Luciano Pavarotti - A te o cara - Live 1972

Luciano Pavarotti sings my favourite rendition of A te o cara from act I of Bellini's I Puritani.

This really is one of the hardest arias ever written. Not only does nearly all the music sit in the passagio, the tenor has to sing high A something like 6 times, not to mention the high C sharp and the high B (right after each other). Pavarotti sings it all so effortlessly, weaving through the music with beautiful legato and precise diction, not at all phased by the high notes, flicking off a stunning high C sharp onto a high B.

This performance of Arturo earned Pavarotti the following praise in Beverly Sills' autobiography:

'The first time I stood on stage with him I thought, my God, this man sings so beautifully'

she goes on to say:

'I never heard Caruso live of course, but I can't imagine being more touched by a voice than when Luciano sang Arturo to my Elvira'.

Which is very significant praise, seeing as Sills heard Carreras, Domingo, Peerce, Tucker, Gedda, Kraus, di Stefano, and many other highly praised tenors live.

It is also worth noting that this I Puritani was put together very quickly, there were no rehearsals. Beverly Sills called it 'instant opera'.

Elvira is sung by Beverly Sills
Riccardo is sung by Louis Quilico
Giorgio is sung by Paul Plishka

Anton Guandagno conducted the Philadelphia Opera chorus and orchestra.