Urban legend
As a boy, Franchetti studied composition and piano with his father, the Baron Alberto Franchetti (1860–1942). Baron Franchetti was a wealthy, well-respected and successful composer of the operas often performed at La Scala including "Germania" (performed by Enrico Caruso, conducted by Arturo Toscanini) and "Christoforo Colombo". Urban legend has it that Luigi Illica's libretto of "Tosca" was first offered to Franchetti who, too busy at the time with other projects, passed it on to his friend Puccini.