Franco Corelli was born on April 8, 1921, and passed away on October 29, 2003. He was an Italian tenor who performed in operas internationally from 1951 to 1976. He was especially known for singing spinto and dramatic tenor roles in Italian and French operas. His voice was very strong, with very high and exciting notes, a clear and pleasant sound, and passionate singing. He performed outstandingly in many operas. People called him the "prince of tenors" because he had a good-looking appearance and a confident way of performing on stage. He had a long and successful partnership with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City from 1961 to 1975. He also performed in major opera houses in Europe and with opera companies across North America.

Biography

Corelli was born Dario Franco Corelli in Ancona, Italy, into a family that some say had little or no musical background. His parents were not particularly musical, but his paternal grandfather, Augusto, left his job at 35 to become a successful operatic tenor. His older brother, Aldo, left school to become an operatic baritone, and two of his uncles sang in the Teatro delle Muse chorus in Ancona. His father worked as a shipbuilder for the Italian Navy, and the family lived near the Adriatic Sea. Corelli loved the sea and initially planned to follow his father’s path by studying naval engineering at the University of Bologna. While studying there, he entered a music competition after being encouraged by a friend who was an amateur singer. Though he did not win the competition, the judges encouraged him to pursue singing. Corelli then enrolled at the Pesaro Conservatory of Music to study opera.

At the conservatory, Corelli studied with Rita Pavoni but later said the lessons harmed his upper vocal range. He decided to teach himself and called other voice teachers “dangerous people” and a “plague to singers.” He learned some techniques from a friend who studied with Arturo Melocchi, a teacher of Mario Del Monaco, who used a method involving lowering the larynx. Corelli studied with Melocchi only sometimes and modified the technique to improve his ability to sing softly and smoothly. He studied Del Monaco’s career and adjusted the method so his larynx “floated” rather than staying lowered constantly. He also learned by imitating the styles of famous tenors like Enrico Caruso, Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, Aureliano Pertile, and Beniamino Gigli. Opera News noted that Corelli’s technique created a deep, resonant sound even in high notes, which he could control to produce a soft, fading effect, as required in Verdi’s Celeste Aida.

In 1951, Corelli won the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, earning a debut at Spoleto later that year. He was originally scheduled to sing Radames in Verdi’s Aïda but switched to Don José in Bizet’s Carmen after feeling he lacked the technical skill for Radames. In 1952, he made his debut at the Rome Opera as Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur, opposite Maria Caniglia. That same year, he performed in smaller opera houses and on Italian radio. In 1953, he joined the Rome Opera’s principal tenors and performed Romeo in Zandonai’s Giulietta e Romeo. Later that year, he sang Pollione in Bellini’s Norma opposite Maria Callas, who became an admirer of his work. The two performed together frequently until the end of Callas’s career.

While at the Rome Opera, Corelli performed at other opera houses in Italy and internationally. He debuted at La Scala in Milan in 1954 as Licinio in La vestale, opposite Callas. He returned to La Scala multiple times, singing with Callas in Fedora, Il pirata, and Poliuto. He also performed Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West at La Scala in 1956, which was broadcast live. Other notable debuts included appearances at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, the Arena di Verona Festival, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House in London, and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In the 1950s, he performed at the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, portraying Don Alvaro in La forza del destino and Maurizio in Adriana Lecouvreur.

During his early career, Corelli performed in rare operas such as Spontini’s Agnese di Hohenstaufen, Handel’s Giulio Cesare, Prokofiev’s War and Peace, and the world premiere of Guido Guerrini’s Enea. By 1960, he had mastered over 30 roles, including the title role in Giordano’s Andrea Chénier, Turiddu in Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème, and the title roles in Verdi’s Don Carlo and Ernani.

In 1957, Corelli met soprano Loretta di Lelio after she asked for his autograph following a performance at the Rome Opera. They began dating and married in 1958. Loretta later gave up her opera career to manage Corelli’s business, act as his translator, and handle other personal tasks. Their marriage lasted until Corelli’s death 45 years later.

Corelli made his debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1961 as Manrico in Il trovatore, opposite soprano Leontyne Price. He performed there until 1974 in roles such as Calaf, Cavaradossi, and Ernani. He also sang in French operas like Roméo et Juliette and Werther. His performances at the Met included historic events such as the closing of the old Met, a concert honoring Sir Rudolf Bing’s retirement, and Callas’s return in Tosca. His final Met performance was in 1974 as Calàf in Turandot. He continued to tour with the Met in 1975, performing in the United States and Japan.

While at the Met, Corelli remained active internationally. He debuted at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 1961 and returned to La Scala in 1962 for a revival of Les Huguenots. He also performed at the Salzburg Festival and the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company. In 1964, he debuted at the Paris Opéra opposite Callas in Tosca.

Selected recordings

Corelli recorded many solo arias and full operas. These recordings show the beauty of his voice during the late 1950s and 1960s. Many fans prefer his live performances because singing in front of an audience feels more exciting than studio recordings. Many of these recordings are available today.