Francesco Merli (28 January 1887 – 11 December 1976) was an Italian opera singer, particularly associated with heavy roles such as Otello, Canio and Calaf.

Merli would sing widely in Italy and South America during the next decade, and also toured Australia in 1928 with an opera company composed of leading La Scala singers and sponsored by Dame Nellie Melba (who also sang during that tour, in roles such as Mimi in La bohème, despite being 67 years old).

[1] He appeared regularly in London at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, from 1926 to 1930, where, among other things, he was the first Calaf to be heard in Great Britain.

He made his debut at the Met on 2 March of that year, as Radames in Aida; but his performances there were not deemed a success due to the effects of poor health.

These qualities enabled him to tackle a wide operatic repertory, ranging from bel canto works through verismo roles to heroic parts such as Verdi's Otello.