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The first time I saw Madame Butterfly I wanted to get onto the stage and punch Pinkerton's lights out. Fabulous art and wonderful music....

Byron~ 'un bel di' what a miracle that song is. Whenever i feel like screaming, crying or both, it's my theme music. Pinkerton is a jerk, gotta love to hate that character.

Lizz~Turandot. Such beautiful music. Non piangere Liu-Nessun dorma...I have a Nilsson-Corelli cd that is my fave. Never seen it live, but would love to. As for just Nessun dorma by itself, Bocelli wins. I hope he records this opera someday. L.

I like Bocelli but the best Nessun Dorma for me is by that King of the High Cs himself. I recently bought Ti Adoro - the old man's first Bocelli-styled pop album - his voice is perhaps beginning to fray at the edges a bit but he manages atleast one gigantic high C. Try it.

Kush~Are you referring that olde sailor Pavarotti? If so, I do love his voice and his N.D. I think i read that Bocelli sang at his recent wedding. And they (Pav/Bocelli) have a beautiful duet, Notte e Piscatore, on Pav's Greatest Hits 2-cd compilation. I'll look for the cd you mention.

For another great Bocelli-like pop album, Alessandro Safina has a beautiful cd (self-titled). Bocelli still tops my list, though. Romanza is a masterpiece (i think).

ciao, L.

yeah...Pavarotti. He's got one song of Romanza in Ti Adoro - "Caruso" with jeff Beck on guitar.
I agree Romanza is a masterpiece. The subtle voice 'slides' from pop mode to operatic mode is really cool. He has truly mastered the cross-over style. I'll check out Safina also i think Linda mentioned Josh Groban on another thread that I was planning to check out too at Borders or somewhere.
Mind you purely as an operatic artiste (acting and singing) I prefer Domingo.

Kush~ I don't care for Pav's past version of Caruso (love Bocelli's) so i am looking forward to hearing his new one with Beck.

I really think you'll like Safina.

Yeah, Domingo has the voice and the look. I've only seen him live in a recital, but have opera videos that showcase his acting and singing.

Unfair as it is, when someone does not bodily or even just age-wise encompass the visual imaginings of a character i find it distracting. A short, wide romantic leading man, just doesn't compute next to a tall beauty no matter how wonderful the voice. I realize it is MY problem to overcome. cheerio, L

Pavarotti has the musical voice. Domingo has the operatic voice. But I much prefer Carreras. Unfortunately, Pavarotti had to cancel an appearance here at the Welsh Eistedfford (JTS will correct my spelling) and I don't know if he will be coming back yet.
We saw Carreras 3 years ago in Liverpool and for me his voice has far more passion in it than the other two. His brush with death a few years ago has given him a depth of emotional values that he calls upon in his singing. They are all top of the tree, and have their individual traits/style, which appeal to each of us. That last sentence is superfluous, but I think I needed to show you how I approach the three of them. To listen to a CD, I choose Pavarotti. To see stage presence I would choose Domingo. To dig down deep in my soul I choose Carreras.
Opera, art and authors all fall in the same mode of reference when we discuss them. Namely the present tense. I mention this as a follow on from a discussion in another thread. When these people have died we will often still refer to their work in the present tense.
They live on in us after they have gone.

Initially I didnt much care for Pavs version of Caruso much either but now I like it atleast as much as Bocelli's. but it is interesting that lot of "purists" think of him as undeserving of the fame.
I heard the 3 tenors referred to as The Fat One, The Little One and The Sexy One. I think Pav is the most naturally gifted singer - perhaps even in history?? -which sometimes makes it seem as though he isnt trying hard enough.
Domingo is a workaholic I'm surprised he did a recital (where was it??) as far as I know he usually eschews concerts and recitals for the opera houses. He has done an incredible 118 (an alltime record) or so operatic roles (to Pav's 25-30) and is also an accomplished conductor now. Carreras story - with the leukaemia and singing in Bosnia in 1995?? with a helmet on his head is something else - a movie should be made of it.
In the last couple of years though I have been hearing more of 2 baritones - Bryn terfel and Dmitri Hvorostovsky ( a real tongue twister this one). Incredible voices both.

Byron~ I agree the 3T's each embody such different attributes. Carreras always seemed to be "the gladdest to be there" during the Three Tenors appearances. Lotta heart. I remember reading/hearing(?) that he refused drugs to alleviate the pain of lukemia treatments in order to save his voice. Hope Pav comes back your way. I have not seen him live. I am barely 5 years into even 'liking' opera, so my background is sparse in experience. These "3" will be the standard to strive to for a long time, i think.

Kush~Now i am not sure if "recital" is the right term?!? It was at LA Opera 3 or 4 years ago. Domingo was focusing on his German repetoire and i think it coincided with the release of a German operatic cd. Gergiev was guest conducting. Domingo did an hour or so of 2 different German operas. One was Die Walkure, the other(?). There was a different sopranos for each piece and they sang on a stage bare of props. There was a chorus. But basically it was just Domingo and a soprano singing (not acting) the opera fragments. Is this a recital?!?

As for Bocelli, he really takes a beating from the purists. He is why i am listening to opera at all. I don't Get the bad press, and me and my kind (newbies) get dismissed because we like him. Catch-22. Opera has benefitted from the outsiders he has brought to their smallish world, but complain just the same. I have seen/heard Bocelli in live operas (werther and amico fritz) and he was wonderful and amazing. To do all that and not be able to see, amazing. And what a voice!

Bryn Terfel just released a new cd and has a duet w/Bocelli, Pearl Fishers. I heard their P.F. yesterday for the first time and was a little disappointed. Individually they were beautiful, but for such a harmony intensive piece, they didn't mesh as well as i had hoped. I've yet to hear Dimitri, but have heard good things about him. Terfel is wonderful.

Another tenor i like is Marcello Giordani.

Also, Vladimir Galouzine was fantastic in the Otello i saw in Detroit. I think he headed to the Met after that to do the same. I don't know if he has recorded, but for the total package "live" it was awesome-his singing and acting really shone.
Baritone-Mark Delavan was a perfect Iago. Great voice and acting.

Domingo is one busy guy, and has the talent to pull it off. I agree about Pav, he has that big voice and that big presence... a natural. But of course he has to work, what nonsense.

I don't know the story behind Carreras and the helmet. A tale of bravery?

this went long. ciao, L

I have been listening to opera on and off about 15 yrs now and Bocelli fairly recently and I have no idea why he is dissed so much. I think he has a very appealing voice and it is much more accessible than the others. And his 'Arias' album shows a lot of skill too. But I met a opera singing couple not too long ago (the wife has actually sung at the Met) and she said "He is a good imitator". Well I guess the bottomline is how we relate to it. And obviously Pavarotti likes him so what the heck. I think Bocelli is someone who understands the pop idiom very well and has this incredible voice. When 3 tenors and their ilk do pop songs they don't really understand the pop idiom so well.
In the midst of the Bosnian war Carreras went there and sang in an open-air concert. I saw this incredible photo of him in singing in bullet-proof vest and helmet !! Bravery or what !!!
Yeah..that sounds like what I'd call a recital alright by Domingo.
Dmitri...two albums I'd recommend are Passione Di Napoli and Arie Antiche. His voice is like rich dark coffee. [/i]
I don't know these other guys you mention ....will check them out next time I go to the music store.

kush~I have this feeling someone is going to come along and kick our opera loving butts outta this room.

One last thing. I mentioned Marcello Giordani and then listened to his new cd that arrived here yesterday (i have to shop amazon for most of my tunes) anyways, STUNNING. The cd is fantastic. Steven Mercurio (a NY homeboy) conducts. French and Italian arias. It is put out by naxos. I even whipped out a quick review at amazon after listening, something i don't do often. Anyways, trust me, it's great.

I'll shop for Dimtri's albums, i drink my coffee black, now to see what it sounds like.

It's been fun. ciao, Laurie p.s. Carreras, what a trooper!!