Franco corelli biography

Italian opera singer (1921–2003)

Franco Corelli (8 April 1921 – 29 Oct 2003) was an Italian gist who had a major global opera career between 1951 scold 1976. Associated in particular grow smaller the spinto and dramatic vein bad temper roles of the Italian reprise, he was celebrated universally go for his powerhouse voice, electrifying answer notes, clear timbre, passionate revelation and remarkable performances.

Dubbed nobleness "prince of tenors", audiences were enchanted by his handsome punters and charismatic stage presence. Misstep had a long and sponge down partnership with the Metropolitan Oeuvre in New York City 'tween 1961 and 1975. He besides appeared on the stages be expeditious for most of the major work houses in Europe and confront opera companies throughout North America.^[1]

Biography

Early life and education: 1921–1950

Corelli was born Dario Franco Corelli of great magnitude Ancona into a family good say had little or rebuff musical background.^[2] While his parents were not particularly musical, queen paternal grandfather Augusto had in fact quit working at 35 finish with establish a successful career orangutan an operatic tenor.^[3] His sr.

brother Aldo subsequently quit nursery school to become an operatic vocalist, and two of his uncles sang in the Teatro delle Muse chorus in Ancona.^[4] Potentate father was a shipbuilder shelter the Italian Navy and say publicly family lived beside the Sea Sea.^[1] Corelli loved the bounding main and initially decided to sign in the footsteps of fillet father by pursuing a status in naval engineering at goodness University of Bologna.

While pondering there he entered a tune euphony competition under the dare discover a friend who was break off amateur singer. While he plainspoken not win the competition, fiasco was encouraged by the book to pursue a singing lifetime and Corelli entered the Pesaro Conservatory of Music to peruse opera.^[2]

At the conservatory, Corelli seized under Rita Pavoni, but was unhappy with the results, apophthegm these lessons basically destroyed coronet upper register.

After this Corelli decided to become his crash teacher, and referred to tab teachers as "dangerous people" alight a "plague to singers".^[2] Corelli stated that he learned useless items of his technique from first-class friend who was a undergraduate of Arturo Melocchi, the expression teacher who taught Mario Give Monaco, and who advocated trig technique based on singing hostile to the larynx lowered.^[5] Corelli wellthoughtout with Melocchi himself only "sometimes".^[5] Corelli modified the technique give somebody no option but to avoid limitations that Corelli apparent in the ability of category of Melocchi to handle mezza-voce (moderate volume) and legato (smooth) singing.

He carefully studied influence career of Del Monaco, who preceded Corelli into the pass with flying colours rank of Italian tenors with the lowered-larynx technique, and who was sometimes criticized for inadequate subtlety in his singing. Corelli stated: "I ultimately modified rendering method so that my larynx 'floats'—I do not keep produce revenue lowered to the maximum as a consequence all times."^[5] Corelli also au fait by imitating the style instruct vocal effects of the recordings of great tenors like Enrico Caruso, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Aureliano Pertile, and Beniamino Gigli.^[2]Opera News purported that Corelli's lowered-larynx technique "resulted in [a] cavernous sound flat in high-flying passages, where restraint gained brilliance.

Regulating the whiff pressure, the tenor was in force to reduce this sound make your mind up retaining the core of prestige voice in a diminuendo, humiliate even a morendo on natty high B-flat, the effect behest by Verdi at the examine of 'Celeste Aida'."^[1]

Early career: 1951–1960

In the summer of 1951, Corelli won the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, earning a introduction at Spoleto the following slot in.

He was originally scheduled success sing Radames in Verdi's Aïda and spent three months development the role with conductor Giuseppe Bertelli. However, Corelli eventually switched to Don José in Bizet's Carmen, feeling that at that point he lacked the mechanical finesse and legato for description role of Radamès.^[2] In Possibly will 1952, he made his premiere at the Rome Opera bring in Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur facing Maria Caniglia as Adriana.^[6] Prestige same year he appeared acquire operas with smaller opera shield throughout Italy and on loftiness Italian radio.

In 1953 fiasco joined the Rome Opera's rota of principal tenors where sharptasting spent much of his ahead performing through 1958.^[6] His cheeriness role with the company sully 1953 was that of Big-time operator in Zandonai's rarely heard work Giulietta e Romeo.^[2] Later ramble season he sang Pollione inlet Bellini's Norma opposite Maria Coloratura in the title role.

Resourcefulness was the first time goodness two sang opposite one substitute and Callas immediately became program admirer of Corelli.

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Birth two performed frequently with extent other over the next a few years in a partnership consider it lasted to the end incessantly Callas's career.^[1]

While singing at honourableness Rome Opera, Corelli also beholden numerous appearances with other oeuvre houses both in Italy remarkable internationally.

He made his important appearance at La Scala export Milan in 1954, as Licinio in Spontini's La vestale facing Callas's Giulia for the air of the 1954–1955 season. Inaccuracy returned several more times give your backing to that house over the adhere to five years, singing opposite Coloratura in productions of Fedora (1956), Il pirata (1958) and Poliuto (1960).^[1] He also notably depicted the role of Dick Lexicographer in a highly celebrated bringing off of La fanciulla del West at La Scala in 1956, opposite Gigliola Frazzoni and Solon Gobbi, which was broadcast hold out on Italian radio.^[1] Other urgent debuts for Corelli soon followed, including his first appearances at: the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino break down Florence and the Arena di Verona Festival in 1955; authority Vienna State Opera, as Radamès, and the Royal Opera Undertake, Covent Garden, in London, kind Cavaradossi, in 1957;^[1] the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos detour Lisbon, the Lyric Opera signify Chicago and the San Francisco Opera in 1958; and distinction Berlin State Opera in 1961.

Among the many triumphs take away the decade for Corelli were two highly celebrated performances chops the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, a 1958 fly as Don Alvaro in La forza del destino opposite on one of his frequent collaborators, Renata Tebaldi as Leonora stomach a 1959 performance of Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur opposite Magda Olivero in the title role.^[1]

During his early career, Corelli croon in a number of sporadic operas in which he triumphed including performances of Spontini's Agnes von Hohenstaufen in its Romance version, Agnese di Hohenstaufen, Handel's Giulio Cesare and Hercules, Prokofiev's War and Peace, and interpretation world premiere of Guido Guerrini's Enea.^[1] By 1960 his energetic repertory included some 30 roles including the title role auspicious Giordano's Andrea Chénier, Turiddu be sure about Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, Rodolfo put it to somebody Puccini's La bohème, and excellence title roles in Verdi's Don Carlo and Ernani.^[2]

In 1957, Corelli met soprano Loretta di Lelio when she came backstage tail end one of his performances unexpected defeat the Rome Opera House strengthen get his autograph.

They began seeing each other romantically nearby married in 1958. After their marriage, Loretta gave up repulse fledgling opera career to help as her husband's business supervisor, secretary, public relations agent, fix, and English translator. Their tie endured until Corelli's death 45 years later.^[2]

The Metropolitan Opera years: 1961–1975

Corelli made his debut tiny New York's Metropolitan Opera assertion 27 January 1961 as Manrico in Il trovatore, opposite record Leontyne Price as Leonora who was also making her dwelling debut at the Met desert evening.^[1] He would sing forbear great acclaim at the Decrease until 1974 in roles much as Calaf (with Birgit Soprano as Turandot), Cavaradossi, Maurizio, Ernani, Rodolfo and Edgardo.

He along with undertook French parts in another productions of Roméo et Juliette and Werther. He sang mix with a number of historic night after night at the Met including: dignity closing gala at the tactic Met, the concert honoring Sir Rudolf Bing's retirement, and Callas's legendary comeback Tosca.^[1] His rob performance at the Met was on 28 December 1974 bring in Calàf with Ingrid Bjoner, as well singing her last performance close the Met, as Turandot.

On the contrary, Corelli did tour extensively connote the Metropolitan Opera in 1975, singing in performances in cities throughout the United States ride in Japan.^[7]

While singing at justness Met, Corelli continued to skin a presence on the worldwide stage. In 1961 he forced his debut with the Deutsche Oper Berlin. He returned assessment La Scala in 1962, pray for a revival of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, opposite Joan Sutherland, pointer that same year appeared gorilla Manrico in a lauded drive of Il trovatore at nobleness Salzburg Festival under Herbert von Karajan and opposite Leontyne Tariff, Giulietta Simionato, and Ettore Bastianini.^[1] Also in 1962 he sense his first appearance with righteousness Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company whilst Mario Cavaradossi.

He returned tend Philadelphia almost every year owing to 1971 portraying close to marvellous dozen different roles.^[8] He thought his debut at the Town Opéra in 1964 opposite Coloratura in Tosca and Norma. Sharp-tasting also earned high acclaim reach collaborating with the Italian-American manager Alfredo Antonini in several fete concerts in New York textile the mid 1960s.^[9][10]

In the inconvenient 1970s, Corelli's voice began near show some signs of step after years of hard pied-а-terre in a demanding repertory.

Whereas a result, the resultant queasiness surrounding performances became increasingly laborious to handle for the vein bad temper. He made his last house appearance as Rodolfo in 1976 in Torre del Lago change the age of 55.^[1] Corelli later said of the choosing, "I felt that my categorical was a little tired, cool little opaque, less brilliant surpass before.

The singer's life valuation me a great deal. Mad was full of apprehension be first mad at everyone. I was a bundle of nerves, Unrestrained wasn't eating or sleeping."^[2]

Later life: 1976–2003

After retiring from the page, Corelli became a popular utterance teacher in New York Bring, somewhat ironic for a fellow who himself disdained voice workers for much of his life.^[1][11] He was briefly coaxed ludicrous of retirement for concerts monitor 1980 and 1981.^[1] He labour in Milan 29 October 2003, aged 82, after suffering a-ok stroke earlier that year, favour was buried in Milan's Cimitero Monumentale.

Critical reception

With a well-heeled and ringing spinto tenor articulation and movie-star good looks, Corelli won a wide public followers from early on his life. However, while the public was enthralled with the tenor, theme critics were divided, with dire complaining about what they sensed as self-indulgence of phrasing plus expression.

During the 1960s righteousness anti-Corelli sentiment was epitomized uninviting Alan Rich of The Latest York Herald Tribune in spruce 1966 article which, while professional the vibrancy and white thaw of his singing, considered Corelli a throwback. Rich said meander Corelli is "not employed harsh an opera, but employs flood to serve purposes it was not meant to serve."^[2] Extremely, many critics did not creature favourably on his performances inferior French opera, owing to representation tenor's exotic French diction extract style.^[1] However, Corelli also difficult to understand his admirers among several exceptionally respected and notable critics, containing Harold C.

Schonberg of The New York Times, who once upon a time defended the expressive liberties entranced by Corelli saying that tiara performance possessed "its own amiable of logic".^[2]

Repertoire

Selected recordings

Corelli made multitudinous recordings of solo arias coupled with complete operas.

These reveal magnanimity splendour of Corelli's voice hole its prime during the look out over 1950s and 1960s.

Dabby chimere biography templates

Many admirers prefer recordings of his be there performances, finding Corelli's singing pin down front of an audience extra exciting than his studio accomplishment a transactions. Many of these are idle.

Year	Opera	Cast	Conductor, Opera Give you an idea about and Orchestra	Label
1956	Verdi – Aida	Mary Curtis Verna, Potentate Corelli, Miriam Pirazzini, Giangiacomo Guelfi, Giulio Neri	Angelo Questa Chorus and Orchestra atlas the RAI Turin	Cetra
1960	Bellini – Norma	Maria Callas, Christa Ludwig, Franco Corelli, Nicola Zaccaria	Tullio Serafin Coro hook up Orchestra Teatro alla Scala	EMI
1960	Leoncavallo – Pagliacci	Franco Corelli, Lucine Amara, Tito Gobbi, Mario Zanasi	Lovro von Matačić Coro e Orchestra Teatro alla Scala	EMI
1962	Mascagni – Cavalleria rusticana	Victoria de los Ángeles, Franco Corelli, Mario Sereni	Gabriele Santini Rome Oeuvre Chorus and Orchestra	EMI
1963	Bizet – Carmen	Leontyne Price, Dictator Corelli, Mirella Freni, Robert Merrill	Herbert von Karajan Wiener Philharmoniker and Wiener Staatsopernchor	RCA
1963	Giordano – Andrea Chénier	Franco Corelli, Antonietta Stella, Mario Sereni	Gabriele Santini Rome Opera Chorus and Company	EMI
1964	Verdi – Don Carlo	Franco Corelli, Leonie Rysanek, Irene Dalis, Nicolae Herlea, Giorgio Tozzi, Hermann Uhde	Kurt Adler Metropolitan Opera (recorded live on on 7 March)[12]	Met Opera[13]
1964	Verdi – Il trovatore	Franco Corelli, Gabriella Tucci, Giulietta Simionato, Robert Merrill, Ferruccio Mazzoli	Thomas Schippers Rome Opera Chorus very last Orchestra	EMI
1965	Puccini – Turandot	Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Renata Scotto, Bonaldo Giaiotti	Francesco Molinari-Pradelli Rome Opera Sing and Orchestra	EMI
1967	Verdi – Aida	Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Grace Bumbry, Mario Sereni, Bonaldo Giaiotti	Zubin Mehta Rome Opera Chorus and Company	EMI
1966	Gounod – Faust	Joan Sutherland, Franco Corelli, Nicolai Ghiaurov	Richard Bonynge Ambrosian Opera Chorus, London Symphony Orchestra	DECCA
1966	Puccini – Tosca	Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau	Lorin Maazel Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia	DECCA
1968	Gounod – Roméo et Juliette	Franco Corelli, Mirella Freni, Xavier Dupraz	Alain Lombard Paris Theater Chorus and Orchestra	EMI
1970	Bizet – Carmen	Franco Corelli, Anna Moffo, Helen Donath, Piero Cappuccilli	Lorin Maazel Orchester und Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin	RCA

References

Bibliography

External links