Luciano Pavarotti/Mirella Freni - O soave fanciulla - Live 1969

[darackious]

epic of all epics... i love this... it took me years to find this beacause i saw this done on highlander the series and i wanted to hear this song again.

[MrPipposiculo]

Questa edizione che registrai a suo tempo ,è famosa per una gaffe di Musetta , nel finale invece di dire "Madonna benedetta fate una grazia a questa benedetta ,dice a questa maledetta!

Grazie per avermelo fatto ricordare!!

[Aerohog1]

Nice to hear the great Freni and the legend-to-be before he became the bloated, over-working-his-voice celebrity. Remember the Olympics in Turin! Pav was there looking like he had been cryogenicaly frozen and barely thawed out for the opening performance. No self respecting opera class singer would have been singing in those conditions, risking their career..

[JoshuaHo93]

@Aerohog1 he was approached many many times for that performance. if no one else could do it, he would. why? for the sake of the Olympics. he has an illness which explains his larger than life size. no one would want to be bloated.

and his voice is due to his age. you're such an ignorant person. sigh..

[happywealthyme]

Mirella is a great Mimi...Love Pav but Bjorling is my fav...Pav hits a great last note here with Mirella Both beautiful and I can listen again and again

[jd7x7]

@happywealthyme yes but puccini didn't write a top c for the tenor - he wrote an e below. tenors really should respect the far more beautiful original version. grrr :(

[numetutelare]

Adesso ci dovremmo accontentare di gente come Villazon o Alvarez ed il prezzemolo Netrebko...povera lirica.

[madisonelectronic]

I heard these two at Lyric Opera in the 70s. I saw him in Chicago at least 8 times after. People sometimes forget (me) how lucky they are to hear these people even once in their life live. The house can only hold so few seats.

[Bret6464]

@madisonelectronic I saw them at the Met in La Boheme, twice :-))

[trovatore90]

è sempre un bel duetto, cantato in modo egregio, non mi soddisfa la orchestrazione mi sembra un poco fiacca!

[kidd32888]

Yes, I meant to say late 20th century. I love Bjoring too!

[donerlich]

LOL, Callas, are you joking?

[kidd32888]

He died on my mom's b-day.  RIP. The greatest tenor in the late 20 Century.

[seektheforce]

@kidd32888 hehe, ever heard of Jussi Bjoerling? Or Jerry Hadley (early in his career)?

[krajncrocky1]

what a voice on end.he absulutly covered she(normaly is contra

[streetwhereulive]

Wasn't he one of a kind? It's hard to think that he is gone when I hear his voice.

[RonaldBarone]

I wish the duet was between Callas and Pavarotti.

It would be beyond perfect

[dennisdeemii]

@RonaldBarone I disagree...wholeheartedly...

[dennisdeemii]

@RonaldBarone I disagree...wholeheartedly...sh­e would have died at the high C.

[robertdamico1]

Amazing, Two of the greatest voices God ever created.

[dennisdeemii]

@robertdamico1 I'm with you 100%

[lceglie]

Just thought I'd share....

[robertdamico1]

Who can perform this piece better than these two. Thank you God for both of them.

[Lovelytenor1]

As a singer, my choice remains Bjoerling/de Los Angeles- but at this level, what does it matter? This rendition is wonderful. The problem is how do we replace any of these wonderful singers??

[punknn08]

ive had this song for quite some time, it came off his greateset hits, but never quite new from where an when it came. It is great to finally know.

[pavlova1959]

Yes, beautiful indeed and so romantic. Wonderful voices and Puccini's gorgeous music blend together to create a masterpiece. Thanks for this Mooorhe.

[loveluciano1]

The Great Luciano. no one is like him, just wonderful.

[Calaf120]

Nacio para ser Rodolfo y siempre sera etenarmente la pareja de Mimi (Mirella Freni) la mejor soprano de la historia!!!

[petelovesbevsills]

Breathtaking perfection that will NEVER be replaced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mfrances0503]

Simply heavenly... Pavarotti/Freni and Bjorling/Tebaldi are the best of the best. Feel Pavarotti much better as Rodolfo and Tebaldi definetely the best Mimi. Both duets are just awesome, fantastic... tears droping with both!!!

[TheAdmiringFool]

Listening to the Tebaldi/Bjorling rendition, I find that a) Jussi's vioce is dround out by Renata's, b)his voice does not sound appropriatelly youthful for the role, c) Luciano just delivers the sentiment of the lyric better. La Freni is simply peerless as Mimi (as she is in many other roles).

[Alfifa]

... absolutely heavenly!

Karlott

[Redboy4]

And not enough similar talent to replace them, unfortunately.

[gigie555]

Great Boheme. But the best IMO is Bjorling Tebaldi as seen on YouTube.

[OperaBohemian]

Mirella Freni was (and still is) the best Mimi, Butterfly, Tosca and Manon. There will never be another Mirella Freni, or for that matter, another Luciano Pavarotti.

[puccinislarondine]

.... of room! Pav's "invan, invan nascondo la mia vera tortura- Amo Mimi sovra ogni cosa al mondo!" is just the SOUND OF LOVE. I am of course speaking of the historic von Karajan recording. I've never heard another tenor come even close on that whole scene. And Freni- just flawless- I dunno what was in the milk those two got, but they should bottle it & give it to aspiring opera singers! LOL!

May my Luciano "requiescat in pace."

xoxox,

~ Susan

[puccinislarondine]

One of the many who got to meet the Maestro in person, I will never forget his kindness to a young star struck soprano. Another great recording of these two is the Italian version of Massenet's "Manon" - it's quite fabulous & available for a small price on amazon. They are RED hot on fire in that live recording- unforgettable. And yes, Freni was definitely the best Mimi ever- her "ma quando vien lo sgelo" is so "melting" and intense! And Pavarotti is the best Rodolfo too- but I'm running out ...

[Redboy4]

Ditto to the Massanet's Manon comment, an outstanding recording.

[gfterp]

Whatever angelic choirs there may be, they now sound better. Thx.

[crazydutchmusician]

IMHO, the absolute best Boheme pair. No one can touch these two.

[LetItBe920]

I think they're amazing,  but I would merely substitute Bjoerling as Rodolfo for the dream pair. :-)

[martythetickler]

Tell that to Caruso & Melba.

[IlgruppoDiDocci]

My good..........................­............. this recording threatens to overcome Bjorling and Raimondi, taken as reference for this dueto. Beside that neither Lamza (answer in video) neither Bjorling, neither nobody rots to deny the thought of Nicolai Gedda, besides great enor, studious regular of opera , who affirm that they were the perfect synthesis, the best Boheme.

[zzzLUCIANOzzz]

Super Version Thomas Schippers.

[GermanOperaSinger]

On another note, I can't believe it's been a whole year since he passed. I remember that day last year, when I called up my grandparents and we talked for about two hours...lamenting. I remember thinking, 'what a pity, yet another great singer gone and no one to replace him.' It was a sad day.

[GermanOperaSinger]

Fantastic. And I agree that they were among the best cast for Boheme ever in their respective roles...Madame Freni is my grandfather's favorite soprano, I'll be sure to send him this link. Great post, thanks.

[ShawDAMAN]

Very nice :) Thanks :)

Moorhe, if you haven't already, you might want to listen to Lanza/Yeends version live from 1947 that I posted. Not trying to argue, I just think you'll enjoy it. :)

[pearlmuth3]

Beautiful and he nailed it beautifully! Thanks for a good one.