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Oh Franco, how could I have forgotten?
Aug. 27th, 2007 08:21 pmI had the ecstatic experience of listening to a live Met broadcast recording from 1964 of Don Carlo with Franco Corelli. I can't describe what happens to me when that man sings. He is the King of tenors. The Elvis of opera. The greatest of them all.
Oh, sure, what about the fat man, I hear you cry? He's great, don't get me wrong; a voice touched by God. Schipa? McCormack? Gigli? Caruso? Wunderlich? Yeah, ok, great ones, all. But there is no sound so exciting as Corelli singing. I get goosebumps all over and my nipples get hard enough to cut glass. At 6'4" he cut a swath across the stage like Rock Hudson in Giant. As thrilling to watch as he was to listen to; you never knew if he'd have a nervous breakdown or make it through the third act.
In the word of Birgit Nilsson when she had to talk him out of the bathroom before every performance, "Oh Franco, nobody can do it like you can."
Savor the High C
Every bit as good Live
And more...
Oh, sure, what about the fat man, I hear you cry? He's great, don't get me wrong; a voice touched by God. Schipa? McCormack? Gigli? Caruso? Wunderlich? Yeah, ok, great ones, all. But there is no sound so exciting as Corelli singing. I get goosebumps all over and my nipples get hard enough to cut glass. At 6'4" he cut a swath across the stage like Rock Hudson in Giant. As thrilling to watch as he was to listen to; you never knew if he'd have a nervous breakdown or make it through the third act.
In the word of Birgit Nilsson when she had to talk him out of the bathroom before every performance, "Oh Franco, nobody can do it like you can."
Savor the High C
Every bit as good Live
And more...
