Luciano Pavarotti - Che gelida manina - Live 1968

[MustacheVerra]

The tape plays almost 1/2 tone to fast.

[arkat80]

This video proves that one note doesn't matter at all for one aria. This aria is SO well sung that you don't even care if he sings at all this high C.

I'm sorry for the audiences of nowdays, who just listen if a singer gives some high notes well. They just go to the opera, listen to some high notes, admire (or blame) and go home.

The audience of Met obviously was more clever. The "misfortune" of a note is nothing compared to the fortune to listen Pavarotti sing this whole aria.

IMHO.

[PianistRonaldChow]

VERY misfortune he crash at high C , he remotely crash at all!!

[zzzLUCIANOzzz]

Audio bad.... very vibro sound.... Pavarotti BEST!

[Lovelytenor1]

LP said he cracked in the first performance as well yet the usually merciless MET audience forgave him. For that, he said, he was forever grateful. Missing a top note has ruined some tenor careers- pretty brutal.

[Mooorhe]

He did crack at his Met debut, on the first high C... not like he does here, he got the note and held it for about a second but it was very insecure. He sang a fantastic C with Freni in the duet though. I know this because a recording exists of it, which I've heard but don't have.

Apparently the audience knew he was very ill; he delayed his debut for at least a week.

[islandofgrass]

I bet there are plenty of tenors who wished they sounded this good sick! This 'blip' does not mar his stellar career that lasted twenty years longer than expected. HIs voice did not show the frost of age even in his sixties. Amazing talent...we lost an irreplaceable musical icon.

[dendrix01]

Hasta Dios tuvo sus momentos difíciles...

[jenni4claire]

Ouch! I felt that at the back of my throat,and I am not even a singer.

[mvconnelly]

This is an absolutely fascinating look into the chronology of the Maestro's vocal development. We forget the perfect technique he developed years later wasn't always so and this clip reminds us as TheInquisitive4Ever has pointed out, that we are indeed all "human". What a historic document for the ages this youtube poster has shared with us. By far, one of the most outstanding Pavarotti clips on youtube.

[Nater389]

He technique at this time was wonderfull. He was quite ill this particular evening.

[mvconnelly]

Ahhh, then that would explain it. Nevertheless, fascinating. Thank you for the additional perspective on this clip.

[tena2]

perfect tecnique he developed years later??? what are you based on???

[madisonelectronic]

Pavarotti said once in print he was so afraid before a performance he did not know if he should use the diaphragm or the sphincter.

[uncjim]

OMG..that is incredible! He had it all, including a wonderful sense of humor!

[pearlmuth3]

They all are human and this is live not a studio recording. I have heard super stars forget words and crack or go off pitch on occasion and in over 50 years of opera going it has happened to most all of them on occasion, no big deal. Sometimes a singer cannot finish the opera and thats really sad for the singer and the public.

[operaspark]

Even when ill Pavarotti's gorgeous tone is still present in his voice. Thankyou Moorhe for a very interesting document.

[TheInquisitive4Ever]

Or could it be that it was just a bad night for him for whatever reason. Last time I checked he was human. His voice sounds rather strained here. Considering the fact that he sung Che Gelida Manina 100s of times with such perfection, who cares about a few bad nights?

[Nater389]

Amen.

[novice1959]

Very interesting listening to a young Pavarotti here...and him completely skipping the High C...probably one of the few he ever missed, I imagine!

[Nater389]

Well, he tried the C.

[mig82]

He totally lost it! Wow, I must say he is still kept up pretty good through the whole aria.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Poor man. At least the American audiences were civilized enough not to boo him.

[ShawDAMAN]

Interesting post, thanks.

The bad recording doesn't help but he does sound bad here.

Did he just lose his voice or did he purposely skip the C at the end? (which would have been wise....)

[Mooorhe]

I don't think he was able to launch it. In one of his autobiographies, he says 'I couldn't sing in the upper register at all'. I guess he just couldn't launch it.

[Nater389]

You can hear him try it.

[ShawDAMAN]

Yes, I listened more carefully and he did try it. *ouch*

oh well, just a small blip on a role that he usually owned. ;-)

[Nater389]

Agreed, no big deal to me. Everyone has a bad night now and then.