Pavarotti’s amazing voice had not only range, but it always had a touch of a steely quaility, such as the sound of a mandolin string, and his voice had color, not only in the upper ranges, but amazingly so, and beautifully, when he came down to lower ranges, when a lot of singers’ voices become a bit muted, or shaded, or mixed with a bit of low-sounding strain. A little bit of a snobbish attitude highlights these comments. To comment on the remarks made in the introduction to these recording, it must be said that only a small part of who and what Pavarrotti’s was is expressed, and all in the context of the Opera world and its leaders who expect soomething more from the opera stars than singing: perhaps they expect them to build, or highlight opera history, with a “wrap of certain type of operas, and presenting more forgotten operas, or taking on Wagnerian and other “heavy”notes. Pavarotti chose the role of Cavaradossi for his farewell performances in several major opera houses: he was past his prime then, and is happily better remembered for this superb recording. The most famous number however is ‘Lucevan Le Stelle’ in Act 3 when Cavaradossi, now facing execution for treason, recalls his happy life with Tosca, whom he believes he will never see again.

Another unforgettable moment is the thrilling Act 2 cry ‘Vittoria! Vittoria!’ (‘Victory! Victory!’) in which the painter believes his enemy Scarpia is defeated. In the first big solo of the opera, ‘Recondita Armonia’ (‘Strange Harmony’), Cavaradossi muses on the picture he’s painting, which mingles elements both of his dark-haired lover Tosca and a blonde beauty whom he has seen from afar. Cavaradossi demands almost child-like naivety and convincing heroism, and these traits shine out of Pavarotti’s 1978 recording, made with his old friend Mirella Freni as Tosca.

The role of the revolutionary firebrand painter Cavaradossi was perhaps the one most closely associated with Pavarotti out of all of Puccini’s operas. The rest of the ensemble is made up of ‘perfect storm’ casting of A-list superstars also in their prime. Prince Calaf is a slightly heavier role than was usual with Pavarotti, but in the early 1970s he was at the top of his game, and found a tougher, steelier sound to bring the role to life. And if you want to hear it performed with real dramatic passion and blazing emotion, you need listen no further than Pavarotti’s recording of the complete Puccini opera from which it comes: Turandot.

It’s sung by a prince who believes the cold-hearted woman he loves will soon be his wife. But look away now if you don’t want a damper: it’s a complete travesty. They’re obviously having a ball, and the sheer exuberance and freedom of their singing is miraculous and life-affirming. Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras singing ‘Nessun Dorma’ together during the 1990 World Cup was one of the iconic cultural highlights of the twentieth century, and it helped the first ‘Three Tenors’ recording become the best-selling classical album of all time. Pavarotti And Puccini: The Essential Operas Turandot Listen to Pavarotti: Music From The Motion Picture on Apple Music and Spotify and scroll down to read our guide to the essential Pavarotti and Puccini operas. Pavarotti is principally associated with only a handful of composers, with whose work he felt a particular emotional and musical bond: and prime among them is Puccini, whose direct musical gestures and flair for drama perfectly suited the temperament of the big-hearted baker’s son from Modena. There are hundreds of reasons why Pavarotti was ranked among the greatest tenorsof the twentieth century (and a few more why he was an easy target for satire too.) But the most important of these reasons lie in his recordings of complete operas, which are as exciting now as they were when first released. The lust for life, the emotional directness… and that famous football tournament with its iconic rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma’. The soaring ease of those thrilling top Cs. The unadulterated joy that shines out through every note.

List of puccini opera