Francesco Borosini (*Ca. 1690, † Nach 1756) : Leben und Karriere eines Tenors im Frühen Settecento

Francesco Borosini (* ca. 1690, † after 1756) was one of the most significant singers of the first half of the 18th century and managed to obtain roles and arias comparable to those of the stars of Italian Baroque Opera, the castratos. Little is known about his origins and whereabouts when he was not traceable in Vienna. However, numerous manuscripts of operas, serenatas and oratorios given at the Habsburg court between 1713 and 1730 contain a vast amount of arias written for him, which illustrate his exceptional vocal capacities. The goal of this research was to examine those types of sources and to investigate the way in which composers and librettists made use of his abilities, at times creating unique roles for a tenor of this epoch. Furthermore, this article aims to show how his engagements in different European operatic centres reflected considerably on the writing for his voice.