BELGRADO, DAVID FERNANDO

BELGRADO, DAVID FERNANDO (1918– ), rabbi and ḥazzan. Born in Florence, Italy, Belgrado was appointed third ḥazzan to the Great Synagogue of Florence at the age of 18. He went on to become the second ḥazzan and ultimately the chief ḥazzan of the Florentine community. He was ordained as rabbi in Rome and was appointed chief rabbi of Florence in 1961. Belgrado studied music and singing at the municipal theater of Florence and has sung in operas and concerts of Jewish and general music. He has made recordings of his renditions of cantorial chants in the Florentine style. (Akiva Zimmerman)