She was an Italian operatic soprano who was particularly associated with the dramatic soprano roles of the verisimo repertoire and the works of Richard Wagner. After a singing career which lasted almost two decades, she managed the Teatro Costanzi in Rome for almost fifteen years. After studying with her father, Beniamino Carelli, at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella, she made her professional debut in 1895 in the title role of Mercadante's La vestale during the centenary celebrations at Altamura and went on to appear in the opera houses of many Italian cities. In 1898 she married the left-wing politician, self-made millionaire, and later impresario, Walter Mocchi. She sang in several world premieres including: Pietro Floridia's La Colonia libera (1899); Meryem in Cesare Galeotti's Anton (1900) and Rosaura in Mascagni's Le maschere at La Scala in 1901. For several years she also sang in South America, primarily Argentina, as part of a touring troupe organized by her husband. In 1903, she sang the title role in Edoardo Mascheroni's opera Lorenza for its South American premiere in Buenos Aires. She became particularly associated with the title role in Leoncavallo's Zazà and sang in several operas by Richard Wagner, including the roles of Kundry in Parsifal and Elisabeth in Tannhäuser. She also sang the title role in Puccini's Tosca, the title role in Giordano's Fedora, Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana, and Margherita in Boito's Mefistofele among other roles. In 1910, Carelli's husband purchased the Teatro Costanzi. His company, Impresa Costanzi, produced the world premiere of Leoncavallo's Maia during its first season. Carelli took over the management from her husband in 1912, while he concentrated on running the South American the touring troupe and the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janiero and the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. During her 14 year management of the theatre, several operas received their first Rome performances including Richard Strauss's Elektra (in which she sang the title role), La fanciulla del West, Turandot and Il trittico by Giacomo Puccini; Parsifal by Richard Wagner; Francesca da Rimini by Riccardo Zandonai; Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky; Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns. Apart from Elektra, her only other performance as a singer during that time was in the title role of Mascagni's Iris. In 1926, Carelli and Walter Mocchi sold the Costanzi to the Rome City Council and withdrew from most of their other business interests in South America. Carelli died two years later in a car accident. A few years after her death, Mocchi married Bidu Sayão, whose career Carelli had fostered.
Chronology of some appearances
1898 Chieti Teatro Marruccino Manon Lescaut (Manon)
1898 Perugia Teatro Turreno Pagliacci (Nedda)
1899 Roma Teatro Costanzi Mefistofele (Margherita)
1900 Milano Teatro alla Scala Lohengrin (Elsa)
1900 Reggio Emilia Teatro Municipale Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1900 Buenos Ayres Teatro dell'Opera Boheme (Mimi)
1900 Buenos Ayres Teatro dell'Opera Tosca (Tosca)
1900 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Lirico Boheme (Mimi)
1900 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Lirico Lohengrin (Elsa)
1900 Milano Teatro La Scala Boheme (Mimi)
1901 Genova Politeama Genovese Zaza (Zaza)
1902 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Andrea Chenier (Maddalena)
1902 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1902 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Olimpo Boheme (Mimi)
1902 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Olimpo Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1902 Montevideo Politeama Boheme (Mimi)
1902 Montevideo Politeama Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1902 Madrid Teatro Reale Boheme (Mimi)
1902 Madrid Teatro Reale Lohengrin (Elsa)
1903 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Olimpo Andrea Chenier (Maddalena)
1903 Rio de Janeiro Teatro Lirico Boheme (Mimi)
1903 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Olimpo Boheme (Mimi)
1903 Rosario di Santa Fe Gioconda (Gioconda)
1903 Madrid Teatro Reale Boheme (Mimi)
1903 Madrid Teatro Reale Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1903 Oporto Teatro San Joao Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1903 Torino Teatro Vittorio Emanuele Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1903 Parma Teatro Regio Gioconda (Gioconda)
1904 Mantova Teatro Sociale Sibera (Stephana)
1905 Santiago del Cile Teatro Municipal Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1906 Firenze Teatro Verdi Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)
1906 Firenze Teatro della Pergola Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1906 Roma Teatro Costanzi Amica (Amica)
1906 Milano Teatro Lirico Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1906 Roma Teatro Adriano Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1907 Lisbona Teatro San Carlos Adriana Lecouvreur (Adriana)
1907 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Boheme (Mimi)
1907 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1907 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Gioconda (Gioconda)
1907 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)
1907 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Colon Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)
1907 San Paolo Politeama Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San)
1907 Bucarest Teatro Nazionale Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1909 Santiago del Cile Teatro Municipal Boheme (Mimi)
1909 Valparaiso Teatro Victoria Boheme (Mimi)
1909 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1909 Rosario di Santa Fe Teatro Colon Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1909 Napoli Teatro San Carlo Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1910 Lisbona Coliseo Recrejos Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1913 Buenos Ayres Teatro Coliseo Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
1914 Roma Teatro Costanzi Cavalleria rusticana (Santuzza)
RECORDINGS FOR SALE
G&T, Milano 1903-10?
Tosca (Puccini):
Vissi d'arte 53341 Con272R
Lorenza (Mascheroni):
Io son bella with Mario Sammarco 054026 Con644
Lorenza (mascheroni): Romanza, act 3 053027 Con647
Cavalleria Rusticana
(Mascagni): Voi lo sapete 053028 Con648
Bohème (Puccini):
Addio senza rancor 053029 Con650
Manon (Massenet):
Addio o nostro 053032 Con652
Iris (Mascagni): Un di
era, piccina 053033 Con653
Andrea Chénier (Giordano):
La mamma morta 053034 Con654
Dopo (Tosti) 053035
Con659
Tosca (Puccini): Quanto? Il prezzo? with Mario Sammarco 054028 Con703
Pathe cylinders & discs, Paris 1905?
Zazà (Leoncavallo):
Dir che ci sono al mondo 4376
Mefistofele (Boito):
L'altra notte in fondo al mare 4382
Fonotipia, Milano 1906-04-20
Fonotipia, Milano 1906-04-23
Manon (Massenet):
Ancor son io tutt'attonita 39650 XPh 1820
Tosca (Puccini):
Vissi d'arte 39649 XPh 1822
Fonotipia, Milano 1906-07-04
Zazà (Leoncavallo):
Mamma usciva di casa Unpubl. XPh 1970
Fonotipia, Milano 1906-07-05
Adriana Lecouvreur
(Cilea): Io sono l'umile ancella 39734
XPh 1978
Adriana Lecouvreur
(Cilea): Poveri fiori 39735 XPh 1979
MOLTO BELLO!!! Thank you my Friend for sharing this Valuable Biographical information.
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