Franco Battiato, Pop Singer and Versatile Composer, Dies at 76
Though hugely popular as a singer-songwriter in Italy, he never stopped experimenting. He composed for movies, opera and ballet, directed films and painted.
Franco Battiato in 2014. One of Italy’s most popular singer-songwriters, he also directed movies, painted and composed symphonic music.Credit.Claudio Onorati/EPA, via Shutterstock
May 19, 2021, 2:20 p.m. ET
Franco Battiato, one of Italy’s most prominent singer-songwriters, who expressed esoteric ideas in catchy lyrics and, ever an eclectic artist, also composed operas and movie soundtracks, directed films and painted, died on Tuesday at his home in Milo, Sicily. He was 76.