Silverio Franconetti

Silverio Franconetti y Aguilar, also known simply as Silverio (June 10, 1831 – May 30, 1889) was a singer and the leading figure of the period in flamenco history known as The Golden Age, which was marked by the creation and definition of most musical forms or palos, the increasing professionalization of flamenco artists, and the shift of center from private gatherings and taverns towards commercial venues called cafés cantante.

However, their different criteria soon caused them to break apart: while el Burrero prioritized business, for Silverio artistic quality was all.

(Ríos Ruiz 2002) As a singer, Silverio was deeply influenced by El Fillo, from whom he learnt most of his repertoire.

According to Demófilo, the spreading of cafés cantante would sooner or later debase the nature of the genre in spite of Silverio's intention to keep it pure: "The cafés cantantes will soon kill the Gypsy singing style in the near future, in spite of the giant efforts of the Sevillian singer to rescue it from the obscure sphere where it lived and which it should never have left if it were to be kept pure and authentic.

[...] To make singing palatable for the masses, [...] he sweetened the elementary harshness of the abrupt songs from Triana, [...], softening the tragedy of the naked Gypsy scream into brilliant dramatic melody.

(Ríos Ruiz 2002:32) ÁLVAREZ CABALLERO, Ángel: El cante flamenco, Alianza Editorial, Madrid, Second edition, 1998.