Figure 1.--Roberto performed in a number of tailor made short pamts outfits. There were both white and black outfits.

The destinguised French muscician Robert Benzi was a child prodigy conductor, directing major orchestras when still a teenager, and being invited to conduct Bizet's Carmen at the Paris Opera when he was just 21 years old. He was born in Marseilles, France, during 1937. He is of Italian origin. After advanced musical studies, at 8 years old, he studied orchestra conducting with André Cluytens (famous conductor). At 11 he conducted orchestras in France, Scandinavia and South America. I do not have details on his clothing yet, but I believe he wore short pants and kneesocks well into his teens.

Parents

Roberto's parents were of Italian ancestry. His father was a music teacher.

Childhood

Roberto Benzi was born in Marseilles, France, during 1937. Many Italians live in Marseilles, like Roberto's parents. (The experiences of Italians in France is addressed in the film The Ritals. A still photo from the film is on the beret page.

Roberto's father taught him the piano from an early age. After advanced musical studies, at 8 years old, he studies orchestra conduct with André Cluytens (famous conductor).

Childhood Clothing

I do not yet have details on what Roberto wore as a boy when he was not performing. A French reader reports, "Roberto during his chilhood; he was avery day dressed in juvenil style. They were common at the time for children in the French. In addition his mother was very particular about his clothes."

Roberto as a boy around 12 years old performed in a number of tailor made short pamts outfits. There were both white and black outfits. They appears to be sdhorts sets with matching tops and short pants. The white outfit had a normal collar. The black outfit had no lapels and appears to have been buttoned across the collar. It was worn with a white shirt with the colar extending out over the jacket or top of the shorts set. Both outfits have a self-belt, or belt made out of the same material as the shorts set. They were worn with sdhort white socks and balck Oxford lace-up shoes. A French reader tells us, "Roberto's performance suits were not specialy made for him, they were purchased in fashionable boutiques. Many French boys were dressed in very short fancy suits during the 1940s-50s."

Roberto appears to have worn short pants as a teenager. A film about his life shows him as a 17 year old teenager still wearing short pants and kneesocks. I do not know that his parents continued dressing him in short pants to emphasize his youth, but that was the case for many other child progidies.

A French contributor recalls from memory photos from newpapers and magazines. Roberto conducted the orchestras in shorts and white shirts, rather like the photograph above.

Figure 2.--Roberto was extremely popuklar throughout Europe in the 1940s and eraly 50s.

Childhood Prodigy

Roberto is best known for his childhood musical accomplishments, but he was also in movies.

Music

He was a child prodigy conductor, directing major orchestras when still a pre-teen and teenager. Roberto conducted his first concerts at the age of 11 (July 1948 in Bayonne; November 1948 in Paris, Orchestre Colonne). He conducts orchestras in France, Scandinavia and South America.

Roberto studied until 1958 (1947-50 under André Cluytens). From 1954 he studied opera scores. invited to conduct Bizet's Carmen at the Paris Opera when he was just 21.

Movies

Roberto also played in two feature films «Prélude à la gloire» (prelude to Glory) (1949) and «L'appel du destin» (Call from Destiny) (1950).

Adult Career

Benzi achieved a major success in 1959 with Georges Bizet's «Carmen», which he was the first person to conduct in the Palais Gernier, the Paris opera house. He resumed normal studies and acquires a deeper knowledge of musical writing. In 1957 he begins a conductor career as an adult. Among several milestones he conducts the Bordeaux-Aquitaine orchestra in France from 1973 to 1987. After that the Arnheim orchestra in Netherlands. His repertoire is above all romantic.

Figure 3.--The photo is from "Mon film" (My film), a film magazine dated January 27, 1954. The titles of the films show well what was the topic of the films: a boy whose destiny is conducting great orchestras. About the clothes you can see he had to keep a youthful look through short pants and kneesocks even though he was 17 years old.

He toured Japan with the same opera. He travelled widely throughout Europe, in the East and in North Africa, and in 1966 he visited Canada for the first time. In 1972 he conducted at the Met for the first time («Margarethe» by Gounod). From 1973-87 he was the musical director of the Orchestre de Bordeaux-Aquitaine.

I have relatively little information on Benzi. One HBC contributor tells me that the first classical recored he bought, when still at school, was Tchaikovsky's fourth symphony conducted by Roberto Benzi. That wasn't because he was a fan of his, but because it was then the only budget version available!

Reader Comments

A french reader comments, "Roberto Benzi is very well known here. His carer was very widely publicized and he was very popular."