Luciano Pavarotti – Pavarotti Sings Puccini

Luciano Pavarotti One of the most successful and admired opera singers of all time, Luciano Pavarotti was king among tenors from the late 1960s through the 1990s. His voice was noted for its exciting upper register, and tailor-made for the operas of Verdi, Bellini, Donizetti, and Puccini, and as it darkened slightly over the years, for the verismo composers as well. His vocal longevity, which kept him singing youthfully well into his sixties, and still beautifully after that, was a credit to his commanding technique and artistry, and remarkable considering his nearly 40 years of performing.

"Turandot" is Puccini's last opera and contains some of his most enchanting and memorable music. This recording features a stellar cast of singers with London Philharmonic Orchestra, masterfully conducted by Zubin Mehta.

The role of Rodolfo from Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème launched Luciano Pavarotti's career in 1961 when he made his professional debut in a small regional production in Reggio Emilia, Italy. He would revisit the role several times over his career, including this 1972 album considered to be one of the finest versions of La Bohème ever recorded. Equally impressive here is Pavarotti's childhood friend Mirella Freni as Mimi. Conductor Herbert von Karajan proves himself a masterful, sensitive interpreter of Puccini as he leads the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

One of the world's most renowned tenors, Plácido Domingo – along with his frequent collaborators Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras – is largely responsible for the increasing mainstream popularity of opera among contemporary listeners. He became established quickly as one of the greatest lyric tenors of his time, and one who could also sing dramatic tenor roles with nearly equally fine results. Domingo's forays into Latin and pop music were also successful, earning him Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards as well as silver, gold, platinum, and multi-platinum-selling albums. As his voice deepened with age in the 2010s, he continued to perform as a baritone. Born March 21, 1941, in Madrid, Spain, Domingo's parents were both singers in the zarzuela, Spain's distinctive national form of musical theater. His family relocated to Mexico in 1950; there he studied vocal technique, as well as piano and conducting, at the Mexico City Conservatory.

This installment of The Three Tenors was recorded live at Dodgers Stadium in 1994. It is hard to imagine the use of a sports stadium for classical musicians, but given the popularity of these men, the idea is not so ludicrous. With Zubin Mehta at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti perform with vitality and pizzazz. Combining the usual mix of classical favorites and contemporary standards, this concert finds the tenor triumvirate in fine form. While each tenor has sung similar repertoire, they are quite individual in their delivery. Domingo offers a boisterous "Granada," Carreras sings a passionate "O souverain, o juge, o père," and Pavarotti brings down the house with "Nessun dorma." The three-way split arias ("La donna è mobile" and "Libiamo ne' lieti calici") showcase the joint talents of the tenor powerhouses, and Lalo Schifrin's special medley arrangements are romantic, enjoyable fun.

This installment of The Three Tenors was recorded live at Dodgers Stadium in 1994. It is hard to imagine the use of a sports stadium for classical musicians, but given the popularity of these men, the idea is not so ludicrous. With Zubin Mehta at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti perform with vitality and pizzazz. Combining the usual mix of classical favorites and contemporary standards, this concert finds the tenor triumvirate in fine form. While each tenor has sung similar repertoire, they are quite individual in their delivery. Domingo offers a boisterous "Granada," Carreras sings a passionate "O souverain, o juge, o père," and Pavarotti brings down the house with "Nessun dorma." The three-way split arias ("La donna è mobile" and "Libiamo ne' lieti calici") showcase the joint talents of the tenor powerhouses, and Lalo Schifrin's special medley arrangements are romantic, enjoyable fun.

This installment of The Three Tenors was recorded live at Dodgers Stadium in 1994. It is hard to imagine the use of a sports stadium for classical musicians, but given the popularity of these men, the idea is not so ludicrous. With Zubin Mehta at the helm of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Placido Domingo, José Carreras, and Luciano Pavarotti perform with vitality and pizzazz. Combining the usual mix of classical favorites and contemporary standards, this concert finds the tenor triumvirate in fine form. While each tenor has sung similar repertoire, they are quite individual in their delivery. Domingo offers a boisterous "Granada," Carreras sings a passionate "O souverain, o juge, o père," and Pavarotti brings down the house with "Nessun dorma." The three-way split arias ("La donna è mobile" and "Libiamo ne' lieti calici") showcase the joint talents of the tenor powerhouses, and Lalo Schifrin's special medley arrangements are romantic, enjoyable fun.