Meredith Willson brought Franchi to the attention of Richard Rodgers when he was casting the leading role of the romantic Venetian shopkeeper, Renato Di Rossi, for the musical "Do I Hear a Waltz". Rodgers provided $450,000 towards the financing of the show, and Columbia Records provided $105,640. Advance ticket sales of $900,000 indicated a lengthy run, despite mixed reviews. Franchi liked the score and embraced the idea, although it meant giving up a large portion of a year's income from his concert dates. The Broadway show was the focus of Franchi's endeavors until the musical closed on September 25, 1965. Reviews were generally favorable for his singing. The song "Bargaining" was especially written by Rodgers to showcase Franchi's vocal dexterity and to provide comic relief in the score. The show continued to be popular and Franchi continued success with it, and with other endeavors, such as continuing recording with RCA Victor.