This has been the reflection that the well-known music critic Julio Andrade Malde has written with the motif of Leo Nucci’s lyrical gala, in which the legendary baritone celebrated his debut in A Coruña:

“The year was 1973. La Coruña has a good musical experience in the time of the Sociedad Filarmónica, the Banda Municipal and the Orquesta of the Conservatory. And, during the summer, the extensive program of the so-called Festivales de España (which included zarzuela, ballet and an original cycle under the name of “Las Noches de la Ciudad Vieja”). Opera fans eagerly awaited the arrival of the month of August when they celebrate the Festival de Amigos de la Ópera. Until then, the previous months had brought very good music, notable performers and, in some cases, high-level figures and groups. The Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra (directed by Ludovit Rajter), The London Chamber Orchestra, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, The Salzburg Soloists; the cello player, Henri Honegger; the pianists, Esteban Sánchez Herrero, Gyorgy Sandor; and, for the last time (the last, of his you are performances of him in this city) the great Arthur Rubinstein. He was 86 years old at the time and promised to return: “Yes I live a few more years, I will return to La Coruña” -he declared. We all knew that it was a final farewell. However, what we did not know was that, perhaps to compensate, there was going to be an arrival, also definitively a few months later: that of a young baritone who would make his first appearances outside of Italy precisely at the XXI Festival de Ópera de La Coruña. He if he was called Leo Nucci and was called to become one of the great baritones of history. He was 86 years old at the time and promised to return: “Yes I live a few more years, I will return to La Coruña” -he declared. We all knew that it was a final farewell. However, what we did not know was that, perhaps to compensate, there was going to be an arrival, also definitively a few months later: that of a young baritone who would make his first appearances outside of Italy precisely at the XXI Festival de Ópera de La Coruña. He if he was called Leo Nucci and was called to become one of the great baritones of history. He was 86 years old at the time and promised to return: “Yes I live a few more years, I will return to La Coruña” -he declared. We all knew that it was a final farewell. However, what we did not know was that, perhaps to compensate, there was going to be an arrival, also definitively a few months later: that of a young baritone who would make his first appearances outside of Italy precisely at the XXI Festival de Ópera de La Coruña. He if he was called Leo Nucci and was called to become one of the great baritones of history. that of a young baritone who would make his first weapons outside of Italy precisely at the XXI Festival de Ópera de La Coruña. He if he was called Leo Nucci and was called to become one of the great baritones of history. that of a young baritone who would make his first weapons outside of Italy precisely at the XXI Festival de Ópera de La Coruña. He if he was called Leo Nucci and was called to become one of the great baritones of history.
Four titles were part of the Friends of the Opera Festival of the year 1973: Simon Boccanegra, by Verdi; The Clowns, by Leoncavallo; Puccini’s Madame Butterfly; and Verdi’s Nabucco. The performance of Los Clowns is completed with a symphonic-choral concert by the Polyphonic Choir “El Eco”, instead of the usual coupling with Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana. Nabucco if realized in the Palacio de los Deportes instead of the Teatro Colón, in an attempt to give it a popular character by expanding the possibilities of access to most people and establishing very affordable prices for localities. The voices that stood out the most in the season were those of two baritones. The one, Franco Bordoni, was in a full moment of his career of him; the other, Leo Nucci, was starting it with very good results and better expectations. Like so many other times, the public from A Coruña did not fail to identify a great voice and a great artist still in his youth. I had done before with Mario del Monaco, Elisabetta Barbato, Victoria de los Angeles, Giuseppe DiStefano… Those were the times of the impresario Ercole Casali. And, later, with Amigos de la Ópera: Kraus, Carreras, Caballé… And many others when it was more difficult to know how to select them: in their beginnings. It was a true discovery. As happened with Leo Nucci. Caballé… And many others when it was more difficult to know how to select them: in their beginnings. It was a true discovery. As happened with Leo Nucci. Caballé… And many others when it was more difficult to know how to select them: in their beginnings. It was a true discovery. As happened with Leo Nucci.