre, Salerno), later he is in tour in  Canada (The Great Italian Tenors), during the Italian summer tour he sings for La Traviata, Opera Festival in  Casamari and “The Great Italian Tenors” Gran Gala. Concert tour in Brazil, Poland, Ukraine, Australia. Great  Christmas Concert at Casamari abbey with Messa di Gloria by Giacomo Puccini. 

In 2014 concert tour in Australia, Sydney (Opera House). Several concerts in Italy and abroad. 

In 2015 Opera and Operetta: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, La Vedova allegra. Several  concerts (Bucarest, Frankfurt, Berlin). Opera Festival in Casamari, Opera and concerts in Russia: Itzevsk and  Kamsko-Votkinsk (town where Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born) in the theatre dedicated to the famous  Russian composer with the Philarmonia Tchaikovsky Orchestra. 

In 2016 several concerts in Germany (Berlin Opera Theatre) and other venues in Italy and abroad. Winner of  the precious Sebetia-ter award (Naples) as best musician.