Nelly Corradi
Italian postcard by ASER, no. 137. Photo: De Antonis.
Beautiful Nelly Corradi (1914–1968) was an Italian opera singer and actress.She made her film debut in Max Ophüls’s La signora di tutti (1934) and had her biggest successes after the war with opera films like Lucia di Lammermoor (1946).
Nelly or Nelli Corradi was born in Parma, Italy, in 1914. She studied to become a lyrical soprano at the Conservatory of Parma. After graduating, she started to perform in operas. In 1934 famous director Max Ophüls spotted her for the cinema and she made her film debut with the supporting part of Anna, the younger sister of Gabriella (Isa Miranda), in his La signora di tutti/Everybody's Woman (Max Ophüls, 1934). It is the only film Max Ophüls made in Italy. The film was a success and Isa Miranda became a star. Soon followed also leading parts for Corradi in such films as the drama Luci sommerse/Dimmed Lights (Adelqui Migliar, 1934) with Fosco Giacchetti, and in particular Le scarpe al sole (1935) by Marco Elter, with whom Corradi would do several films and whom she married too. Le scarpe al sole, about a woman whose husband is at war during the First World War, was Elter's film debut and got many awards. With Elter, Corradi also appeared in e.g. Il torrente/The creek (Marco Elter, 1938) with Camillo Pilotto, and his Shakespeare adaptation Dente per dente/Measure for Measure (1943). Corradi also acted in films by other directors such as Gianni Franciolini (Fari nella nebbia, 1942), mostly in supporting parts. Parallel, Corradi performed as opera singer and toured Italy and Europe as singer. Elter died age 55 in 1945 while sojourning in Switzerland.
After the war, Corradi remained active on stage, sometimes in operettas too. Nelly Corradi is probably best known for her post-war starring parts in opera films like Lucia di Lammermoor (Piero Ballerini, 1946). Fisher L Forrest at IMDb: “This is a very cinematic rendition of the Donizetti favorite featuring beautiful people, beautifully photographed, in beautiful settings. One may cavil that the atmosphere seems more Italian than Scottish, despite a few jaunty feathers in a bonnet or two and Normanno sporting a kilt and tartan plaid. But, what the heck! It is after all an Italian opera. Nelly Corradi is likely the most beautiful Lucia one is likely ever to see on screen or stage. Moreover, she is a consummate actress.” The success of the film soon lead to other opera films like L'elisir d'amore/Elixir of Love (Mario Costa, 1947), Il barbiere di Siviglia/Barber of Seville (Mario Costa, 1947) with Tito Schipa, La signora dalle camelie/The Lost One (Carmine Gallone, 1947) and La forza del destino/The Force of Destiny (Carmine Gallone, 1950). She portrayed Margherita in La leggenda di Faust/Faust (Carmine Gallone, 1950) and played an opera singer in Puccini (Carmine Gallone, 1953), featuring Gabriele Ferzetti. Her final film was Gli orizzonti del sole/ The horizons of the sun (Giovanni Paolucci, 1955). Just like her husband, Nelly Corradi died early, at age 53, in 1968 in Rome, Italy.
Sources: Wikipedia and IMDb.
Nelly Corradi
Italian postcard by ASER, no. 137. Photo: De Antonis.
Beautiful Nelly Corradi (1914–1968) was an Italian opera singer and actress.She made her film debut in Max Ophüls’s La signora di tutti (1934) and had her biggest successes after the war with opera films like Lucia di Lammermoor (1946).
Nelly or Nelli Corradi was born in Parma, Italy, in 1914. She studied to become a lyrical soprano at the Conservatory of Parma. After graduating, she started to perform in operas. In 1934 famous director Max Ophüls spotted her for the cinema and she made her film debut with the supporting part of Anna, the younger sister of Gabriella (Isa Miranda), in his La signora di tutti/Everybody's Woman (Max Ophüls, 1934). It is the only film Max Ophüls made in Italy. The film was a success and Isa Miranda became a star. Soon followed also leading parts for Corradi in such films as the drama Luci sommerse/Dimmed Lights (Adelqui Migliar, 1934) with Fosco Giacchetti, and in particular Le scarpe al sole (1935) by Marco Elter, with whom Corradi would do several films and whom she married too. Le scarpe al sole, about a woman whose husband is at war during the First World War, was Elter's film debut and got many awards. With Elter, Corradi also appeared in e.g. Il torrente/The creek (Marco Elter, 1938) with Camillo Pilotto, and his Shakespeare adaptation Dente per dente/Measure for Measure (1943). Corradi also acted in films by other directors such as Gianni Franciolini (Fari nella nebbia, 1942), mostly in supporting parts. Parallel, Corradi performed as opera singer and toured Italy and Europe as singer. Elter died age 55 in 1945 while sojourning in Switzerland.
After the war, Corradi remained active on stage, sometimes in operettas too. Nelly Corradi is probably best known for her post-war starring parts in opera films like Lucia di Lammermoor (Piero Ballerini, 1946). Fisher L Forrest at IMDb: “This is a very cinematic rendition of the Donizetti favorite featuring beautiful people, beautifully photographed, in beautiful settings. One may cavil that the atmosphere seems more Italian than Scottish, despite a few jaunty feathers in a bonnet or two and Normanno sporting a kilt and tartan plaid. But, what the heck! It is after all an Italian opera. Nelly Corradi is likely the most beautiful Lucia one is likely ever to see on screen or stage. Moreover, she is a consummate actress.” The success of the film soon lead to other opera films like L'elisir d'amore/Elixir of Love (Mario Costa, 1947), Il barbiere di Siviglia/Barber of Seville (Mario Costa, 1947) with Tito Schipa, La signora dalle camelie/The Lost One (Carmine Gallone, 1947) and La forza del destino/The Force of Destiny (Carmine Gallone, 1950). She portrayed Margherita in La leggenda di Faust/Faust (Carmine Gallone, 1950) and played an opera singer in Puccini (Carmine Gallone, 1953), featuring Gabriele Ferzetti. Her final film was Gli orizzonti del sole/ The horizons of the sun (Giovanni Paolucci, 1955). Just like her husband, Nelly Corradi died early, at age 53, in 1968 in Rome, Italy.
Sources: Wikipedia and IMDb.