Born in Caltagirone, Sicily, Francesco Angelico regularly conducts at major opera houses worldwide, including Tokyo Opera City, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Stuttgart Opera, Graz Opera, and Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse.

His work on the German repertoire is highly praised, particularly his interpretation of Wagner’s Das Ring der Nibelungen and the Schumann-Brahms cycle, which have received unanimous critical acclaim.

Highlights of the 2025–26 season include a new production of Der Freischütz by Weber at the Gothenburg Opera, his debut at the Semperoper Dresden with Rigoletto, the French premiere of Die Passagierin by Weinberg in a new production at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse, Turandot at the Niedersächsisches Staatstheater Hannover, La Bohème am Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe as well as symphonic concerts with the Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg, the Staatsorchester Hannover, and the Gunma Symphony Orchestra.

Starting from the 2026-27 season, Francesco Angelico will serve as General Music Director at the Niedersächsisches Staatstheater Hannover.

From 2017 to 2025, he served as General Music Director of the Hessisches Staatstheater Kassel, and since 2024 has been Chief Conductor of the Staatsorchester Kassel. At the end of his tenure, the orchestra, with the approval of the Hessian Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, awarded him the title of “Ehrendirigent” (Honorary Conductor). From 2013 to 2017, he was principal conductor of the Tiroler Symphonieorchester Innsbruck and the Landestheater Innsbruck.

Since October 2025, Francesco Angelico has been Professor of Opera Conducting at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.

After graduating in cello from the Conservatory of Modena in 2001, he began studying conducting with Giorgio Bernasconi at the Conservatory of Lugano in 2003, graduating in 2006. During this time, he worked as Bernasconi’s assistant in the Swiss Radio’s “900 Passato e presente” concert series for contemporary music, which sparked his strong interest in contemporary music.

In 2016, he received the Austrian Musical Theatre Award “Goldener Schikaneder” for his interpretation of Francesco Cilea’s Adriana Lecouvreur. In 2011, he won the Deutscher Dirigentenpreis.