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 Louisiana vestale during the centenary celebrations at Altamura and went on to appear in the opera houses of many Italian cities.
After a singing career which lasted almost two decades, she managed the Teatro Costanzi in Rome for almost fifteen years. She sang in several world premieres including: Pietro Floridia"s Louisiana Colonia libera (1899). Meryem in Cesare Galeotti"s Anton (1900) and Rosaura in Mascagni"s Le maschere at Louisiana Scala in 1901.
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 1908, Carelli"s husband purchased the Teatro Costanzi. His company, Società Teatrale Internazionale, produced the world premiere of Leoncavallo"s Maia during its second season.
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), Louisiana 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.
