Alessandro Corbelli
Encyclopedia
Alessandro Corbelli is an Italian
baritone
opera singer. One of the world's preeminent singers specializing in Mozart and Rossini, Corbelli has sung in many major opera houses around the world and won admiration for his elegant singing style and sharp characterizations, especially in comic roles.
, Italy in 1952 and studied with Giuseppe Valdengo
and Claude Thiolas. He made his debut in 1973 (at the age of twenty-one) in Aosta, Italy as Monterone in Verdi's Rigoletto
. Subsequently he appeared at La Scala
in Milan
(singing in all three of the Mozart/Da Ponte operas under conductor Riccardo Muti
), and also in such cities as Turin, Verona, Bologna, Florence, and Naples, as well as major opera houses in Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany, England, Spain, Israel, and North and South America. At the beginning of his career Corbelli sang lyric baritone roles, but his natural talent for comedy caused him eventually to be typecast in comic parts. Among the buffo roles he has performed and/or recorded are Dr. Bartolo in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, Taddeo in Rossini’s L'italiana in Algeri
, Don Geronio in Rossini’s Il turco in Italia
, Dr. Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore
, and the title role of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale
. He has frequently showed his versatility by singing two roles from the same opera: Figaro and the Count in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Leporello and the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni
, Guglielmo and Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte
, and Dandini and Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La Cenerentola
, among others.
Perhaps the role for which Corbelli is best known is that of Dandini, the valet disguised as a prince
in Rossini's La Cenerentola. He recorded this role on the Decca label with conductor Riccardo Chailly in a cast that included Cecilia Bartoli
; this production later traveled to the Houston Grand Opera and was televised in 1995. Dandini was also the role in which Corbelli debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1997, in a performance that was also televised. In 2007 he appeared in the Met production of Puccini's Il trittico
playing the title role in Gianni Schicchi
; the performance was one of six of that Met season transmitted to movie theaters around the world that year. In 2009 Corbelli returned to the Met as Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, again in a performance that was simulcast to movie theaters.
Although primarily associated with Italian-language comic roles, Corbelli’s résumé
shows his wide-ranging interests and versatility, including French and German roles (Sulpice in Donizetti's La fille du regiment
, Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte), baroque
opera (Seneca in Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea
) and a twentieth-century English-language opera (Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake's Progress
). He has also sung roles in later Italian comic operas, for instance the title roles in Verdi’s Falstaff
and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi
. He is active in the concert hall as well, performing as a soloist
in oratorios and vocal symphonies.
On 26 November 2007, while in London rehearsing for La Cenerentola, Corbelli stepped in at the last minute for a production of L'elisir d'amore
, singing the role of Belcore for the second half of the opera from the side of the stage while Ludovic Tézier, who had sung the first half with a throat infection, acted the role.
(probably because of the roles he sings and the depth and richness his voice has acquired), Corbelli has emphatically described himself as a baritone. Corbelli's voice is not large, but its dark coloring gives it power and heft. He possesses a tight vibrato
and great flexibility in coloratura
and patter. His diction is always razor-sharp and he points up the text brilliantly, particularly in recitatives. His stage presence is commanding (despite his short stature), and he excels in comic timing and subtle characterization.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
opera singer. One of the world's preeminent singers specializing in Mozart and Rossini, Corbelli has sung in many major opera houses around the world and won admiration for his elegant singing style and sharp characterizations, especially in comic roles.
Career and Roles
Corbelli was born in TurinTurin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy in 1952 and studied with Giuseppe Valdengo
Giuseppe Valdengo
Giuseppe Valdengo was an Italian operatic baritone. Opera News said that, "Although his timbre lacked the innate beauty of some of his baritone contemporaries, Valdengo's performances were invariably satisfying — bold and assured in attack but scrupulously musical."-Biography:Valdengo first...
and Claude Thiolas. He made his debut in 1973 (at the age of twenty-one) in Aosta, Italy as Monterone in Verdi's Rigoletto
Rigoletto
Rigoletto is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi. The Italian libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on the play Le roi s'amuse by Victor Hugo. It was first performed at La Fenice in Venice on March 11, 1851...
. Subsequently he appeared at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
(singing in all three of the Mozart/Da Ponte operas under conductor Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
), and also in such cities as Turin, Verona, Bologna, Florence, and Naples, as well as major opera houses in Switzerland, France, Austria, Germany, England, Spain, Israel, and North and South America. At the beginning of his career Corbelli sang lyric baritone roles, but his natural talent for comedy caused him eventually to be typecast in comic parts. Among the buffo roles he has performed and/or recorded are Dr. Bartolo in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, Taddeo in Rossini’s L'italiana in Algeri
L'italiana in Algeri
L'italiana in Algeri is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini to an Italian libretto by Angelo Anelli, based on his earlier text set by Luigi Mosca...
, Don Geronio in Rossini’s Il turco in Italia
Il turco in Italia
Il turco in Italia is an opera in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The Italian-language libretto was written by Felice Romani...
, Dr. Dulcamara in Donizetti’s L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore is an opera by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. It is a melodramma giocoso in two acts...
, and the title role of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale
Don Pasquale is an opera buffa, or comic opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The librettist Giovanni Ruffini wrote the Italian language libretto after Angelo Anelli's libretto for Stefano Pavesi's Ser Marcantonio ....
. He has frequently showed his versatility by singing two roles from the same opera: Figaro and the Count in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Leporello and the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni
Don Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
, Guglielmo and Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte
Così fan tutte, ossia La scuola degli amanti K. 588, is an opera buffa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart first performed in 1790. The libretto was written by Lorenzo Da Ponte....
, and Dandini and Don Magnifico in Rossini’s La Cenerentola
La Cenerentola
La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the fairy tale Cinderella...
, among others.
Perhaps the role for which Corbelli is best known is that of Dandini, the valet disguised as a prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
in Rossini's La Cenerentola. He recorded this role on the Decca label with conductor Riccardo Chailly in a cast that included Cecilia Bartoli
Cecilia Bartoli
Cecilia Bartoli is an Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano opera singer and recitalist. She is best-known for her interpretation of the music of Mozart and Rossini, as well as for her performances of lesser-known Baroque and classical music...
; this production later traveled to the Houston Grand Opera and was televised in 1995. Dandini was also the role in which Corbelli debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1997, in a performance that was also televised. In 2007 he appeared in the Met production of Puccini's Il trittico
Il trittico
Il trittico is the title of a collection of three one-act operas, Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi, by Giacomo Puccini...
playing the title role in Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy. The work is the third and final part of Puccini's Il trittico —three one-act operas with...
; the performance was one of six of that Met season transmitted to movie theaters around the world that year. In 2009 Corbelli returned to the Met as Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola, again in a performance that was simulcast to movie theaters.
Although primarily associated with Italian-language comic roles, Corbelli’s résumé
Résumé
A résumé is a document used by individuals to present their background and skillsets. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons but most often to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a summary of relevant job experience and education...
shows his wide-ranging interests and versatility, including French and German roles (Sulpice in Donizetti's La fille du regiment
La fille du régiment
La fille du régiment is an opéra comique in two acts by Gaetano Donizetti. It was written while the composer was living in Paris, with a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard.La figlia del reggimento, a slightly different Italian-language version , was...
, Papageno in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte), baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
opera (Seneca in Monteverdi’s L'incoronazione di Poppea
L'incoronazione di Poppea
L'incoronazione di Poppea is an Italian baroque opera comprising a prologue and three acts, first performed in Venice during the 1642–43 carnival season. The music, attributed to Claudio Monteverdi, is a setting of a libretto by Giovanni Francesco Busenello...
) and a twentieth-century English-language opera (Nick Shadow in Stravinsky’s The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress
The Rake's Progress is an opera in three acts and an epilogue by Igor Stravinsky. The libretto, written by W. H. Auden and Chester Kallman, is based loosely on the eight paintings and engravings A Rake's Progress of William Hogarth, which Stravinsky had seen on May 2, 1947, in a Chicago...
). He has also sung roles in later Italian comic operas, for instance the title roles in Verdi’s Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi is a comic opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, composed in 1917–18. The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy. The work is the third and final part of Puccini's Il trittico —three one-act operas with...
. He is active in the concert hall as well, performing as a soloist
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
in oratorios and vocal symphonies.
On 26 November 2007, while in London rehearsing for La Cenerentola, Corbelli stepped in at the last minute for a production of L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore
L'elisir d'amore is an opera by the Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. It is a melodramma giocoso in two acts...
, singing the role of Belcore for the second half of the opera from the side of the stage while Ludovic Tézier, who had sung the first half with a throat infection, acted the role.
Vocal Style
Although in recent years Corbelli has sometimes been billed as a bass-baritoneBass-baritone
A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
(probably because of the roles he sings and the depth and richness his voice has acquired), Corbelli has emphatically described himself as a baritone. Corbelli's voice is not large, but its dark coloring gives it power and heft. He possesses a tight vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
and great flexibility in coloratura
Coloratura
Coloratura has several meanings. The word is originally from Italian, literally meaning "coloring", and derives from the Latin word colorare . When used in English, the term specifically refers to elaborate melody, particularly in vocal music and especially in operatic singing of the 18th and...
and patter. His diction is always razor-sharp and he points up the text brilliantly, particularly in recitatives. His stage presence is commanding (despite his short stature), and he excels in comic timing and subtle characterization.