Ah, the expression on his face at 2:27. He knows he has well-conquered this piece and will deliver a killing grace for the finale.

Mm-mmm-mmm.... exceptional.

Thank you.

That's something that makes me glad to be alive.

I feel like a child, saying, "Again! Again! Again!"

"I feel like a child, saying, "Again! Again! Again!"

Well let him go then, love, and listen to Pavarotti instead.

I loved this. I played the recording so much that my young teenaged son would sing along with it in psychobabble Italian just to mock me. You shoulda heard him do the sobs in Vesti la giubba.

I did, Frank, and was inspired to listen to other performances of his as well. A rainy night, well-spent.

There is a singular rush of endorphins a singer experiences while singing well. I think that's what we see at 2:27...
There's no rush like it in the whole world.
One feels extremely powerful and strong.
And that is what the Great Pav felt just about every time he sang.

Flyover Pilgrim,

Well said indeed. Instantly all the pain and loneliness and discouragement means nothing, and it's my turn; I am filled with both triumph and unspeakable gratitude.

Eat this, you hillbillies. I hope you like this, and if you don't you can leave. I am gonna sing now.

Whoosh.

I prefer his performance of the same piece recorded in 1994 in LA. Bravo!

I tried to link the DVD of the original Three Tenors concert in Rome in 1990 at the Rome Opera Theatre, conducted by Zubin Mehta. It was repeated recently on the Sky Arts Channel here recently. For some reason the link wouldn't post last night. Anyway it's available on You Tube if you search their site. For those of you who never saw it, you should. As fellow habitués of the blogsphere it is probably the nearest you'll ever get to heaven. Each of the four musicians inspired each other to heights that I doubt they ever reached before or after; it was a spontaneous burst of peerless talent and energy that left this old cynic completely enthralled and was worth a lifetime of Sky subscriptions. I have now recorded it for posterity. I should buy the DVD, but doubtless the record company will survive without my measley contribution to their coffers - and times is 'ard!