La Speranza!
One last word on Pavarotti:
This morning I pulled several sets of La Bohème off my shelf and compared and contrasted performances of what I consider to be the best tenor aria of all, “Che gelida manina”, sung by the poet Rodolfo in the first act. What I determined was that, between Roberto Alagna, Carlo Bergonzi, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, it’s the Pav who did it best. Certainly, Bergonzi is stylish and elegant, but Pavarotti has the right combination of warmth and charm and hope. Hear the climactic high C here:
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