Francisco D'Andrade

Francisco D'Andrade
D'Andrade in 1890 as Don Giovanni, his signature role
Born	Francisco Augusto D'Andrade e Silva (1856-01-11)11 January 1856 Lisbon, Portugal
Died	8 February 1921(1921-02-08) (aged 65) Berlin, Germany
Years active	1882–1919
Known for	Opera singer (baritone)

Francisco Augusto D'Andrade, or De Andrade, (11 January 1856 – 8 February 1921) was a Portuguese baritone who sang leading roles in opera houses throughout Europe, including five years as the principal baritone at the Royal Italian Opera in London and thirteen years at the Berlin Hofoper. Considered a "very elegant and cultured singer," he was particularly admired for his portrayal of the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni. In his native city of Lisbon, D'Andrade created the role of Adaour in the 1888 world premiere of Alfredo Keil's Donna Bianca, appearing with his elder brother, the tenor António D'Andrade.

D'Andrade was born in Lisbon. His father was a prominent jurist there, and he initially trained as a lawyer. However, like his older brother António, D'Andrade also had a keen interest in opera and theatre. Both frequently attended performances in the Teatro do Ginásio and participated in amateur productions with the Sociedade Taborda. He studied the basics of acting and music with Manuel Carreira and Arturo Pontecchi, the principal conductor of the Teatro São Carlos, and gave his first public recital in 1879 at the Salão da Trindade in Lisbon. In the spring of 1881, he left for Milan to continue his musical training, first with the tenor Corrado Miraglia, and after Miraglia's death later that year with the baritone Sebastiano Ronconi.

D'Andrade made his operatic debut on 23 December 1882 at the Teatro Principe Amedeo in Sanremo as Amonasro in Verdi's Aida. Over the next four years he sang in the opera houses of Portugal, Spain and Italy, including the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, where he sang Count de Luna in Verdi's Il trovatore and Severo in the theatre's first performance of Donizetti's Poliuto. Both he and his brother were engaged as singers at the Théâtre Privé d'Opéra in Moscow for the 1885/86 season. They would appear together again in several other productions, most notably the 1888 world premiere of Alfredo Keil's Donna Bianca at the Teatro São Carlos with Francisco as Adaour and António as Aben-Afan.