Night of Passion

Succumb to the serenading talents of “Gypsy Guitar King” Gyorgy Lakatos and the “Voice of Romance” Franco Corso when the duo performs at the Marshall E. Rinker Sr. Playhouse at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on July 19 at 7 p.m. This performance, appropriately named Night of Passion, will showcase a captivating fusion of Lakatos’ flamenco and Spanish guitar styles with Corso’s versatile voice that ranges from baritone to tenor. Tickets cost $50.

   PBI.com caught up with the two talents separately to get insight into their musical backgrounds and the upcoming performance.

Franco Corso and Gyorgy Lakatos

PBI.com: What was your relationship with music in your childhood?

Corso: I was born in Italy in Sanremo, and I started singing in my local church choir at 6 years old. My ambition was always to come to the United States and bring the Italian pop-opera music to a more international audience.

Lakatos: My whole family—mother’s, father’s sides—were musicians, so I would grow up using music. I started to play when I was 4 years old.

 

Who were your musical inspirations growing up? How do you think those influences shaped your own style?

Corso: My inspirations were mostly the classic singers, [such as] Caruso, Bocelli, and Pavarotti. I’ve been inspired by them and their singing and vocals, so that’s the reason why, when I came to the United States, I really took the music business seriously by doing a lot of vocal coaching to increase the range of my vocals.

 

How did you both come to work together?

Corso: Well, I met this incredible guitar player in one of my venues and I was mesmerized by his ability to play the guitar in a way I hadn’t seen before. So we started sporadically doing some shows together, and I saw the excitement of the audience with both of our performances. And [the Kravis is] going to be our first theater show together where we’re going to bring the opera and the flamenco guitar together.

Lakatos: We met in Florida I believe eight years ago, and then we started [performing] together. We like each other, you see, because I like his singing, and our music is similar. … It’s funny because we like ‘broke up’ and four years later we’re back again.

 

To Lakatos: How would you describe Mr. Corso’s vocal style?

Lakatos: He is one of those singers who is able to sing any type of music. I play Gypsy King, and he can sing Gypsy King. If he sings Bocelli, I can play Bocelli. … We are musicians, which means you can play any type of music—not a problem.

 

To Corso: How does Mr. Lakatos’ guitar style complement your vocal style?

Corso: Gyorgy is an incredible talent at the guitar, and we are going to combine my vocals and the classic opera songs with the blend of his guitar skills.

 

What can audience members expect musically during the Night of Passion event?

Corso: At the Kravis, they can expect truly a night of passion with a gypsy guitar player combined with the pop-opera voice of Italy. We’re going to really [allow] the audience to experience a Mediterranean flavor of music, which includes not only Italy, but Greece, Spain, and some of the best American songs with a different twist, with a different arrangement tailored for guitar and voice.

Lakatos: We are going to be featuring Andrea Bocelli and a Gypsy King style.

 

Is there anything else you want our readers to know?

Corso: I have five original songs I hope to use [at the Kravis Center], and one of them is called “Angel.” The song is not just a love letter to those who guide and influence my musical journey, but it’s also a testament to my passion of a 6-year-old boy childhood dream come true.

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