Ferruccio Furlanetto was born on May 16, 1949, in Sacile, Italy. Originally he studied classical philology and natural science, but at the age of 22, he decided to pursue singing and musical studies instead.
He made his professional debut in 1974. Some sources list the role as Colline in Puccini's La Bohème in Triest, others as Sparafucile in Verdi's Rigoletto in Lonigo.
In 1977 he won a singing competition (and the title role in Don Giovanni) in Treviso. His United States debut took place the following year in New Orleans, where he sang Zaccaria in Verdi's Nabucco. In 1979 he made his La Scala debut, singing the role of Banquo in Verdi's MacBeth under Claudio Abbado.
In 1980 he debuted at Glyndebourne as Melibeo in Haydn's La fedeltà premiata, and at the Met in New York as the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's Don Carlo. His Vienna State Opera debut came in 1985 with the title role in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. And in 1986, his international prominence was sealed when he filled in at short notice as Filippo in Don Carlo, in a Salzburg Easter Festival production under Karajan that was telecast worldwide.
Mr. Furlanetto has performed at the major opera houses world-wide, including Vienna, London, Paris, New York, Rome, Milan, Turin, Palermo, St. Petersburg, Geneva, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, and San Diego. In 2001 he was awarded the title Kammersänger by the Vienna State Opera. Mr. Furlanetto is an Honorary Ambassador to the United Nations and an avid golfer.