Customer Reviews

Heroes - Franco Corelli

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Hear the Tenor of the century! This Franco Corelli CD contains many of his greatest recordings...the long lost 2nd half of "A Portrait of Franco Corelli". No tenor can compete with the sheer power and excitment of Corelli's high "c" from Di quella pira. After hearing his impassioned "E lucevan le stella"...with it's awe inspiring diminuendo phrase "Le belle forme disciogliea dai veli...", all must realize that in Corelli we trully had the Tenor of the ages. I challenge all the Pav fans to listen to the "REAL MAN!" Be warned, Track #18, his Nessun dorma will forever ruin your enjoyment of this song when others sing it. No one holds the "Vincero" like Corelli. NO ONE! Enjoy the albulm, I challenge anyone to find a "Vincero" like Corelli's

Franco Corelli, who sang from 1951 to 1975, was the greatest tenore di forza of the postwar era. A powerful and exciting singer, never a subtle, elegant, or refined one, he had his detractors (who called him crude, vulgar, self-indulgent, and who lambasted his execrable French), but there can be no argument about the quality of his voice, a big, vibrant tenor with a thrilling timbre (often described as rich, dark, or baritonal) and a brilliant, secure top that must have been the envy and despair of other tenors. A nervous performer repeatedly subject to pre-performance jitters and anxiety attacks (a wag once said of him that Corelli could always think of more reasons not to sing than to sing), once onstage he was a generous singer who gave fully of himself and, like Caruso, poured out his magnificent voice unstintingly, never holding back.

The voice itself was one of the glories of the generously-endowed operatic scene of the Fifties and Sixties, and one of greatest tenor voices of the century. Herbert von Karajan said of Corelli, "A voice of heroic power, yet with great beauty of tone; darkly sensuous, mysteriously melancholic . . . but above all, a voice of thunder and lightning, fire and blood." Harold C. Schonberg, senior music of the New York Times, reviewing Corelli's Metropolitan debut in 1961, noted that his voice "has something of an exciting animal drive about it, and when Mr. Corelli lets loose, he can dominate an ensemble," and later described his voice as "a force of nature, an act of God, the vocal equivalent of an earthquake, volcano or hurricane." The distinguished musicologist Paul Henry Lang writing in the New York Herald-Tribune called Corelli "a latter-day Caruso." Alan Rich of the New York Herald-Tribune wrote of him, "There is no tenor in modern times, Italian or otherwise, whose voice rings out with greater vibrancy, whose every tone carries with it emotion at white heat. The sounds he makes, seemingly without effort, are dazzlingly bright, urgent, and communicative." Since Corelli's retirement we haven't heard anything remotely like him, and those of us who know his voice (and Bjorling's) can perhaps be pardoned for finding the "three tenors" so popular today somewhat anemic in comparison.

I have been an admirer of Corelli, a collector of his recordings, and a follower of his career since the 1950s (before he sang in America, when his only recordings were Italian Cetra imports). I have just about everything he recorded. This CD is a fine, representative selection of Corelli's Angel/EMI studio recordings from the 1960s, when he was in his prime, and a good introduction to his singing, including two roles in which he was without a peer: Andrea Chenier and Calaf in Turandot. You will never hear a more thrilling and heroic Improviso from Chenier than the one here. And if you're fond of Nessun dorma, this is one of the great ones.

There is no tenor singing today with a voice the equal of this one. Don't miss it.

This is a great testament to the studio art of Franco Corelli. Although there are some exceptions, these is a great collection of arias that Franco sang incredibly well. His is a voice that has a strong, baritonish middle and a high voice that cuts through the air as a blade. Highly reccomended.

This is an amazing CD, full of thrilling singing. Corelli is my favorite ever singer (I am a young soprano). Apart from the sheer beauty of the sound, and the power throughout the range, AND the near perfect technique, you feel that he means every single word he is singing. I find this especially moving in the more verismo roles. The full recording with Stella of Andrea Chenier (from which the three arias on this CD were taken) is also really recommended. This CD contains not only all the Chenier arias, but the famous renditions of Di Quella Pira with the UNBELIEVABLE top C, and the very sexy (and incredibly difficult) diminuendo at the end of Celeste Aida. This CD is an ideal introduction to his voice. Once you have listened to this, you will be back for more! He makes all other tenors sound slightly lacking in testosterone. If you read these reviews from Milano, Franco - You are simply the greatest!

If you have not heard Franco Corelli, this cd is the start. It gives a perfect portrait of Mr.Corelli. It`s one of my most played records ever. It's so exciting. But watch out! After listening to it, you can find many other tenors a little bit boring, if you`re comparing. Of course Corelli had his faults, and they are easy to find. But when you hear the thrilling sound of this abnormal tenorvoice, his brilliant boldly high notes, his intensity; they are very easy to ignore.
So if you`re looking for a different singer, buy this one and
you`re gonna be excited!

There has never been a voice or a presence to rival Franco Corelli. If you have not experienced the power and beauty of his voice along with the immense feeling he puts into every aria, this is an excellent beginning. For those of us with, hopefully, everything he ever sang, it's an essential collection. Note: This is one of a series of "Heroes" CD's, all of which feature excellent selections from wonderful singers.

This compilation of moments from various complete opera studio recordings gives a very good idea about the legendary tenor Franco Corelli. Unfortunately most of the complete sets have one or two singers who are not ideal, therefore only a few opera recordings with Corelli can be recommended as first-choice recordings. EMI here has put together most of Corelli's best moments! He is heard in his glorious prime! Endless breath, electrifying high notes and power, power, power characterise his singing. My only objection is that his stentorian voice can sometimes become tiring. If only, however, we had such a tenor today! Of all the roles here, his Pollione and Manrico impressed me the most but everything else is also amazing. Bravo!

i am proud and happy to own any dvd or cd of the great franco corelli . in this cd he sings some famous arias so well that i dont want to hear any other tenor again . i have been a fan of mr corelli for many years . he is the best tenor of the 20th century . no one comes close to him not even mario delmonaco . it is sad today the state opera is in . these so called tenors are just awful . this is my opinion . god bless you dear prince of tenors you set the standards so high no one can come close .

Franco Corelli was a big rich voiced tenor. This collection surely shows his voice off to good effect. He was not an elegant stylist; however, he was a great tenor. This CD displays his skills in a variety of operas and roles. From Pagliacci to Turandot, from Meyerbeer to Giordano. . .

These are well known arias, allowing one to compare him with others who have essayed these same roles.

Below, a few selections to illustrate my response to this CD.

"Celeste Aida." At the outset, we get a sense of his powerful voice. His voice soars on "Celeste Aida, forma divina." Maybe not as much elegance in his singing as others--but what richness in his voice. The final note rings out and then he ramps it down quite effectively. Nicely done.

"E lucevan le stelle." Tenors must love Tosca. They get to sing two powerful arias (this plus Recondita armonia). This is effectively sung. His rich voice once more is manifest. It rises easily above the orchestra (not always easy for a tenor). There are some moments of tenderness in his voice as he modulates. There are a few affectations that I do not much like (little "cries" in his voice). His final "la vita" is nicely done (albeit with yet another "cry").

"Ah si ben mio. . .Di quella pira." Di quella pira is a great showpiece for a tenor. Ah si ben mio is also a nice piece for a tenor voice. The first part of this cut is reflectively sung, building toward a thundering version of Di quella pira. Corelli does well in the former piece; he is a wonder in the latter. His voice simply rises above chorus and orchestra. Not all tenors can meet this challenge. He closes this out with a shimmering high note. His "shakes" in Di quella pira are not so great, but I'm not sure that I care with his voice soaring so powerfully. . . .

Want to get a sense of Franco Corelli? This is a good CD to do just that!

Correli, for opera singers and those in the know who appreciate opera, had one of the largest, most powerful and passionate voices in the last century. Along with his movie star good looks, he cut quite a dashing figure on stage. When he sang, he blew everyone off stage with his sheer force. In a famous moment at the Met, for example, Corelli had to perform Cavalaria Rusticana with a flu. The opening aria, right after the overture, requires the tenor to sing backstage, where many tenors voices simply lose their power by the sheer size of the Met's hall. Yet, Corelli was heard even in the back rows of the balconies. Music critics wrote of that event. Besides the no-brainer Turandot as a testament to his enormous lung capacity, listen to Corelli sing Il Trovatore, Act 3 Scene 2: Di Quella Pira. At the end, Corelli splits the high C note. You think he's done with the note, but he is able to still carry a second high C in an unusual technique. One of the most interesting, musical and heroic voices of the last 100 years.