Angelo Mercuriali, Franco Piva, Mario Spina, Mario Zanasi, Rome Opera Orchestra, La Scala Theater Orchestra - Mascagni - Cavalleria rusticana / de Los Angeles A· Corelli A· Santini ~ Leoncavallo - Pagliacci / Corelli A· Gobbi A· Amara A· von Matacic

Two Signature Roles of Franco Corelli

This set of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci has been assembled for Franco Corelli, as he stars in both. The set is recommended to listen to Corelli in controlled studio conditions, without background noise or the like, in two of his major roles. As it is well known by everyone who knows his singing, where other tenors struggle to solve the technical problems, he has taken a huge leap forward, using his technique for nuanced, meaningful interpretation. These recordings are very typical of his masterful art.

The conducting, choruses, orchestras, and the other singers are excellent: much care has obviously been taken to create two exquisite big pictures.

Victoria de Los Angeles is a very light lyric soprano, but the great surprise is that she sings Santuzza very well technically, therefore, this type of voice in the role becomes more than acceptable, it is interesting.

Tito Gobbi offers an outstanding performance of Tonio/Taddeo in Pagliacci, using all kinds of vocal emissions and effects to differentiate between Tonio, the "real life" character exhibiting the passion of the "monstrously" deformed man, and his character in the burlesque comedy, Taddeo, played on the stage of the theater within the theater.
May 18, 2008

Don't miss this Cavalleria

I would rate this Cavalleria 6 stars if I could. Everything in this recording is at the top: Corelli in great voice and sensitivity, de los Angeles in brilliant voice, extremely convincing - a Santuzza simmering of jealousy, Sereni a formidable Alfio, great choir, orchestra and conducting. Not to be missed.
Sorry I cannot say the same about the enclosed Pagliacci. Corelli still has a very good 'No, Pagliaccio non son' and finale, and a good 'Vesti la giubba', but Gobbi is really struggling with his voice and the overall impression is of an oldish, "sail safely to the land" style. March 31, 2008

A Recommended Corelli Memento

This is Corelli at his best, with all of those spine-tingling "high" notes. There is a version of Cavalleria/Pagliacci(on 2 separate CDs)by Jussi Bjorling, my other favorite tenor, which serves as an interesting contrast to the Corelli version. I found the Corelli take to be the superior of the two, in this case, although there is little to fault in the Bjorling offerings. March 26, 2007

Best Stereo Cav/Pag

If you need to show somebody WHY Franco Corelli was the most exciting tenor of the last half of the 20th century, just plop this CD in your player. Corelli is electrifying in both these operas and has a fine supporting cast (well except for the Nedda, but Pagliacci thankfully is an opera that won't be ruined if you have a so-so one). Gobbi is his typical creepy self and Sereni is manly. The conducting keeps things going at a great pace. The Cav is even better. De Los Angeles is a surprisingly good Santuzza. October 31, 2006

Text Book Bel Canto Technique. . .

Corelli is a God: never has anyone had a command of Bel Canto
technique like him. Some complain that he is loud and vulgar. Well,
that is a complaint that has been made about Verdi, Italian Opera, and
Italian culture in general. I am in complete envy of anyone who might have heard him in the theater. Can you imagine what kind
of frisson this "loud and vulgar" voice could have created? Not to
mention his stunning sex appeal. THE tenor of this century, but
divine in a different way from Callas. His SINGING is the key to
his glory: completely free, squillo beyond human understanding, and
because of his completely free upper mechanism, his breath control
was simply stunning.

These recordings are must have-s: De los Angeles is a young, vulnerable Santuzza (unlike the dangerous reading that Callas gives it). Instead of perpetrating the death of Turridu, the Santuzza of de los Angeles seems to have stumbled innocently into the situation. Her disclosing of the affair of Turridu and Lola to Alfio is the hurt confession of a young girl, as opposed to the crafty reading that Callas
gives the scene. The conducting of Sabatini is urgent and propels the
drama forward. Cavalleria is a strange piece architecturally: it sometimes gives the impression of being an oratorio with its extended
orchestral passages and choruses. Of course, Corelli in the final
scene leave no piece of scenery un-chewed, but his noble tone makes
him a sympathetic Turridu. Unlike the Turridi-s of De Stefano and Pavarotti, Corelli turns Turridu into a confused adolescent, rather than a mature man making selfish choices.

As for Pagliacci: the Canio of Gobbi is searing in its intensity, and
the Nedda of Amara (again, compared to Callas, ALWAYS one
must compare to Callas) is youthful and rather un-complex, though
beautifully sung and completely convincing. Of course, Corelli is
THE Canio, brooding, sullen, frightening. He does not come across
as middle aged (Vickers), but a virile man in his prime, "fatto cornuto"
by his wife.

As recordings come and go in and out of print, snatch this up NOW.
I have 4 recordings of Cav/Pag: my understanding of these pieces would not really be complete without this one.
December 21, 2005

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