Franz Anton Forti (1790-1859) - Fotografie einer Lithographie, wohl von Josef Lanzedelly d.Ä. nach einer eigenen Zeichnung

Anton Forti, a many-sided musician and a violinist at first, later on was a singer for excellence for Prince Esterházy in Eisenstadt. He finally became opera ministrel in Vienna. He and his wife belonged to Ludwig van Beethoven's Viennese ciricle of friends.

In 1814 and 1822, Forti performed the role of Pizarro in Beethoven's opera "Fidelio". In 1814 he performed the role of the "Führer des Volkes" ("Leader of the People") in the Cantata "Der glorreiche Augenblick" ("The Glorious Moment"). Although the singer had still been in contact with Beethoven in the 1820s, he did not participate in the premiere of the Ninth Symphony on May 7, 1824.(S.B.)