Francesco Bartolomeo de Leone (1887-1948) was an American composer of Italian descent. He entered the Dana Musical Institute at age 15, and traveled to Italy in 1907 to attend the Conservatorio Reale di Musica of Naples. Upon his graduation in 1910, his operetta, A Millionaire’s Caprice, was produced throughout Italy. That year, de Leone returned to America to become Director of Music in the Municipal University in Ohio.
During his career de Leone composed cantatas, songs, and works for piano in addition to operas and operettas, his most notable being Alglala (1924), which remains one of the best examples of the Indianist movement in American music. This work won a Bispham Memorial Medal Award and numerous other recognitions. De Leone also received the title of Chavalier of the Order of the Royal Crown from King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy, in recognition of his success in operatic composition.
