Franco Corelli in Parma - Tosca - “E lucevan le stelle“ (English subtitles)

(Puccini: Tosca) Teatro Regio di Parma, January 21, 1967 Not only Corelli’s prolonged B-flat at the climax of “Recondita armonia“; his twelve-second A-sharp on “Vittoria!“; and his 22-second “discogliea dai veli“ with unbelievable control of the diminuendo in “E lucevan le stelle“, but also the audience’s explosive frenzy and participation has to be heard to be believed. The shouts for “bis“ after “E lucevan le stelle“ went on seemingly forever. The audience was absolutely livid at being denied the encore and over and over drowned out the orchestra until Corelli hand signaled that he would sing for them after the opera, which he does, the most soulful and impassioned “Core ’ngrato,“ after a piano is rolled onto the stage. Floria Tosca.................... Virginia Gordoni Mario Cavaradossi........ Franco Corelli Il barone Scarpia............ Attilio d’Orazi Cesare Angelotti.............. Silvio Maionica Il sagrestano.................... Virgilio Carbonari Spoletta............................ Walter Arti