Roberto Benzi

{{Short description|French conductor and former child actor (born 1937)}}

Roberto Benzi (born 1937) is a French conductor and former child actor.

Early life

Roberto Benzi was born on 12 December 1937 in Marseille, France."Benzi, Roberto (1937–...)" {{BnF|13891374f}} His parents discovered his musicality when he was very young, and taught him solfège and piano. As a teenager he acted in two films.{{cite news|last1=Clairant|first1=François|title=Roberto Benzi, 25 ans après|url=http://www.sudouest.fr/2013/06/13/roberto-benzi-25-ans-apres-1083608-2780.php|accessdate=November 1, 2016|newspaper=Sud Ouest|date=June 13, 2013}} When he was about ten years old he received instruction from André Cluytens.

Career

In 1960, at age 22, he made his first recordings with the Lamoureux Orchestra of works by Liszt, Beethoven, Bizet, Rossini, Respighi, and many more, for the Philips label, all released in Hi-Fi stereo. He also made recordings with the Hague Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Bucharest Philharmonic Orchestra. At age 27 he conducted La Boutique fantasque (Rossini/Respighi) for the Louis de Funès film The Sucker (1965). Benzi was the conductor of the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine from 1973 to 1987. He was the conductor of the {{ill|Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra|nl}} in Arnhem, Netherlands, from the 1989/1990 season till 1998. He later conducted orchestras in Russia and Japan.

Personal life

Benzi resides in Paris. He was married to opera singer Jane Rhodes, who died in 2011.{{cite news|last1=Machart|first1=Renaud| authorlink = Renaud Machart |title=Jane Rhodes, cantatrice|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/article/2011/05/10/jane-rhodes-cantatrice_1519705_3382.html|accessdate=November 1, 2016|newspaper=Le Monde|date=May 10, 2011}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Director ! Role
1950 \| Prelude to Glory \| Georges Lacombe \| Roberto
1953 \| The Call of Destiny \| Georges Lacombe \| Roberto Benzi

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Director

! Role

1950

| Prelude to Glory

| Georges Lacombe

| Roberto

1953

| The Call of Destiny

| Georges Lacombe