Luciano Pavarotti - Ah mes amis - Live at the Met 1972

Luciano Pavarotti's first ever performance of La fille du regiment at the Met. The audience goes wild, quite rightly too. This performance took place on the 17th of February 1972.
From act I of Donizetti's La fille du regiment
Live 1972 - The Metropolitan opera orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge
Here are some parts of a review about this performance:
''The show was constantly being stopped Thursday night at the Metropolitan Opera, where a new production of Donizetti's "La Fille du Régiment" was staged. Joan Sutherland stopped the show at her entrance and several times thereafter. Luciano Pavarotti stopped the show with his first aria and, later, with the "Quel desin" aria, the one with the nine - high C's.''
^ The reviewer named the aria wrongly of course
''In the last two years Luciano Pavarotti has come up fast, and today he is the reigning tenor in the lyric side of the Italian repertory. God has kissed his vocal cords, as he has said. This is a voice on the Gigli order, though used with more taste and musicianship. He sings the B's and C's as though he is not afraid of them, and the voice has an absolutely unbroken scale.''

[@clydemoneyhun1920]

I saw/heard him perform this role (and sing this aria) at the Met in the early 1970s. Electrifying. Later I heard that his costume (a military uniform) was supposed to be white. Aware of his size, he demanded a different color. “Otherwise,” he said, “I will look like a refrigerator.”

[@Celon.]

There is a reason why Monserat and him were described as 2 refrigerators walking , when they were seen together.

[@ThomasDawkins88]

@@Celon. But once they opened their mouths to sing, who cared?

[@sunrisetw]

@@ThomasDawkins88The costume do affect singer's moods you know

[@amyl363]

He worked at losing some weight once, on advice of his doctor. But he felt the weight loss had affected his voice negatively and gave up on the idea.

[@sunrisetw]

@@amyl363 that my friend, called sacrifice for the art

[@mygeo76]

In 1966 he became the first opera tenor to hit all nine "high C's" with his full voice in the aria 'Quel destin' in 'La Fille du Regiment' by Gaetano Donizetti. He repeated this feat in his legendary 1972 Met performance. This is why he is the "King of the High C's"!!!

[@KristopherBaker]

*baritone

[@gattamelata1940]

The thing about Pavarotti is that he threw those high C's as the most natural thing in the world. With every other tenor you can feel the effort. The notes just flow as easily as if he were singing twinkle twinkle little star in the shower.

[@notsodivinemsm8936]

Alfredo Kraus puts poor Luciano to shame in this aria.

[@edwardcaulfield67]

@@notsodivinemsm8936 isnt it nice to have a sense of humour otherwise why would you say such a thing.

[@notsodivinemsm8936]

@@edwardcaulfield67 A sense of humour, you say? Alfredo Kraus delivered that aria effortlessly at 59 years old. I just happen to think Kraus did a better job.

[@fistraciclino]

@@notsodivinemsm8936 Kraus, the best in that aria

[@adamseidel9780]

Pavarotti himself described a high C as a well-educated scream, so it certainly wasn’t without effort. I don’t particularly think his notes even come across as particularly easy or effortless… but they do come across with a combination of clarity and piercing ring that is absolutely unmatched in the recorded era. There are other singers who are more effortless with these notes and others who have different qualities one may like over another… but none sounds quite like Luciano.

[@operasanger]

49 years later, this is still stunning! The gold standard, that I don't suspect will EVER be surpassed! Bravissimo Pavarotti!

[@giovannimedini2091]

The Only !!!! I remember in Bologna january 1974 '"la favorita"....hi was Superman!!! R.i.p.🙏❤️❤️❤️🌟❤️❤️🌟🌟🌟

[@djeparker99]

This aria is one of my absolute favorites. Not only is Pavarotti fabulous here, but the tune is so happy and graceful, and the melody is so charming and light, it makes me want to dance even though I hate dancing! Meraviglioso!

[@jmiller05]

Pure, ringing sound. You can hear an unmistakable warmth and humour in his voice too.

[@adamseidel9780]

Greatest ring of all time and it’s not close

[@Yorick10314]

I had the good fortune to see his last performance in Tosca at the Met in 2004. It was so sad to see how he struggled physically on the stage, having spent much of his time in a seated position and being supported by the soprano. However, even at this time he was still vocally pretty much his old self. We were blessed.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Yorick10314 each great artists only have 10 good years! That will never change why why why must we continue with this charade I asked you?? Leave the poor man alone he's dead. 🌹💘💜✋👥 and give the other losers a chance to sing LOL And So It Goes The Beat Goes On for some people can you dig it? 😎🌏🌎🌍😘

[@pavarotti744]

quite incredible....easy flowing brilliance of sound....no one has or will ever match him at that time.

[@guilhem32]

I'm french but we don't have to care his french way of singing, it's so good to hear such a voice in that aria ! Always amazing !! Pavarotti forever !

[@giovannimedini2091]

Mes amis my friends amici miei: Pavarotti dal 1965 al 1978 è stato irraggiungibile. .....che voce da giovane !!! Meraviglioso.

[@lightpainting]

in questa occasione Pavarotti esegue nove Do di petto, difficilissimi da emettere a voce piena, in maniera sciolta e naturale nell'aria "A mes amìs". Grazie maestro sei un orgoglio

[@SilfredoSerrano]

This is simply the best. I don't think any other tenor even comes close...

[@vettegaddia6234]

***** Have you heard Kraus sing this? His high C's are even more secure that big Pav!

[@SilfredoSerrano]

Vette gaddia Yes. I heard him in Rigoletto sing the high Db in the duet before Caro Nome. What makes Pavarotti's so exciting is that edginess that you don't know if he's going to make it!

[@drimaz85]

I think Juan Diego Florez actually comes close, but he has another style, of course. I prefer him in this aria, although I love Pavarotti.

[@pattycoelho1]

florez is perfect um this aria

[@beatrizsusanadubson8849]

ZZZI..aLGREDO LRAUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@gomongio]

"Pour mon âme, Quel destin! J'ai sa flamme, Et j'ai sa main! Jour prospère! Me voici Militaire et mari!" Musically and technically, Luciano was always perfect and impecable.

[@paulcacio3625]

One of the greatest nights in the history of the Met!

[@martinpooley3944]

I wonder how many thousands of people said "I was there"?! To have actually been present would have been musical heaven.

[@artistsf1]

I was there ! One in May of 72 and the New Year's Eve performance, as well. It remains one of the greatest memories of my earlier opera going years.

[@martinpooley3944]

@@artistsf1 Wow! Did you realise you were present at a very special moment? I suspect you did. It sounds wonderful to hear on record but to have been live must have been absolute heaven!

[@user-pt3ro4iq7p]

I was the I told you I was

[@user-pt3ro4iq7p]

We saw him at the Met and he was awesome. Previously anticipated the 9 hours high C's in Ah! Mes Amish but was a bit disappointed when he failed. The audience roared in victorious applause but I knew something was off. I was right. The next day the New York Times confirmed it. Outstanding, none the less.

[@golden-63]

This was the very performance that transformed Pavarotti from opera star to opera SUPERSTAR.

[@josezamora8009]

Y ese día Dios se fue levantado por el ruidazo que hacian en la tierra

[@lucianasalis9216]

Che voce! Oro puro!

[@erikbrood4156]

YES, it was…

[@MiguelBorrallo]

The best Tonio EVER!! Incredible high notes... beautiful voice, amazing technique, and... so expressive! :) Thanks Luciano!! BRAVO!!

[@TazerGlen]

1:00 I love this! This perfectly represents the ease with which Pavarotti performs. So amazing, truly a legend to be remembered!

[@autumnleaves2766]

It's great to listen to this and to get an idea of what Maestro Pavarotti was like in his prime, as well as hearing the ecstatic reaction of the public at the Metropolitan Opera. Donizetti might not be my cup of tea, but Pavarotti is incredible here. He is in my list of favourite tenors along with Gigli, Bjorling, di Stefano, Corelli and Wunderlich.

[@perlei8897]

Ah mes amis, what a voice!!

[@vettegaddia6234]

per lei Here is another great performance with Kraus. His high C's were even more secure than Pavarotti's. Alfredo Kraus - Ah mes amis! - Fille du regiment

[@perlei8897]

Vette gaddia I'll check it out but looove Luciano...

[@blazzing]

Vette gaddia By the sound of Kraus; it would take ten of him to reproduce the sheer resonance of Pavorotti.

[@perlei8897]

blazzingsaddles4 damn straight

[@jakethewoz]

Conductor had too much coffee! Amazing early Pav!!!!

[@ronaldfeiner2325]

Straordinario! What a captivating full voiced performance by Pavarotti keeping up with the conductor's challenging pace.

[@Chiollodario]

Il più grande tenore di tutti i tempi. Si può dire che fosse meno musicista di altri, che fosse commerciale, che fosse un fenomeno mediatico......ma aveva una voce che gli permetteva di farci capire cosa fosse Dio nella lirica!

[@donaldfuck]

Chiollodario esagerato!

[@Eiswirth1]

I heard him live in 1974 in recital; tickets were $25, and the auditorium was half filled. His singing changed my life, as he introduced me to Sutherland, whom I've become obsessed with: greatest voice God ever gave a human. Their collaborations have never been surpassed.

[@meirwise1107]

NINE high Cs, one after the other, effortlessly. Probably the greatest night in the history of Opera. La Fille du Regiment, the Met, 1972. He took 17 curtain calls. The house went wild. RIP Maestro Supremo. Unequalled.

[@randalcolucci6833]

He was the best. Otherworldly.

[@Eiswirth1]

I've read critics who've said the Met's 1970 "Norma," with Sutherland and Horne (and Bergonzi), was the highest point in opera and Western civilization. We all have our favorites, but it's hard to dispute those two characterizations.

[@claudiooriental]

Grande Maestro. Gran voz, esta aria y Di quella pira, dos piezas fundamentales del Gran Luciano. Grande entre los grandes. Siempre con tu arte inmortal.

[@pepecolino]

El gran maestro Pavarotti es insuperable por su técnica y registro vocal

[@fistraciclino]

En esta aria Kraus fue el mejor sin duda.

[@Un_Gordo_De_Derecha]

Maravilloso Luciano! Lo más impresionante es que su voz de lírico lo convierte en el tenor con la voz más pesada que cantó esta ópera.

[@liberte5847]

A greatest ever opera SINGER! MERCI BEAUCOUP!

[@appeace1]

Lord, I wish a video recording of this performance in its entirety could be found! What a treasure that would be and I would dearly LOVE to know what antics Pava is pulling that elicits the laughter from the audience! His Italian emphasis and phrasing to French wording is, in itself, very humorous!

[@artistsf1]

He and Sutherland were a hoot together. They were such fun to watch and, of course, the singing was from God.

[@elephantbarbiegirl]

The King of the high C's!

[@williamhughmurraycissp8405]

It is a voice for the ages. We will never really know what Caruso sounded like but with modern recording, we will always know what Pavarotti sounded like. Even his peers know that he is in a class by himself.

[@stone8193]

William Hugh Murray, CISSP lol no. Pavarotti is heralded as the best tenor ever because he took advantage of media and pop culture to elevate his status and become a household name. There are many superior tenors. Pavarotti is very good, but it irks me how he's considered the epitome of tenors. He's not. He even conceded to this several times over and not out of sheer modesty

[@SymphonyBrahms]

@@stone8193 Caruso. Gigli. di Stefano. Bjorling. Corelli.

[@michaelstthomas5750]

@@stone8193 or people like yourself simply like to be different and disagree to act superior. Like you know something the majority of people don't know

[@chastenor]

Sorry Pavarotti is not a great tenor. Larger than life yes, great no

[@williamhughmurraycissp8405]

@@chastenor You seem to be in the minority here. Even Domingo and Carreras knew he was special.

[@pietrosarcinelli8922]

Magic, just magic, always missed Maestro Pavarotti!

[@LuluHeeNim]

perfect C's!!!!!!!!

[@stellajennings2265]

Still the best singer in the world love this mans voice.

[@hollyraeraeful]

Ahhh Pavarotti! so so soory i never had the pleasure of seeing him perform live...

[@colettewarren7928]

Merci pour La Fille du Régiment!!! Sensationnel!

[@sellaholding9205]

Ladies and gentlemen may I introduce the one and only Maetro Pavarotti? Simply the BEST!!

[@babachlovari4782]

I cant imagine how could anyone give this a thumbs down... no one to date has ever sang this aria or the whole opera better then he did ... his high c's are pure perfection and hearing this really shows us the real pavarotti and not the older pavarotti which people pay more attention to ...he was at his best here and i wish people could bring the real pavarotti in the lime light more and push his later part of his career to the side

[@NotSoDivineMsM]

Seriously, Babach? Have you not heard Alfredo Kraus or Lawrence Brownlee? This next statement is not directed at you specifically but I am so sick of those who feel that there was NEVER another tenor than Pavarotti (who was just mainstream, imho, and I have seen some of the best over the years) and no other soprano than Callas (who was God awful and pitchy for most of her career, actually).

[@babachlovari4782]

NotSoDivineMsM yes im serious cuz when it comes to this aria neither kraus brownlee nor florez comes close all of there voices are sall compared to pavarottis especially the pavarotti from the 60's and 70's the main stream pavarotti ur talking about came later in life but in his early years there was nearly no one who came close to the beauty perfection easy way of his singing not to mention his full pitch perfect high notes theonly other tenor i could think of from that time that might of been better is corelli and bergonzi was not better but a step lower....now tell me a tenor from pavarottis time till now who was better then the YOUNG!!! pavarotti have u even heard him in his early years??...the late pavarotti was horrible yes but its understandable cuz of old age and over reaching but his perfect pitch in his singing is almost unmatched one of the top conductor's said the same thing bonynge said the same thing....so dont confuse the late mainstream pavarotti with the real pavarotti from his early career cuz even thou there was alot of good tenors but none had pavarottis recognizable voice your compared him to brownlee lol and kraus lol my god go ahead and listen to pavarotti 1970 verdi requiem and if your still not convinced and if u still compare him to brownlee and kraus then to you i say.......absolutely nothing

[@NotSoDivineMsM]

I suppose you have heard the saying, Opinions are like.........You are entitled to yours but I disagree and YES, I heard many famous singers over the years (many times from backstage) as my mother was a soprano, whose name I will NOT share. I will never follow the marketing and sales people's suggestions as to who is the best. My ears tell me what I need to know.......

[@Redboy4]

NotSoDivineMsM Believe it or not, some of us do not go by marketing either, and like you, we let our ears tell us what we need to know, and we don't always come to the same conclusions as you.

[@colino72]

NotSoDivineMsM Well, there is opinion and then there is objective observables. Babach is spot on when talking about the distinctive timbre of Pavarotti's voice, and that is an observable, both to the ear and spectrographic analysis. Many other tenors have a derivative, somewhat samey sound to them (a bit strangled at times, with a hint of kermit!). Not so with Pavarotti. Of course Kraus did an awesome job with this aria, and he kept singing it right to the end of his career, which is very impressive. His technique was incredible and the weight of his voice was just right for this. Having said that, could you really say that his tone was as appealing as Pavarotti's? That is a matter of taste, but I would say not. Musically there was quite a bit of off timing on this, both from Pavarotti and the chorus. But the voice.... ah, the voice!!!

[@emitch9213]

Oh the good ol' days of the Golden Age...🌹♥️

[@operabuff6760]

Simply phenomenal to sing this so well live on stage. By contrast, Juan Diego Florez snatches at every one of the 8 top Cs that precede the final held one, whereas Pavarotti binds them seamlessly into the lyrical line. Then there is the extra resonance and amplitude of Pavarotti's voice, which makes his rendition uniquely exciting over and above JDF, Kraus et al. No-one will ever equal this. He received 17 curtain calls, which is a record in Met history.

[@malawigw]

Florez is good, Pavarotti is God

[@williammountfield8508]

Björling received 28, so I’m not sure where your getting that record from…

[@fistraciclino]

@@malawigw and kraus?

[@gemmadestate3216]

L'ultima vera voce di tenore più bella che abbiamo ascoltato:i suoi contemporanei stavano moltissimi gradini più in basso e al giorno d'oggi"Deserto sulla terra..."

[@lucianasalis9216]

Stupefacente! Che voce incredibile! ❤️

[@PBXVIILY]

The Majority of Singers etc. Adored & admired this great great singer! Incredible! Especially in this Role, saw him live in this in the 90s Magnificent. The audience went crazy!!

[@smtaz7631]

♥️👏👏👏👏👏👏👏♥️ Pavarotti the best!

[@Psyque-nl4xn]

El mejor de todos los tiempos

[@yolandasanchez2836]

una preciosidad!!! la mas bella voz

[@vkbtex]

The Maestro was in rare form here. His voice is sorely missed. He sings with the angels.

[@ThePapaChilds]

If you're just here to hear the C's, try 5:00

[@randalcolucci6833]

Sad there is no video of this amazing performance that will never be matched.

[@albertoruvalcaba4003]

Qué bella sensación disfrutar los últimos compases de este fragmento en esta voz!! Dios, gracias por este privilegio. Gracias por compartir!

[@Ivan2288]

I know this song is known for it's 9 high Cs and everyone loves it for it(myself included!!) but from from 0:46 - 1:03 in my opinion is simply haunting and beautiful.

[@eugeniotavassi3548]

Unico...non ho mai ascoltato qualcosa di similile!

[@acitipo]

Pavarotti, la voz mas bella del siglo, el timbre unico entre los tenores, y no lo digo yo, lo dijo, Corelli, Stefano, Alva, del Monaco, los agudos como el do de aqui, no tiene comparacion. bellisimo!!!!

[@jpronse3312]

Only the maestro can do this, chapeau!

[@MaeliniMarie]

I had the honor of singing in this opera last year with our local opera group.Such a fantastic production.

[@knickertwistcopperby6066]

@MaelilniMarie It is not about you.

[@MaeliniMarie]

@@knickertwistcopperby6066 Wow. It is though. Did you not know that I AM Luciano Pavarotti? lol Dude...chill with your troll attitude. I was saying how much of an honor it was to perform a show. For someone to have the name Knickertwist, you sure do got yours in some. Have the day you deserve

[@kgarmaker123]

I have heard the maestro several times live.. He had a lirico spinto voice that was a large round tenor sound.. In Rigoletto, you NEVER had trouble hearing him, fabulous sound. Fabulous. and he had the top notes too! He sang all the light high stuff at first, and did not avoid high D's at all.. because he had them.

[@loayzbeda2472]

this guy made history in the music world.

[@Oetti]

thanks again for the sending... this was an awesome demonstration of talent! Pavarotti rocked in this role.

[@stefaniam878]

Che voce strepitosa il Maestro Pavarotti...davvero un grande contributo alla storia del mondo della lirica, mi piange il cuore per non aver assistito a qualche sua esibizione.

[@boixgenius]

Definitely one of my favourite peices. Amazing.

[@thanspapa]

We can only guess how he hit all those C's . That was his USA Gold at the NY Met. People were absolutely captivated by his voice. Not bad for someone that can't read music.

[@lindableasdale5762]

I heard him and Freni sing it at La Scala in 1969 and was totally thrilled. I was sure hoping he would come here and sing.

[@ramonmiranda223]

privilege!

[@juansanz1946]

pavarotti es una delicia oirle" tiene belleza su voz

[@thomasdahlen8533]

Squillo.Bravo.

[@jorgealbertolettera4027]

Único!!!! Qué belleza de.voz!!!

[@marcosantoro2848]

Semplicemente inarrivabile

[@johnjensen3023]

the biggest an best tenor,voice in the univers.ever

[@madeleine031]

yes indeed!

[@NotSoDivineMsM]

Apparently you haven't heard many tenors.....smh.....

[@johnjensen3023]

we all have different taste.bless you

[@danilomarvel5657]

ive heard all of then and this pavarotti version is by far the best.. cheeeeeeeers

[@NotSoDivineMsM]

Try Alfredo Kraus for one of the best versions of this aria.....

[@kilmer70]

quele facilite! c'est fantastique!

[@paolopecchioli9793]

Fantastico voce bellissima ancora capace di estendersi in modo mirabile

[@janetkenny1974]

I heard him sing this at Covent Garden when he was young and astonishing. Took my breath away! So ebullient and ardent.

[@olivierpelerin272]

Carrément ...! Ça vient d'ailleurs !...

[@jewelmarkess]

We meet again, yes absolutely, this is a wonderful recording, this performance is perfect.

[@ForAll23]

So incredibly beautiful singing. Pavarotti was a great master regardless of the weaknesses that his detractors accuse him for.

[@ellenlyons7413]

when you have the most beautiful voice in the world, by far, there is nothing else to be said.

[@lorenagaleazzi5026]

Semplicemente unico!!!

[@silvanogiusti813]

Penso che Pavarotti sia stato una delle più grandi star del MET

[@awkwardukulele6077]

I'm always sad when I see music like this with such a low view count. I know so many people who'd love to see stuff like this, but it's obvious KZbin doesn't prioritize older forms of art on its own. Oh well, the share button exists for a reason! Hopefully I can get more of my musical buds to check out this wonderful piece!

[@jewelmarkess]

Good for you! Opera is beautiful. This is a wonderful recording, Pavarotti at his prime and in his best repertory.

[@MrTombishop]

Oh Pava!! Ma chi ti batte qui?!! GRANDE, IMMENSO

[@refinedreinvention]

omg .... he's AMAZING !!!!!!!

[@danielbonning]

Divine !!!

[@ur1sob2001]

we miss you prince of opera,none can compare to you.rest in peace.

[@noncondition]

Grande, grande, grande, grandísimo Luciano.

[@sprinter846]

...and still the greatest!!!

[@hugopickpacker7314]

Habe sie mir alle angehört, Big P. bleibt unerreicht. Die Brillanz ist einzigartig.

[@sarapastorello9441]

grande Luciano ,è un piace grande ascoltarti , hai tutte le qualità che di possano desiderare @!!!!!!!

[@LAZARUSREX1]

@JuanCarlosValls Es un placer comunicarse con un caballero como Ud. Lo cierto es que cada uno tenemos nuestros gustos. Muchas gracias por el video. SALUDOS.

[@colettewarren7928]

Merci pour tous ces magnifiques ténors!

[@Romanjezabel]

Luciano - THE LEGEND!!!!!!!!!!

[@Walter1950]

Oh how I miss this great tenor and the talent that he was so abundantly blessed with. What a joy he bought to all of the opera houses and audiences where he appeared. Just to hear this clip brings back many great memories. Thanks for posting.

[@cioffigennaro]

incredibile... 9 DO acuti... roba per pochi ! ! !

[@roosterrooter13]

Bravo. That's all, bravo.

[@miralazic9621]

VRH !!!NEMA DALJE!!! 🌟🌿Remek delo 21. veka 🌿🌟nedostižan u svemu legendarni 🌟Maestro Luciano Pavarotti🌟!!!King forever!!!🌏🌿🏆🌿🌷🌷✨🕊️🌞🌟✨✨🦜

[@spampi79]

Impressionante! Pavarotti era Il canto! Aveva una capacità tutta sua di far vivere i suoni... Nessun Kraus o J.D. Florez possiedono questo dono... perfetti esecutori... ma la voce umana non è solo uno strumento... è anche lo specchio dei sentimenti che l'autore scrive sul pentagramma! E in questo Pavarotti e Di Stefano (e prima di loro Caruso) sono stati unici!

[@lydiaguarro]

Essato.

[@blichilde]

Accidenti, che linguaggio forbito, che classe, Manrico60!

[@Lora0993]

AMAZING.

[@Nostalgico80]

Pavarotti was member of a superior race, he was not simply a human being.

[@alauc]

Bravo maestro!

[@sandradannibale6064]

Grande Orgoglio!!!

[@arturo8402]

God truly touched his voice!!!!

[@romisaxy]

STANDING OVATION che l'ha richiamato BEN DICIASSETTE VOLTE sul palco! Record Imbattuto !! Forse Donizzetti l'aveva scritta per essere eseguita così. Forse per la prima volta è stata eseguita come si deve. Dal 1840.