Franco Corelli - Pourquoi me reveiller ASTOUNDING!

[francocorelli02]

One of the greatest opera aria,sung by the finest tenor of all times - Maestro Franco Corelli <3

Bravissimo Franco <3<3<3

[1948musicman]

I saw Corelli and Nilsson together in Turandot at the Met. in 1974 (I think) and although his voice has lost the youthful bloom of his earlier years he was magnificent and glorious. The high C in the enigma scene rang out loud, clear, and secure. At his best he was unbeatable. I wish I had that performance on tape it was a magical evening with both artists being in top form.

[21Placido1]

@1948musicman You are lucky !!!!

[LobsngDmchoi]

Not Corelli's best, imho. The voice is colorless when loud or mf. The top note lackluster. Perhaps partly the fault of poor sound quality of the recording.

I know its live--but I heard Gedda sing it live at the end of a recital and late in his career. Was brilliant, powerful!!

[goldie0800]

@LobsngDmchoi - Tell me, who is the best composer in the whole world? You can see that the subject is too vast to choose just one as bestest, and so it is with singers. Who cares if anyone is best? This is Franco Corelli, a unique singer and there will never be another one like him. To me he is a great tenor and that's all I need to know. My humble opinion.

[francocorelli02]

@LobsngDmchoi Could you just shut up and know that Franco Corelli is one of the greatest dramatic tenor ever

Gedda is great

but Franco is not just great

HE IS UNIQUE !!!!!!!!!!

[sugarbist]

@francocorelli02 I'm a Corelli fan as well. But F.C. was really a spinto tenor with dramatic impact where needed, as were some other great spinto tenors,like Martinelli,De Muro, Caruso,Merli,Pertile.I always enjoyed the warmness&pathos that F.C. always exuded,along with the excitement of his high notes & gentleness of his diminuendos. Enjoy

[operalament]

I have always found this man emotionally devastating. He moves me like no other tenor, I would have to rank him as my second favorite, simply because he does not achieve the sublime level that bjorling does, who was probably the most perfect singer ever, But I simply love this man, the passion he conveys is for me , unequalled.

[scopizzo]

@operalament

I AGREE, EXCEPT I AM NOT SURE BJORLING WAS SO PERFECT, HOWEVER A TENOR OF SIMILAR ATTITUDE AND THEREFORE FOR SURE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE SECOND HALF (OR MAYBE THE ENTIRE) '900, WE COULD SAY ONE THE FEW "GIANTS" (ALSO CARLO BERGONZI SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS LITTLE NUMBER, I GUESS)

[operalament]

@scopizzo i assure you, bjorling was as perfect a singer as is possible to be. Absolutely perfect technique the best of any singer ever, incredibly beautiful voice . superlative musicianship and extrordinary artistry. none come close. I was very fond of bergonzi, I saw him in a wonderful recital back in ill guess 78, but he really does not rank among the greates tenors I dont think

[scopizzo]

IT'S BY CHANCE THAT I WATCHED AND LISTENED TO THIS PERFORMANCE OF MY FAVOURITE TENOR AND AGAIN WAS STUNNED BY THE INCREDIBLE VERSATILITY OF FRANCO, CAPABLE TO GO FROM "CHENIER" TO "AIDA" TO "CAVALLERIA".....BUT ALSO TO "PURITANI", "WERTHER" ETC, IN OTHER WORDS A TENOR WITH UNIQUE VOCAL POWERFUL MEANS BUT ALSO CAPABLE TO "HANDLE" GENTLY THOSE MEANS TO ARIAS NORMALLY FIELD OF COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KIND OF SINGERS (I.E. PAVAROTTI, KRAUS ETC)

NO ONE DID SOMETHING SIMILAR EVER, WITH THESE RESULTS

[thheijmans]

I know that no man can perform always at his best. But this was not very good and I am surprised by the audience. They clap as if this was his best performance.

I mean they didn't have to shout boo, but a normal applause was in his place. By the way I have great respect for Mr. Corelli.

[scopizzo]

@thheijmans



IT'S BY CHANCE THAT I WATCHED AND LISTENED TO THIS PERFORMANCE OF MY FAVOURITE TENOR AND AGAIN WAS STUNNED BY THE INCREDIBLE VERSATILITY OF FRANCO, CAPABLE TO GO FROM "CHENIER" TO "AIDA" TO "CAVALLERIA".....BUT ALSO TO "PURITANI", "WERTHER" ETC, IN OTHER WORDS A TENOR WITH UNIQUE VOCAL POWERFUL MEANS BUT ALSO CAPABLE TO "HANDLE" GENTLY THOSE MEANS TO ARIAS NORMALLY FIELD OF COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KIND OF SINGERS (I.E. PAVAROTTI, KRAUS ETC)

NO ONE DID SOMETHING SIMILAR EVER, SO WELL

[TheLulz01]

One of Corelli's worst recordings for sure.

[scopizzo]

@TheLulz01

IF YOU SAY SO, IMAGINE THE BEST, WHAT PARADISE ANGELIC SOUNDS....

[mrlevina2]

After Pavarotti and Domingo, no one is left unscathed.

[cornificius22vain]

this HURTS

[scopizzo]

@cornificius22vain

COME ON, DO NOT BE SO TRAGIC......FRANCO CORELLI IS, ALTHOUGH NOT AT HIS BEST AND OUT OF HIS TRADITIONAL REPERTORY, STILL A PLEASURE TO MY EARS....

[scopizzo]

DON'T BE SO TRAGIC, CORELLI' VOICE, EVEN OUT OF REPERTORY, IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO MY EARS

[cornificius22vain]

@scopizzo nice: because it's pretty to you, I am to resist the temptation of disclosing my dislike of this version...yawn....

[caruuso]

Horrible. Awful French and trashily sung. Sorry, have to say it. Great singer, when singing at his best in suitable repertoire.

[scopizzo]

@caruuso

SORRY, I AM IN COMPLETE DISAGREEMENT WITH YOU, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THIS TENOR MAIN REPERTORY WAS VERDI(OTELLO!!, ETC), "VERISMO" (CHENIER, CAVALLERIA ETC), SO YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT KRAUS OR PAVAROTTI COULD NOT, NO WAY FOR THEM TO TRY OTELLO , SO CORELLI DOES A REMARKABLE THING, ACHIEVING A SATISFACTORY RESULT. TO ME HIS VOICE, EVEN IF SLIGHTLY "OUT OF PLACE", STILL GIVES STRONG EMOTIONS, HIS FRENCH IS NOT SO BAD, HOWEVER IF YOU KNOW HIS "CHANCON DE FLEUR", HE THERE IS BEAUTIFUL

[jhvorotin]

His technique wasn't that good, some intonation and resonance issues...compared to other greats of the time. But he had a voice, for sure...

[scopizzo]

@jhvorotin

MAYBE, HOWEVER WHEN HE SINGS "LOVE" YOU FEEL AND LISTEN "LOVE" AND THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING.....

I THINK IF YOU GO TO HIS "CHANCON DE FLEUR", THE FINAL "CARMEN JE T'EME" IS UNRIVALLED, EVER

HERE, IS OUT OF REPERTORY BUT STILL THE RESULTS ARE POSITIVE....TRY TO IMAGINE THE VICEVERSA, PAVAROTTI SINGING "ESULTATE"......

[LucaYune]

this is really amazing .. this is like a lion roaring at the top of mountatin !!

[baltoman24]

I saw the great production at the Met in 1971 with Corelli and Crespin and it is something I can remember to this day- glorious, romantic, shattering experience. Thank you for bringing back some great memories of grand artists, now immortal!

[scopizzo]

@baltoman24

I ENVY A LOT YOU WHO COULD ASSIST IN PERSON TO CORELLI 'S PERFORMANCES, UNFORTUNATELY I STARTED TO BECOME AN OPERA LOVER ONLY IN EARLY 80'S, SO TOO LATE

[baltoman24]

@scopizzo Yes, I was very lucky. The entire performace was astounding. Regine Crespin and Corelli together- were beyond amazing. I am sorry that the rest of the act (duet) in not included here. You can hear how the audience went wild at the end of this glorious aria- sung by a true Divo!

[scopizzo]

@baltoman24

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS I'M HAPPY TO KNOW SOMEBODY WHO LISTENED AND WATCHED FRANCO IN REAL AND IS CONVINCED TO HAVE HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE. THIS CONFIRMS MY OPINION ON OUR GREAT TENOR

[baltoman24]

@scopizzo I actually heard Corelli three times in the 1964-1971 period. First in La Giaconda (with Tebaldi!), then in Romeo et Juliette (1968, I think) and then in Werther in 1971. I believe that his voice was never captured perfectly on the records. Like so many of the large voices- powerfully projected- he is stunning on records, but to hear him in life, well - it was a glorious experience! best wishes

[scopizzo]

@baltoman24

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DETAILED COMMENTS, AGAIN I AM SORRY I COUILD NOT LISTEN TO HIM LIVE, HOWEVER I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR ENTHUSIASM THAT THAT WAS REALLY AN UNIQUE EXPERIENCE, BEST REGARDS

[scopizzo]

@baltoman24

YOU LUCKY, I STARTED TO BE AN OPERA LOVER TOO LATE, IN EARLY 80'S, WHEN FRANCO WAS AT THE END OF HIS BEAUTIFUL CAREER

[philipc67]

Superb. I am not a Corelli fan but here he is really outstanding. Even his French diction is very good. Yes, other tenors have sung this with more poetic delicacy or subtlety, but Corelli's sweeping vocal ocean of sound is really irresistible!

[scopizzo]

@philipc67

YES,YES

[OperaAdmirer]

If there is a singing God, he is singing like Correlli!

[scopizzo]

@OperaAdmirer

YES, AND ANGELS TOO, SPECIALLY ARCHANGELS WHO ARE VERY CLOSE AND SEE GOD

[coralrabida]

Ya hubiera querido Kraus y algunos como él haber cantado la mitad de bien y haber sido la mitad de expresivo que Corelli en este aria CANTADA EN DIRECTO

[scopizzo]

@coralrabida

FRANCO ES EXPRESIVO, MUCHISSIMO, SIEMPRE....VER "CHANCON DE FLEUR", CARMEN, HASTA LUEGO!

[coralrabida]

Hay que joderse con los comentarios de algunos subnormales que van de expertos... Escuchar a Corelli en estas arias es algo grandioso y no hay ni que pensar, sólo disfrutar...

[RamirRMA]

omg, huge lungs!

[zurriussII]

He was singing as if Zeus breathing out of his throat. So powerful, enormous and with light-striking notes.

[paulostroff99]

Superlative! Great singing with maximum feeling and emotion.

[isabella1954able]

non ci possono essere commenti da pollice verso, a Milano li chiamerrebbero P....... te' capi'!?

[tompussina]

@isabella1954able Isabella,per me Corelli è stato ed è tuttora una montagna,un pilastro,un'ancora del canto di tutti i tempi, così come Kraus nel proprio repertorio.Ma io ho conosciuto Franco (eravamo quasi parent; io stesso sono un tenore) e sai quando ho compreso l'immensità umana di questo artista?Quando ha avuto il coraggio di dire: La mia voce non mi dà più quello che io le chiedo: è ora di abbandonare.In questo è stato senza dubbi né pollici versi il più grande e intelligente in assoluto!

[DrFernandoBicudo]

I attended the premiere of Werther at the Met with Franco Corelli and Christa Ludwig, two singer that normally wouldn´t be casted to sing those roles. And the whole audience was very curious with their performances. On operning night even Maria Callas was there in Rudolf Bing´s box!!! The public went crazzy with his performance, stuning! I went hoarse... so much I screamed "BRAVO"!!! He was the best poet Werther that I have seen on stage. Unforgetable!!!

[Labienus]

@DrFernandoBicudo

If you were at the opening night you will remember that Corelli, much to the dismay and even outrage of the audience cancelled. Di Giuseppe-half Corelli's size and vocal output stepped in swamped in C's costumes. A nice effort but....

I think C returned for the next performance and was indeed quite poetic in the role. Sadly, at a Werther performance a couple of season's leter I relized he was finished-as his nerves finally could not be mastered, he was literally shaking.

[saltburner2]

Great a tenor as Corelli was, Werther was simply not his part. It needs a more introspective approach: Schipa and Alfredo Kraus were the great Werthers.

Corelli was more a Canio, Manrico or Andrea Chenier.

[atenorforjesus]

@saltburner2 I think that you are right, Franco was a little too much for this aria. Just my opinion, so be kind everyone.

[popertop]

it is important to remember at the heart of being in entertainment is the importance of delivering an exhilarating performance, and he did that.

[YoucefVincennes94]

Corelli is wonderful in this Aria! And in the picture, he looks likethe actor Rock Hudson! What is the common point? Well, they are both great artists!

Youcef from Algiers and Paris

[ruben1110]

Thank god this kind of tenor doesn't exist anymore, or if they do exist, are no longer hired by the opera theatres. Unfortunatelly lots of freak-fans still have their ears in the fifties.

[topmeat69]

@ruben1110 because voices like this are THRILLING !! yes the word is THRILLING like seeing a grand slam home run while you were there.Everyone there knows they probably will never in there life time have an experience as thrilling as that ,and they know it.

[alexanderpuritano]

@ Ruben1110 NON CAPISCI PROPRIO UN TUBO DI OPERA TACI PROFANATORE DELL'ARTE

[maxhansendk]

THIS IS THE BEST VERSON I HAVE EVER HEARD!!

All critical voices are either mad...or evil!!

And believe me! I am very critical! Not many artists get my approval!

But Franco Corelli-The best we can ever hear!!

[dfush]

amazing! what a great tenor, no singer stands close to him nowadays :(

[yournutz]

This was not a bad performance; you can tell he gave it his all; for some of you ALL is not good enough. I still like the Villazon version in an outdoor concert he did that was taken off YouTube. There's nothing like it.

[cornificius22vain]

horrible

[jesusdanielhernandez]

I am sorry but here Maestro Corelly broke my heart in dissapoinment, this is the first time i hear this aria with him, and when i saw it posted I thought WOW but no one of my favorite tenors and the french is not right at all, no dynamics and the one he trieds he looses it and sound like he was chocking specially on the piano "du primtemps" the legatto is broken and no sense of french style. Magnificent voice but a very bad interpretation of this beautiful aria.

[Dtenor87]

to each his own. I think it is an amazing interpretation, conveying pure emotions from the text. As a native french speaker, I strongly feel that he did this piece justice and the audience clearly agrees

[jesusdanielhernandez]

@Dtenor87

you are right to each his own, and of course the audience responds he had a beautiful voice but so the audience of american idol, you can put someone there who can sing well and a nice voice and voila the audience would go crazy. But here I just made my coment on pure art, french music is not meant to be sing like this, opera as any other art requires so much to make art out of it, and thats why thats why we have different music styles,

[jesusdanielhernandez]

@Dtenor87

[jesusdanielhernandez]

@Dtenor87 I understand what you say to each his own, of course the audience reacted he had a beautiful voice, but so the audience of american Idol reacts to anyone who has a good voice that can sing well. opera is a hard art wiht so many styles, a good voice is not suffice to make beautiful art, just as a painter, there are so many things involved to paint art, not just a good sense of painting. The audience responds of course, but people who looks for the art will disagree.

[Agorante]

Corelli like Benjamin Button lived backwards in time. Tenors are supposed to sing light lyric parts when they are young, full lyric parts as a young man, spinto parts at maturity, and after they figure they have nothing to lose they try the dramatic ones.

Corelli sang the biggest voice killer parts at first and towards the end moved into the high sweet French and Italian romantic parts.

[omarihardy]

when was this recorded?

[Liberty1Cabbage]

Regardless of how this song was "meant to be sung", this is a brilliant vocal performance. What a powerhouse!

[aaronsande]

Thrilling...magnificent...Core­lli!

[MrDonopera]

debia ser increible su squillo en directo aunque aqui no esta bien bien fuerza un poquito y se cansa al final ,troppa passione

[pieritlyon]

ES EL GRAN MAESTRO F. CORELLI. HERMOSO, COMO SIEMPRE. Se escucha diferente por que es una obra francesa, no es de la Lírica italiana. Solamente, el Gran Maestro Corelli pudo dar esas notas altas,tan altas y bellament y el Gran M. Del Monac que en esta aria, también, es sublime..

[reduxmisc]

I love Corelli but... Schipa, Schipa,Schipa! the way it should be sung.

[AnryK2690]

Yes I agree with you. With all my love to Corelli, this is not a great performance.

[ForAll23]

No doubt that Mr. Geddas performance is better. This is not Othello, no sporting event or any other "tour de force".

Mr. Corelli was a great singer, but sometimes he did shoot over the target.

[Liedliebhaber]

Corelli is truly inimitable. For this though, I must say I like Gedda better.

[ShawDAMAN]

Liedliebhaber: agreed

[bloydaage]

Remember this is live in met, and Corelli, for me, shows the desperation of Werther. And yes, he lives in the danger sone here. Of course Gedda and Kraus sings it more perfect, more controlled, but they never had the sonority like Corelli. There must be a reason why Corelli was praised in this interpretation by metropolitan in 2007.

[topmeat69]

@bloydaage its the live recording that really show what a singer could really do in real time, ah the beauty he gave to the world.

[goldie0800]

Fabulous! High drama and great opera. It couldn't be better than this! Thanks Musashi.

[coralrabida]

Es Corelli de verdad??? Es otro timbre..

[coryisawake]

era viejo aqui

[dagodemuro]

can see you know shit....

[johngotwalt]

He WAS opera !!

[greattenors]

One can like Corelli´s voice or not. In my opinion he had a tremendous voice with lots of harmonics but with a very poor legato and most of the time singing off tempo. But here, my gosh! This is not French. He does not have even the intention to sing in French here. At the end of the day this is music!

[Dtenor87]

I'm sorry but how is this not French?? unlike many opera singers these days singing "french" I can actually understand what he's saying. French was my first language and he did an amazing job.

I'm actually a little confused about the direction of your comment

[fernandobicudo]

I was amongst the crowd that went totally wild with Corelli and Crespin at the Met in 1971. What a voice !!! Size and quality !!!He was not at his prime anymore but his was still the best heroic tenor voice at the time.

[ikmarchini]

Wonderful.  But Schipa....

[dagodemuro]

yes, but lauri-volpi, but martinelli, but gigli, but me!!!!! wake up man!!!!! you sound like a museum... new voices will come....like footballplayers.......

[jmccracken1963]

You don't specify a date for this performance, so I have to ask: is this from March 27, 1971 with Lombard conducting or from March 4, 1972 with Behr conducting? Just curious.....

[MusashiTzu]

I dont keep my recording so well organised so I cant answer with certainty. However I know Franco's voice extremely well, and from what I know it sounds very 1971 to me.

[OettingerCroat]

yes this is the '71

[candide43201]

People keep forgetting werther was written for a Heldentenor--then a verdi baritone version-its not for small voices- the orchestra is huge..Corelli"s french may be suspect but his voice is very correct for this part--he and crespin together....magic

[darragh21]

People say Gedda is the ideal Werther so easily, like a knee jerk reaction. I think there is room for other styles & interpretations and find Franco's valid. Wish Bing's idea of a Corelli/Tebaldi "Italianate" Werther had come to pass. Stylistically and in terms of balancing the voice size.

[HeyMrA]

Interesting take, but not realistic. Werther demands a Puccinian voice flexible enough to have great dynamic control. Parts of the score demand it if the singer is to be heard (depends on the size of the theater, and the conductor).

One last extremely important point, to the untrained ear (and even to many professionals) the size of the voice is VERY misleading on recordings. The voices you site are/were VASTLY different in size in real life. This is especially true in today's digital world.

[MusashiTzu]

True, Corelli had undoubtedly one of the largest voices of all time. When I make virtual duets (you can find them on my channel) It takes a lot of editing to "fit" any other voice to his, even if the other voice is Del Monaco.

[bloydaage]

What excactly do you mean by your comment?! If there ever was a tenor who was heard in the big houses it was Franco Corelli!!!By the way this is a live recording/performance at MET, not at all to the singers best... Like Domingo said: "Corelli was the most impressive tenor to hear live, he sang for the balcony!" Have you noticed that Corelli was a true master in Puccinis most dramatic roles, like Calaf, Cavaradossi and Dick Johnson! So what do you mean by "not realistic"...??

[HeyMrA]

Hmm... was that comment for me? I was replying to LejeuneWerther, not you, bloydaage. Seems you have completely misunderstood my point that Werther demands a Puccinian voice (like Corelli's was) that is very flexible... especially in the big houses.

[bloydaage]

HeyMra: It seems like your comment says the opposite for what you really mean, beacause it has no sign for responding to someone else. But now I know and I have no longer any doubt about your comment.

[HeyMrA]

No problem! For some reason my original comment wasn't placed correctly, so I understand your confusion. All the best!

[bloydaage]

Villazon has not too big voice for this role. I don't understand why he even is mentioned among those glorious singers. I can see and hear why some think Corelli has a too big voice for this part, but I liked it! Such desperation... But I think the voices of Gedda, Kraus and Thill will suit better for the entire part of Werther.

[goldie0800]

This is Corelli! Beautiful voice, lovely aria. He's singing to adoring fans. I'm happy! Thanks very much MusashiTzu for posting this.

;-)

[marokt]

I love big voices if they sing a little! Big men with huge voices also have fears and distresses. That's why Domingo is a great Hoffmann and Corelli is a falulous Wherter!

[tehen162]

It is a fact, no matter wether it means anything to you or not. The singer was Ernest Van Dyck.

Of course you say what you want to, I didn't write otherwise. I simply mentioned an interesting fact.

[tehen162]

The first ever Werther was a Wagner tenor, a dramatic one.

[grandixie]

Fantastic!!!

[laonirica]

Puede ser Cantada por Voces Grandes, que *respeten los matíces*, como lo hace aquí, el "Gran Maestro Franco Corelli", no olvidemos que pertenece esta obra al llamado "verismo francés". Más allá de cantarlo sin el *puntilloso estilo francés*, lo cantó con el Dramatísmo que imprime la Obra, y eso es Más que Suficiente. El primero en cantarlo con estilo Verista fue El Gran Maestro George Thill.

Estamos acostumbrados a oirla por voces más líricas o liricas-ligeras.

[laonirica]

Puede ser Cantada por Voces Grandes, que *respeten los matíces*, como lo hace aquí, el "Gran Maestro Franco Corelli", no olvidemos que pertenece esta obra al llamado "verismo francés"

Si reaccionó así el público...algo habrá comunicado no?... más allá de cantarlo sin el *puntilloso estilo francés*, lo cantó con el Dramatísmo que imprime la Obra, y eso es Más que Suficiente!!!

[MusashiTzu]

Yes, from the later met performances where he had finally begun to master french.

[teachertenor]

Extraordinaria versión del Maestro Franco Corelli. Así se canta "Pourquoi me réveille" (vivo ejemplo del verismo francés) con pasión y técnica mixta Francesa e italiana perfecta. Gracias por compartir ésta joya MusashiTzu.-

[macciboma]

Grandiosa interpretazione incredibile bravura.

Grazie. Walter.

[Ankhsnammon]

Meraviglioso da ogni punto di vista.

Corelli ..Werther...goethe ...Massenet..che si può chiedere di più?

Nina

[sospello]

I had not heard this version--from the Met performances? Could you give us the information on the recording. An early outing in the Italian translation "Non mi ridestar" has an interesting vocal effect on the word "aprile" (used instead of "printemps" in the first section of the aria) where Corelli does use head voice (or mixed) for the high note instead of chest.