Francesca Breschi
Born in Florence and trained as a classical pianist, she perfected her vocal performance skills with Professor Pezzetti in Perugia.
Since 1990 she has been a member of Giovanna Marini’s “Quartetto Vocale” (produced by the Théâtre de Vidy in Lausanne) and has assisted the group with music for theater productions from 1995 to the present (for Elio de Capitani, Giancarlo Cobelli, Patrice Kerbrat/Giulio Bosetti, Hans Günther Heyme and Franz Marijnen).
In 2000, with the same quartet, she performed in “I TIGI – Canto per Ustica” written by and featuring Marco Paolini.
Since 1978 she has taken an eclectic approach to her art, researching and venturing into different musical genres: the oral tradition in Italian music (which she teaches in Italy and abroad, in addition to workshops on technique for professional performers); musical theater (member of the Coop. Pupi & Fresedde Teatro from 1981 to 1986); composition of electronic music for video art in Spain (for Antoni Muntadas, Raul Rodriguez and Josè Antonio Hergueta, among others); flamenco music; a long-lasting collaboration with composer Nicola Piovani (“La canzone del Maldiluna” in “Kaos” by the Taviani brothers; “La cantata del Fiore”; “La cantata del Buffo”; “Signor Novecento”; “Canti di Scena”) and extensive work with David Riondino (“Paesaggi dopo la battaglia,” the CD “Temporale” and “Pia de’ Tolomei” in the summer of 2005). This partnership gave rise to the stage production “Cundu luna Vini” in 1992 and a CD which bears the same name. Finally, Ms. Breschi has also performed music from the 13th and 14th centuries, predominantly with the Micrologus Ensemble from Assisi.
She founded the Ars Vocis association to teach courses and workshops in Italy and abroad, and was resident artist at the Teatridithalia/Teatro dell’ Elfo in Milan in 2003-2004.
She occasionally works with the Harmonia Ensemble (Orio Odori, Alessandra Garosi, Damiano Puliti and Paolo Corsi). Also with Orio Odori, she composed the music to two texts by Roberto Roversi for his stage production “Arcangeli/Morandi. Parole, dolore, silenzio.” With an ensemble of electric instruments, she is currently giving concerts of her latest work, Canti Molesti , written with Adolfo Broegg; the show combines material released on a CD bearing the same name (“Canti Molesti” on Nota/Materiali Sonori) with an incredibly personal interpretation of T. Tasso’s “Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda,” which was presented as a “Special Project” for Fabbrica Europa/Stazione Leopolda in 2004.
In May 2006 she acted, sang and directed the music for the Teatro dell’Elfo’s production of Heiner Müller’s “Riva Abbandonata/Materiale per Medea/Paesaggio con Argonauti” under the direction of Elio de Capitani.
In July 2006 she was invited by actor Marco Paolini and cellist Mario Brunello, with musicians Giovanni Sollima and Paolo Fresu, to perform in the festival “I Suoni delle Dolomiti.” That same month she directed one of her vocal works combining song and speech, written for Emilio Isgrò’s “Preghiera Ecumenica per la Salvezza dell’Arte e della Cultura.”
In May 2007 the Teatro dell'Elfo invited her to produce her show Combat (Canti Molesti/Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda); she continues to perform at the same theater in productions by Teatridithalia, and presented her new show "Nomadìa: tra monti d'Oriente ed Occidente" at the Festival "I Suoni delle Dolomiti" last August, featuring cellist Damiano Puliti and violinist Mauro Fabbrucci.
She is currently working on a new project called "Anghelos" (working title).