Settimana Radio TV, October 8, 1955
<aside> 🇮🇹 Torna al testo originale in italiano
</aside>
*Comment on Facebook*Franco Corelli is considered a phenomenal singer because his voice can pass from the low notes of the baritone to the high notes of the tenor. Opera houses, TV and soon the cinema are the stages of his exceptional career, but he has also made a name for himself for his charm that arouses the enthusiasm of his female admirers, as documented by the thousands of letters he receives.
In Ancona, his native city, friends, relatives and admirers have for years been in agreement that a tenor like Franco Corelli is an exception. He has a powerful voice, with a range that goes from the low notes of a baritone to the high notes of a light tenor, a natural voice that assiduous study has refined, but not softened.
Women, on the other hand, are attracted not only by his voice but also by his physical charm. His ancient Roman profile, his athletic figure and his way of singing with ease and sweetness as if for an intimate enjoyment of the soul, make them dream. His golden brown eyes have the gift of creating a magical atmosphere and women are of the opinion that such a charming tenor has never existed.
To keep him, his admirers even wrecked his car — From television to the movies
This singer's career seems like a miracle. In May 1950, while in Florence with some friends, he won the Maggio Musicale competition, almost as a bet. Considering that at that time Franco had no technical knowledge of singing, his achievement is truly exceptional. Shortly afterwards he took part in the Spoleto competition in 1951, where he sang the role of “Carmen” and won, obtaining another resounding success. This was not yet the result of careful study, but the shining through of absolutely extraordinary natural qualities, dramatic and interpretative qualities that indicated he was a rising star.
The tenacity with which he has been able to overcome all obstacles to achieve success, also comes from his passion for sport. He was in fact a swimming and rowing champion; he excels in tennis and is a keen car enthusiast (his latest and greatest passion).
His admirers belong to all social classes. His way of singing has revived the glories of an era in which people traveled from one town to another to hear a tenor sing certain arias. This happened especially after his success last year on TV with “Pagliacci”, and on the occasion of “Carmen” in Bologna when people from neighboring towns spent many hours of the night in front of the box office to secure tickets.
Corelli had the same success with the public this year in Verona with “Aida”. To see him in the part of Radames, numerous busloads of people even came from Florence. Finally, the girls of Reggio Emilia, after having admired him in “Norma”, asked their hairdressers for a hairstyle like “Corelli's” which is still all the rage today.
There are other stories that could be told. Female admirers have always been Franco Corelli's bane and blessing. When he talks about them he does so with the ingenuous embarrassment of someone who is inclined to get into trouble without meaning to; all episodes that seem to renew the “belle époque” of Italian opera. In his case, it's not horses unhitched from carriages, but flat tires on his car and cut ignition wires to make him stay longer, that really happened to him.
With a strange expression on his face, he tells us about the time, during a transit trip, he discovered a young admirer hiding in his car. “How did you get here?” he asked her, astonished. “Believe me,” was the disconcerting answer, “I just couldn't get into one of the suitcases”.
He is particularly attracted to television because he knows that it is a valid means of communicating with an ever-increasing mass audience in art forums that have given him the greatest satisfaction. But being telegenic also means being photogenic, so soon we'll also have a movie star Corelli. Among the operas he loves the most is “La Fanciulla del West”, but he has declared that, if Radames was born in Verona, he is now thinking about Otello, while later he intends to interpret the entire Wagnerian repertoire.
In his private life he's just a guy: he loves science fiction books, watches and fountain pens. On average he receives about 1000 letters for each trip, and when time permits he likes to answer them personally, also because he is precise and punctual (which is also a sign of respect for other people's time); these are qualities he acquired during his engineering studies, which he interrupted to study art in his fourth year.
After “Tosca” on TV, Corelli's program for the next season is as follows. Next March, at La Scala, “Fedora” and the “Fanciulla del West”. In the meantime, we will see him again on TV in “La Fanciulla del West” or “Un ballo in maschera”. He also has a concert planned for the Don Gnocchi charity, because his love for children often leads him to give benefit concerts. Then it will be America, from next May until December. He will sing in Havana, Mexico City, Brazil and will finish in Chicago.
PROFILE CARD: Height: 1.85 m Chest: 1.10 m Eyes: golden brown Hair: dark brown
Once all these commitments are fulfilled, he will consider some proposals from film producers, without neglecting, however, to dedicate himself to theater and television.
🌹
*Read more interviews and articles about Corelli: Interviews & articles*These articles are now available to enjoy on the internet after many decades thanks to the generous supporters of the Franco Corelli Info Center. If you find this work useful, you can leave a small “tip” below, or become a monthly supporter yourself and help me devote more resources and time to this mission. Thank you 💖 Ways to support the Franco Corelli Info Center
<aside>
<img src="/icons/info-alternate_orange.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_orange.svg" width="40px" /> All the Corelli info you need: Franco Corelli Info Center
🇬🇧 ***francocorelli.info or*** 🇮🇹 corelli.notion.site
</aside>
<aside> ✍️
</aside>
Franco Corelli Info Center | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree
<aside> 💖 If you’d like to help my work or say thanks with a small donation ⬇
</aside>
<aside> 💖 Become a regular supporter of the mission and enjoy extra benefits ⬇
</aside>
Support Franco Corelli Info Center on Ko-fi! ❤️. ko-fi.com/francocorelliinfo
<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_green.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_green.svg" width="40px" /> All information about Corelli’s performances, partners and repertoire ⬇
</aside>
Franco Corelli’s performances - Database
<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_blue.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_blue.svg" width="40px" /> Read more articles, interviews, anecdotes etc. in the Franco Corelli Info Center archives ⬇
</aside>
Franco Corelli Info Center Archive | Built with Notion
<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_orange.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_orange.svg" width="40px" /> Sign up to the FCIC newsletter for novelties / rarities published about Corelli ⬇
</aside>
Franco Corelli Info Center Newsletter
<aside> <img src="/icons/info-alternate_pink.svg" alt="/icons/info-alternate_pink.svg" width="40px" /> If you don't want to miss out on anything about Franco, make sure to follow us on our social media platforms ⬇
</aside>