Puccini: Turandot (1972) [Blu-ray]

The world's most famous tenor performs the world's most famous tenor aria, Nessun dorma, on this 1972 recording of Giacomo Puccini's Turandot. It became Luciano Pavarotti's signature aria: he performed it at his final concert. Pavarotti even managed a hit single on the charts with this recording in 1990 when it was used on the BBC's World Cup telecasts. The aria charted again in 2007 after this version was played at his funeral. In addition to Pavarotti, the star-studded recording features Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé, Nicolai Ghiaurov, conductor Zubin Mehta and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

“Turandot is a psychologically complex work fusing appalling sadism with self-sacrificing devotion. The icy Princess of China has agreed to marry any man of royal blood who can solve three riddles she has posed. If he fails his head will roll. Calaf, the son of the exiled Tartar king Timur, answers all the questions easily and when Turandot hesitates to accept him, magnanimously offers her a riddle in return – 'What is his name?'. Liù, Calaf's faithful slave-girl, is tortured but rather than reveal his identity kills herself. Turandot finally capitulates, announcing that his name is Love. Dame Joan Sutherland's assumption of the title role is statuesque, combining regal poise with a more human warmth, while Montserrat Caballé is a touchingly sympathetic Liù, skilfully steering the character away from any hint of the mawkish. Pavarotti's Calaf is a heroic figure in splendid voice and the chorus is handled with great power, baying for blood at one minute, enraptured with Liù's nobility at the next. Mehta conducts with great passion and a natural feel for Puccini's wonderfully tempestuous drama. Well recorded.” --The Gramophone Classical Music Guide

Recorded at Kingsway Hall, London, August 1972.