Folla & Ragazzi & FRANCO CORELLI "Perché tarda la luna?... Ah! la grazia!" March 01.1960

The World's Greatest Tenor FRANCO CORELLI sings Giacomo Puccini's
- Turandot -
Monte-Carlo Salle Garnier, Théâtre de l'Opéra
- Act I -
La principessa Turandot - Ann Lund Christiansen
L'imperatore Altoum - Cesare Masini Sperti
Timur - Giovanni Foiani
Il principe ignoto (Calaf ) - FRANCO CORELLI
Liù - Giuditta Mazzoleni
Ping - Renato Cesari
Pang - Walter Artioli
Pong - Renato Ercolani
Conductor - Alfredo Simonetto
March 01.1960

René Seghers " FRANCO CORELLI -- Prince of Tenors
March 21. -- April 03.1960 - On Claques

One TURANDOT performance in this period gives a particularly look into Italian opera practices of the time and the beginning of the rivalry between NILSSON and CORELLI. After their first chance meeting onstage due to DI STEFANO'S last-minute indisposition, this official LA SCALA run planned for the now famous pair threatened to begin without the tenor when CORELLI demanded that NILSSON stick a little more closely to what PUCCINI had written in the score.
At the dress rehearsal, we arrived at the high C in "ARDENTE", at the end of the second act. Just before it, the soprano has to sing a prolonged G, but NILSSON held it even past the point where I had to begin singing, "NO, NO, PRINCIPESSA ALTERA." I was so concentrated on this phrase, because I wanted to hold back a little there, that I interrupted the rehearsal. I told VOTTO: "If the lady holds that note like that again I'll walk out immediately." VOTTO communicated this to NILSSON and asked me to do it again, but because of the stress my throat was clenched and I produced a stupid sort of childlike cry, instead of the required high C.
At the premiere and during the rest of the run, all was in balance. CORELLI'S and NILSSON'S claques were equally strong, and honors were evenly distributed between the two protagonists. Except for the Liù, BAUER witnessed a great performance, with two optional high Cs from CORELLI in the second act. No further problems occurred until the evening performance of April 03., when CORELLI'S claque had been hired away by JOAN SUTHERLAND, who was singing in Genoa. BAUER, who had by now progressed from talent scout and manager to mental coach and lifeguard for MET stars in Italy, went to SUTHERLAND'S matinee performance in Genoa. In spit of the distance, he managed to drive back in time for CORELLI'S evening performance in Milan, where he had to look out for BING'S other interests. But with CORELLI'S claque in Genoa, NILSSON'S fans easily out-shouted CORELLI'S supporters and even demanded that she take a solo bow. Wrote BAUER: " I had fear that he would bite someone again! But he handled it in an intelligent manner and came out again and again as a real trouper".
A glimpse of CORELLI'S vocal approach to CALAF onstage at this time can be heard from the pirate recording that surfaced of his March 01. radio broadcast in Monte Carlo immediately preceding the April LA SCALA one. CORELLI is less disciplined than he would be in a major theatre, but he is definitely in stupendous voice and treats the opera as if it were a vocal boxing contest. That sort of singing is indeed intended for the galleries, who rewarded him with such ovations that he uncharacteristically gave in to their request for an ENCORE of "NESSUN DORMA". [...]

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[Stoltapaura]

@marokt

Nice to hear from you Tom. Well, on this thin ice, I don't go this way. It is difficult (for each artist) this and that, there and there was his best performance. It always comes to from the standpoint of the viewer (listener) . As I said... sensitive issues.

[marokt]

Do you know any other occasion, and recording when Franco encored something? Perhaps Di quella pira in a concert in the 60th. This Turandot is very good. Ha always sang great Cs in "Ardente". The greatest I know happened in Livorno. Agree?

[Stoltapaura]

@racheleleeba

ha,ha, DITO!!! Rain...cold a.s.o.

But remember ... but everyone has teeth to bite. It's much better than being bitten. Now the gray brain cells needed .....

Ah fie! I'm bad, a bad guy isn't so? :-o)

[racheleleeba]

Nice to wake up and find this on a cold, rainy day. Bravo!

I just hate, though, that Bauer reinforced the myth that Corelli bit Nilsson.