[Deathwatch] Franco Corelli, opera singer, 82

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Opera great Franco Corelli dies at 82
Wednesday, October 29, 2003 Posted: 10:16 PM EST (0316 GMT)

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/29/obit.corelli.ap/index.html

ROME, Italy (AP) -- Franco Corelli, whose large, ringing voice and
matinee-idol looks made him one of the greatest tenors of the 20th
century, has died, the ANSA news agency said. He was 82. 

Corelli, whose career took him from La Scala to New York's Metropolitan
Opera and other great stages in between, had been hospitalized in
August following what was believed to be a stroke, and ANSA said
Corelli died in the same Milan hospital where he was being treated. 

Born April 8, 1921, Corelli made his opera debut in 1951 at Spoleto as
Don Jose in "Carmen." 

He inaugurated the opera season at Milan's Teatro alla Scala three
years later with Maria Callas, singing in Spontini's "La Vestale." He
made his debut at The Royal Opera in London in 1957 as Cavaradossi in
Puccini's "Tosca," becoming one of the world's finest spinto tenors. 

He appeared frequently at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York,
which was for many years his favorite venue. 

In all, Corelli sang 368 performances at the Met, where he made his
debut on January 27, 1961, as Manrico in Verdi's "Il Trovatore"
opposite soprano Leontyne Price, who also made her house debut that
night. 

His final performance with the Met was on tour in Puccini's "La Boheme"
on June 28, 1975. 

He made his Vienna State Opera debut in 1963. 

Corelli was a perfect romantic lead: a lyric tenor with great
versatility, he also had a strapping and muscular build. As he
developed his upper register, he took on and scored successes in all
the great tenor roles, performing in Verdi's "Don Carlo," "La Forza del
Destino," "Aida" and "Ernani," Puccini's "Turandot," and Giordano's
"Andrea Chenier." 

He appeared in opera houses around the globe with such greats as
Callas, with whom he had a special partnership for many years, Renata
Tebaldi, Birgit Nilsson and Joan Sutherland. 

The mayor of Corelli's hometown of Ancona, Fabio Sturani, sent a
message of condolence to Corelli's family, calling Corelli one of the
most "refined" tenors in Italian lyric opera. 

As his voice aged, Corelli sang fewer operas and concentrated more on
concerts. He retired in 1976, although he was present as a special
guest in October 2002 at a Milan awards ceremony where he received a
standing ovation. 

He is survived by his wife, the singer Loretta Di Lelio, ANSA said.