by Arturo Antonelli, photos by Angelo Guadrini, STOP Magazine, January 6, 1965
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*Comment on Facebook*Franco Corelli, one of the most famous opera singers in the world has adopted a 'Martinitt'.
From the Milan editorial office, December
The most beautiful and most talented tenor in the world has achieved everything in life. He has reached the pinnacle of his career, he has achieved a perfection in "bel canto" that recalls the epoch of tenors with golden voices. He is sought after by all the greatest theatres in the world, his fees are very high, in New York, London, Milan, they compete for the honour of his participation in the important gala and opening nights.
He has known the best of life: wealth, success and talent, yet until now his life lacked something: the comfort and affection of a child. So, after visiting the famous orphanage in Milan, he made his decision. It was not easy: the singer would like to take the children all with him.
Franco Corelli has many nicknames: at one time he was jokingly called "golden thigh" because of his long, slender legs that allow him to wear the most elaborate and tight-fitting costumes without impairing his physical appearance: now, his wife laughingly assures him that he can be called "diamond thigh" after America has accepted and recognised him as one of the best tenors in the world.
This is certainly the most splendid moment of his life. At thirty-seven years [43] of age, perfect on stage in terms of presence, charm, acting and voice, he can really dictate the law and argue with the management of the big opera companies if he feels they are not being fair to him.
Loretta di Lelio, his wife of seven [4] years, a beautiful woman with green cat eyes, naturally but unfairly jealous of her husband (he has other things to worry about than women) ensures that for at least another ten years Franco will be "on top". He cares for his voice and lives for his voice: he therefore runs no risk of a rapid decline. After that, Loretta and Franco, who are neither megalomaniacs nor spendthrifts, will have accumulated a fortune that will allow them to live serenely and richly until the end of their lives.
But that day is still far off. Mr "Complet" (as he is called in America, because when he sings, the box office of the Metropolitan Opera in New York is sold out) still has many projects to realise. Apart from the two "Normas" [one Tosca] in New York, alongside Callas, in two charity evenings, for which the tickets sold out even at seventy-five dollars, America offered Corelli a new career: they proposed him to interpret on Broadway a musical comedy "Carousel" by Rodgers, alongside Caterina Valente. If the play is successful, it will be a commitment of several months... but it will have to be interrupted because in Hollywood Franco will have to interpret a film "The King of Granada". [None of these projects were realized in the end.]
An avalanche of dollars, therefore, and an avalanche of applause.
In the two photos: two different moments of Corelli's visit to the "Martinitt" orphanage, which ended with an adoption. Corelli will soon be singing in New York in "Norma" alongside Callas, in two evenings whose proceeds will be donated to various charities.
But Franco Corelli has well earned both. His life is not as rosy and easy as it might seem. Franco Corelli has never acquired self-confidence (this is what drives him to study and perfect himself more and more). Incredible to say, but for each performance, the stage fright, the fatal panic of the performance, is renewed for him, as if it were always the first time he sang. On the contrary, in the early days of his career, which he had begun almost as a game, without believing much in it, after the school in Spoleto, he was much more relaxed and unconcerned. Today, he knows what the public - always fierce - expects and demands of him. He knows that the slightest failure, the slightest weakness would not be forgiven, so every performance is a torture. Nervous and sensitive, the slightest thing makes him agitated, often the dread of colds and laryngitis paralyses his life. He deprives himself of amusements, diversions, outings: he leads a very prudent life almost always at home, takes care of his food, goes to bed early, his existence is one of great sacrifice and self-denial, but he knows that this is the price he has to pay for art and success. Perhaps he would not have survived on his own if he had not had at his side a companion who was more than understanding, maternal as well as a wife, and who adapted to a regime of life that would have made any other woman impatient and unhappy.
It is quite easy to give up the splendid and brilliant life when you have no means, but when you have all the possibilities, the sacrifice is much heavier.
Loretta di Lelio, the daughter of a famous bass, who had also tried her hand at singing, offered to help Corelli brush up on his operas on the piano when she met him. Soon love was born between them, and their mutual passion for opera made it even stronger.
Loretta was “born on the stage”, and for this reason, too, she was of great help to Franco. The years went by, and her husband's anxiety and doubts, however, instead of subsiding became stronger.
On the eve of a "premiere" sometimes Franco is so upset, so insecure as to be all cold, unable to dominate his anxiety, seized by a thousand scruples and then Loretta turns into a cheerful and optimistic nurse to cheer him up.
It is a hard, difficult, tiring life, made up of anguish and also of the inevitable quarrels and struggles that one has to endure in the world of opera... For this reason, in spite of his triumphs and successes, Franco only dreams of the day when his career is over in beauty and splendour and he can rest. He hopes he will be young enough and capable enough to live many more years, finally calm, finally enjoying life and the fruits of his labour.
And yet he is a little afraid of that period, because it will be terribly empty. After so much frenetic activity, it will be difficult to fill a life that has been fabulous and almost adventurous. Perhaps one thing alone would be enough to give it a new purpose, and even deeper and more lasting joys than those that glory offers. A son.
Franco and Loretta grieved not to have one, though at first Loretta jokingly said that one child was enough for her to take care of, and that she could not rob her Franco of even a moment of time or devotion.
But in the near future, a child to care for, to raise, to watch over, a son to live for, to whom they could leave their wealth, could be a great thing for them both.
Sometimes, recently, they have talked about it together. And a few days ago, Corelli said: "Christmas is nice, but without children to make the tree for, to give lots of presents to, it is rather sad... ".
When his publicity agent then suggested that he go and bring some gifts to poor children who have no family, Franco Corelli accepted the proposal with the enthusiasm of a boy. For two days, he, who hardly ever goes out, afraid of the damp Milanese winter, ran around all the shops, buying mountains of toys. And one Sunday morning, with his car full of gifts, like Santa Claus, he went to the famous Martinitt institute, the most famous orphanage in Milan…
But the children who crowded around him were not so much delighted by the gifts as by his presence. They crowded around him, they wanted to caress him, touch him, they wanted him to sing for them.…
Corelli is entertained by two young guests of the Milanese orphanage. In recent times, Corelli's fame has become firmly established worldwide.
Franco Corelli suddenly felt moved to tears, and the thought of adopting one of those children became more definite…