Franco Corelli & Birgit Nilsson interview

i saw this one on youtube a while back, but i can't find it anymore. don't know what happened to it, or why it was taken out, but i've re-uploaded it. poor video quality

[@Wotan123456789]

This is one of my favorite videos in KZbin. I melt everytime I see Nilsson's face when Franco starts to sing.

[@flicfan416]

I love how Nilsson gets flustered, like a schoolgirl, when Corelli starts singing!

[@BostonFenian]

Oh wow, this is so great! Birgit's reaction to Franco coming out was priceless, and put a huge smile on my face. Thanks so much for uploading this!!! I do wish it the video was better quality, but the poor quality is an insignificant price to pay to see this. Brilliant!

[@petereuropa]

This is from a Swedish TV show. It was "Here you have your Life" (or how to translate it). It was awhole evening show with secret guests comming to meet Birgit and talking about memories of her Life and career. This is a jem, and I hope that the whole TV show will be here on KZbin in the future. It was produced of the Swedish State television, so it is saved somwhere in the archives at SVT, Sweden. Fantastic video with Corelli - opera history.

[@Davey74Boy]

Wow!!! An Aries and a Taurus!😲😲😲 this is what you get when you combine both Mars and Venus...a powerhouse duo! RIP Princess Turandot and Prince Calaf 😢😢😢👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Mooorhe]

This is wonderful, they genuinely seem to get on, must have been so stunning in the house to hear them wrestling on the Cs.

[@flannerymonaghan-morris4825]

This is just too cute. He seems quite nervous when around the accompanist, but when speaking to Nilsson, he becomes more relaxed. You can tell that these two are VERY good friends. It’s just so sweet! Now imagine seeing these two in their prime.

[@tenorschofield]

BRAVI!!!!! le due I am a fan of both,bravooooo!!!!!!! Maestro Corelli was a very "simpatico" and joyfull person; even when he got older, he always was a youthful person full of a positive speech...but very intelligent and clearf!!!!.

[@AemiliaJacobus]

This is so sweet! They were such a power couple in the professional sense, and perhaps the best Turandot and Calaf ever.

[@EdgarNYU]

THANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOU for re-uploading this. It is wonderful to see colleagues respect and love each other sincerely like this.

[@MrChandler73]

These two were absolutely sensational together!

[@vettegaddia6234]

+Eldovio Desanfernandino Bravissimi !

[@mr.m.8727]

+Eldovio Desanfernandino THese two were absolutley sensational together; alone were already the best of the best; together the gave us the best Turandot ever (and Tosca as well is beautiful with both of them, although is not perfect for Ms Nilsson).

[@vettegaddia6234]

Mr. M. No one is even close to Nilsson and Corelli as Turandot and Calaf. That is a FACT. They have no issues with the ample orchestration, the many high C's and B's. The extremely high tessitura that destroyed many great singers is easy for them. I'm willing to bet that Nilsson can sing Salome right after Turandot with ease while Corelli can sing Trovatore right after Calaf in the same day.

[@melbapatti]

Mr. M. Nilsson was an excellent Tosca. Her Met performances in ‘68 were riveting. The recording is a failure because D F-D is the worst Scarpia on record. I can only listen to Acts 1 and 3, and Vissi d’arte (Franco’s Act 3 aria is among the best on record). Their Aida recording with Bumbry under Mehta, however, is OUTSTANDING. She was a great Aida and sang it “live” often. Not too many sopranos sang Isolde and Aida regularly-just Gadski, Nordica and Birgit in 130+ years of Met history. The real missed recording opportunity was the EMI Fanciulla del West. EMI planned it for Callas and Corelli, but got Nilsson and Gibin after Callas pulled out. Nilsson and Corelli in Fanciulla would have been stellar.

[@haroldheim5506]

Thanks, Bob....these recordings are a wonderfully healing experience - such beauty! - after the endless crap on the news lately.

[@antoniopedrolisboa]

I'm crying a lot 😢😢😢❣️

[@nndimitry]

Love her reaction to Franco's voice. Even this grande soprana of opera at the manly voice of Franco flatters than this man was the greatest of all tenors.

[@Cordylcoh]

This is such a lovely clip - I wish someone in Swedish television would take pity on Corelli and La Nilsson fans and post a good quality version. In her autobiography Birgit Nilsson calls Corelli "Magnificent" and she writes about him with great insight, respect and admiration. The great always recognise each other.

[@toivonencresto]

Fantastic. Corelli/Nilsson/Scotto: best Turandot ever

[@Ivanhoe2]

Why criticise this "off the cuff" performance? Obviously he would not have had an opportunity to rehearse with the accompanist,,,but like the great artist he was,,,he did his best in the circumstances. He had travelled a long way prior to his appearance. It was good natured and very interesting. Thanks for posting.

[@frankmaiorana66]

@rumpwrestler The Metropolitan would not stage Turandot for years until they revived it in 1961 specifically for these two artists, Birgit Nillson and Franco Corelli. Listen to Corelli speak and listen to him sing you would not know it was the same person. My Father was a huge Corelli fan and would loved to have seen this.

[@kyleaustin7045]

"FRANCO!"

[@Ivanhoe2]

A great artist honouring a great colleague. I think the accompanist was trying to race him to the end ?? To be fair, though, they had no opportunity to rehearse together. The clip is completed elsewhere,,,and they did manage to get through it, thanks to Corelli's artistry. A Gerald Moore was needed. Lovely to hear though,,thankyou for posting it.

[@65attila]

What a winderful video- thank you.

[@chocolatesouljah]

7:20 the quality of what he did off the cuff, unrehearsed was astounding.

[@golden-63]

Birgit is so cute and girly!

[@giampierone010]

Due personaggi che hanno dato all'opera immortalità!!!Grazie Birgit e grazie Franco---grazie

[@wotan10950]

Great fun! The hilarious rumor was that Nilsson sent a telegram to Mr Bing, 'I cannot continue to sing Turandot -- I have rabies!!'

[@kyleaustin6061]

Dave Glo presumably, she did send it. And she did continue to sing it lmaooooo

[@Operafreak9]

@@kyleaustin6061 I like even better the story she told that Corelli was upset she had a piano in her dressing room and he did not, so Bing went to Birgit and asked if she would give hers to Franco. She replied,"Well all right, but I am not going to teach him how to play it."

[@bastianinifansempre]

Bellissimo! Grazie!

[@raulfernandezg]

his taking voice is so funny, you would have never guessed he had such an amazing spinto singing voice...

[@leticiabeatrizbavicchi5404]

¡¡que emoción poder disfrutar de dos glorias de la lírica!!!

[@tenorschofield]

BRAVI!!!!! le due I am a fan of both,bravooooo!!!!!!!

[@Samanthalastrega90]

Francoooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@racheleleeba]

November, 1981.

[@kyleaustin6061]

racheleleeba his voice returned, after a few years of resting. probably his nerves were too much that he didn't attempt a comeback

[@petergraham8681]

Corelli’s English speaking is much better than I remember. When was this interview I wonder?

[@cstrum]

Corelli's wife was always backstage-the women chased him and he loved women

[@Bjoerrelli]

I think that whithout that speaking voice Franco wouldn´t have sung the way he did if you listen closely you can really hear how much his cords are closing when he´s speaking and that cord closure was essential for his squillo and high notes even if I think the teaching by Lauri-Volpi helped him alot too

[@tommycanaparo443]

That’s how we as italians speak to be honest.. at least the majority of us.. we have “voce di piazza”. The vowels are naturally placed in the mask as we speak and we’re usually quite loud. Obviously is very different from singing.. but that’s how we’re supposed to speak anyways

[@abcdefgh-db1to]

@@tommycanaparo443 Franco Corelli himself said over and over that he never sang in the mask, this is just pure chest voice with open throat and incredible breath support

[@tommycanaparo443]

abcd efgh he said he never placed the voice in the mask but the voice should go in the mask naturally without pushing it there..

[@abcdefgh-db1to]

@@tommycanaparo443 kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5mWpaZ7htKsZ5I He clearly states that singing in the mask is wrong, you might feel like the sounds shakes your face but the sound resonates in the larynx

[@tommycanaparo443]

abcd efgh kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5mWpaZ7htKsZ5I in this link at 1:02 he clearly says: “la voce deve andare solamente in maschera attraverso il fiato”. This means “the voice should go in the mask only through the breath”. Therefore he never pushed the voice into the mask but it buzzed there automatically through the breath..

[@VinylToVideo]

His little handshake with the piano player looks like it was scripted but the guy screwed it up with a false start!

[@leadoffeohippus]

That's possible, but I mean, Corelli had a generally high voice. in some opera recitatives when he's not really singing full out, you can hear that lighter quality. I know what you mean; some interviews he sounds a little different, though I think that might have had to do with what time of day the interview was, or if he had a cold, or if he was just talking a little more quietly...

[@voicemad]

I remember seeing this on Swedish TV in the late 70s or early 80s. I'm sure Swedish TV have a better quality video recording than this one

[@gregsolovieff6711]

There’s another version of this show on KZbin with much clearer video.

[@tehen162]

November 1981

[@VictorTorrescarancha]

do you remember Maria Callas spoken voice? I think this is Corellis spoken voice, period.

[@herrbrucvald6376]

his speaking voice doesn't seem to fit him. he is a god, though.....

[@seraby7151]

I dunno but some italians have a squeaky voice when they try to speak English.

[@Michael-mh4vr]

He's s tenor not bass

[@moorfan1]

@Michael Taylor This is absolutely classic for the greatest tenors. Listen to Del Monaco or Lauri Volpi give an interview....they have this same high placement type speaking voice. You are hearing them use proper cord adduction even in their speaking voices.

[@maggiedeveney]

moorfan1 other recordings of Corelli speaking sound normal___that is not so high. ???

[@classicalricky]

He speaks pretty good english.

[@kateholli]

When was this? It's a Swedish TV ahow, obviously, but when??

[@agneshak6353]

he looks small sitting his hight was in hi legs also he stayed thin brigit is a big woman

[@Mr19841504]

what is the name of the first song,wheb corelli enters the stage,please?

[@Roheryn100]

He is singing “no one knows my name.Tell me my name, tell me my name by dawn, and at dawn I will die.”

[@Roheryn100]

Nessun Dorma !

[@SiEtIn1]

he speaks baby english it's difficult to understand him, a better video quality and subtitles in the swedish and corellish parts would be great

[@boxingin]

Corelli is my favorite tenor. But he looks like a scary guy. He has the look of a Sicilian Hitman.

[@lucillebonds4332]

Cheech Chong you're funny. Just like you don't know if you meet him he might be either a hit man or not? I disagree.

[@tdeane34]

@racheleleeba Me too!

[@gayhomelesswithpinknails4424]

2:37 2:38

[@kateholli]

thank you 1981 - SHE was still active then, hmm. HE already looks a little sick, and next to her he even looks small, given the fact that he was a tall man of 6'1! >25 years ago! we're getting old ourselves!

[@carlosgonzalezpalacios3981]

Curiosa la voz hablada de Corelli, es feisima, La tecnica crea una voz impresionante a partir de una vocecita ridicula

[@amb1548]

Si va a cantar como lo hacía pues da igual. Además era un hombre guapo y muy sensual. 😉

[@carlosgonzalezpalacios3981]

Era simplemente una disquisición tecnica

[@sidneiflamenco6068]

Compreendo o que você quis dizer, como a técnica da impostação vocal lirica transforma, além de um gigante da lirica vale lembrar e é notório que Corelli era um gentleman, figura rara que dificilmente haverá igual no mundo da lirica🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@LETTIS79]

hahaha I love Corelli, he is the best. But this must be one of the worst live performances of "l'ultima canzone". He makes like 100 mistakes!!!

[@Michael-mh4vr]

I know....but he didn't know he was singing beforehand

[@lucillebonds4332]

Christian Lettström no mistakes for me. He was great.

[@debradorfman7940]

And you can do better???????