The Best Version of Nessun Dorma (Turandot) - Pavarotti (1972)

Aria: Nessun dorma
Role: Calaf
Act: III
Ópera: Turandot (1926)
Composer: G. Puccini
Tenor: Luciano Pavarotti (Italia)
Año: 8-1972
London Phiharmonic Orchestra
Conducted: Zubin Mehta
Studio Recording, London.
Lyric:
CALAF
Nessun dorma!
Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza
guardi le stelle che tremano
d'amore e di speranza!
Ma il mio mistero
è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo dirò,
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scoglierà
il silenzio che ti fa mia!
VOCI DI DAME
Il nome suo nessun saprà...
E noi dovrem, ahimè,
morir! Morir!
CALAF
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontane, stelle!
Tramontane, stelle!
All'alba vincerò!
Vincerò! Vincerò!
License: Auto-generated by KZbin

[@gljm]

Pavarotti is at the pinnacle of his vocal prowess here.

[@scramblesish]

For years my dad tried to get me to appreciate him but I resisted. Only recently have I understood

[@barneyboy2008]

yes to this

[@unwashedhands2087]

Definitely going in the “When the homies ain’t around” playlist

[@gustavokretzmann2620]

Your profile picture is one of the (g)old ones

[@sandroh7573]

All my homies love all music😍

[@Geth-Who]

Man, if you trust your homies, they can handle you listening to this utterly baller singing.

[@YortOK]

I heard him sing this live.

[@schism6976]

Get you some new homies

[@calibreman]

I will be 75 years of age this month and Luciano Pavarotti is the best tenor I've heard so far.

[@shivanharan9120]

You can listen to this forever! No one has sung this better than Pavarotti!

[@margaretsmith8337]

Your right Pavarotti was and remains the best. All these Pavarotti haters are just jealous.

[@rhill41]

I've listened to MANY versions of this great aria. NOTHING is better than this, Pavarotti at his absolute best! Moving, every time!

[@stevefelsher6219]

Such an extraordinary talent. Although he is no longer with us, we have his music to listen to forever. Just stunning. I actually don't have enough superlatives.

[@samhartford8677]

Me neither.

[@swestbrooks3433]

A beautiful gift from God. That voice always brings me to tears. Absolutely LOVE IT!! Agree it’s the best version too.

[@randalcolucci6833]

How miraculous is such a voice to come from a human being!

[@daveyyoutubey5686]

I regret not having known his singing during his prime. I came to know him when he traveled with the 3 Tenors and that was late in the game. At least youtube means he continues to live among us.

[@ralphdavis9670]

I am not even a lover of opera, but all of this passion...to the core.

[@littlebigjohn69]

im a rocker with pink floyd and procol harem, genesis , and the moody blues and their great but ralph listen to some arias in opera will make your back hair stand . you got to understand opera is not a song but stories of crime , sadness, and comedie. arias are emotions done in a song which i love.

[@chrisferris2444]

Holy cow!!! What a voice!!! Hits you right to the soul!!!!

[@YortOK]

I heard him sing this live. Yes it was this good.

[@michaellazzeri9439]

Magnificent-------------there are no other words.

[@davidshep45]

Homies would do good to hang around and embrace this. It might teach them there was a time before voice enhancement when great artists actually used their voices.

[@thereseplato4945]

I am in love with his talent

[@ditto1958]

Pavarotti continued to be amazing even as he aged. His performances of Nessun Dorma in the 1990’s can still give one chills. But there are differences in his more youthful performances. When he was younger, such as here in 1972, near the end, when he sings “Dilegua, o note!” he would really nail that entry, really pounding “dilegua.” In later years, he still hit the note right, but it was less strong until “o notte.”

[@kennethsmith6933]

What a voice it grabs your heart and your takes you to a safe place …….haunting …..magnifico……..❤️

[@shodanart]

We’re so fortunate to have lived during Pavarotti’s era! I think Pavarotti owns this aria. There’s Caruso, Gigli, Bjorling, di Stefano, Corelli, and then there’s Pavarotti! Each one can tear your heart out! I know there’s so many more - Mario Del Monaco probably owns Vesti la giubba. The point is who ever your taste Pavarotti in his prime stands among our tenor heroes.

[@RSDX99]

IMO Pavarotti's version of Nesson Dorma is the one version that makes nonopera lovers and even opera haters take notice., It's like OMG I can't believe what I just heard.

[@cato5553]

Franco corelli .

[@margaretsmith8337]

@@cato5553 IS CRAP THROUGH AND THROUGH.

[@margaretsmith8337]

@@cato5553 PAVAROTTI IS KING NOT FRANCO CORELLI YOU MUST BE DEAF.

[@johnboszko2032]

One God given talent and voice to hear is a blessing

[@ioannishatzitheodorou4878]

Indeed the best version, I absolutely agree.

[@ericwilson3606]

m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5DLfZtqpqikpsk Best version is this one. Go to the end with 45 seconds left.

[@anitalorenz8658]

The miracle of this mad and this voice. We will never see his like againi, I'm thinking. :'(

[@allanmoore4353]

This recording of the entire opera, is considered by many the definitive recording of Turandot. All the principal artists and Conductor were arguably at the peak of their abilities.

[@Zzsmuf]

My favourite out of the 3 tenors.

[@aussiegal61]

No one has ever been able to sing Nessun Dorma as beautiful as Pavarotti. I have never got tired of listening to this tremendous voice. The world has lost a legend when he died.

[@sevtaptincer8194]

NO ONE

[@1francosvizzero]

Franco corelli. But pavarotti is great!

[@margaretsmith8337]

@@1francosvizzero LIKE HELL HE IS!!! PAVAROTTI IS THE GREATEST TENOR WHO EVER LIVED. FRANCO CORELLI IS CRAP.

[@avntori]

@@sevtaptincer8194 jussi björling nessun dorma stockholm 1944 actually pavarotti was asked to whom he would of like to be compared to he answered björling ''I'm only human'' he styled himself after björling

[@alexeyre674]

Corelli, Bonisolli-they are the Best. Pavarotti is a Very good singer, but in Lyric repertoire.

[@matzek.9119]

The Tenor par excellence!

[@alleborgo5481]

The most beautiful Pavarotti's rendition of this great aria, is the one he sang in 1985 in Modena's Piazza Grande Live concert. That was why I started to studying and singing opera. I was only 13 when I listened to Pavarotti. Yeah Corelli did great too, but No one could make you stand as Pavarotti does...

[@adeeo]

Corelli was 3x bigger voice than Pav. The ring he had especially for a Calaf is out of this world. Pavarotti was greatness, but with Calaf and Nessun Dorma, nobody comes iven close to the power and timbre of Corelli.

[@alleborgo5481]

@@adeeo I agree. Corelli was greater with voice. Pavarotti was greater as singer himself with a great voice and power either. If you think to "Nessun dorma!" can immediately figure Pavarotti even if you ain't an operaholic.

[@guidogreco341]

@@alleborgo5481 Corelli,Corelli,..Pavarotyti extraordinary in other opera...remeber that big Luciano..is a tenor.."microfonato"...

[@alleborgo5481]

@@guidogreco341 maybe in the last years of his career... '70s, and '80s he didn' t deserve to use mikes..

[@luismanuel-tena]

@@adeeo I actually agree with you. Corelli was in my opinion too the best Calaf in History.

[@marlenegerdts7711]

PAVAROTTI best rendition of Nessun Dorma because of sustaining high notes at the end of aria and very clear and powerful vocalization throughout. BRAVO.

[@veecee3669]

Absolutely gorgeous. I never tire of listening to Pavarotti sing Nessun Dorma...Or anything else, for that matter. Thank you for posting this, I've liked and subscribed.

[@cynthiablack8435]

I get chills up my neck whenever I hear him sing this.

[@TheStrmcliffae46]

yes, it's as though saw the face of God

[@pameladowe5330]

Glorious, such passion, such power to stun with voice alone!

[@l.gabrielli9704]

SI, la MIGLIORE versione di Luciano !

[@jameskirby6139]

Will we ever see or hear a better rendering of this beautiful piece of music

[@tomoswald3298]

The sustained POWER! As if God himself was singing using Luciano's voice.

[@ralphdavis9670]

Indeed

[@soulcornflake1]

A critic said once that God must have kissed his vocal cords. I never forgot that compliment.

[@emperorroca3182]

Leave God out of this….

[@theodorebratro4687]

were singing, not was singing.

[@roshankr8692]

@Magno Louzada emperor roca is just another bitter atheist cynic. Too many broken people these days, better to leave them to themselves.

[@giorgiokeushgerian4257]

This one is Amazing from Pavarotti

[@josecidasilva2178]

Pavarotti mensageiro da paz. Qtos países colheram o fruto desta bondade. Vozeirão magnífico, inigualável eterno,imortal . PAVAROTTI IMORTALIZADO pelo vozeirão e pôr ser mensageiro da paz.

[@michaelreidperry3256]

Such a huge presence in the music world.

[@stevensingleton3067]

I had the great honor to be there to watch and hear him perform in San Diego years ago.

[@micahchambers5096]

Beautiful….

[@leanwest]

what an extraordinary group of artists!!!!

[@garyb2392]

I’ve heard others sing this…and it’s not even close! Pavarotti !

[@adeeo]

Listen Better. Corelli, Del Monaco were 3x bigger voices and best Calafs ever, especially Corelli. Doubt there was and is a better Calaf out there. I love Pav and this rendition, but in real the voice is small to the others mentioned.

[@MOV1983]

It's his studio recording of Calaf. Fantástico!

[@T-bit]

Thank you for sharing.

[@janethu9169]

Beautiful

[@zenforhorses]

Thank you, this is definitely the best!!! My search for it is over ❤

[@skyhiker9669]

Pavarotti… DEFINITELY Pavarotti!

[@helenreidt3315]

Totally speaks to my heart 💕💕💕

[@elizabethmachado5963]

Maravilloso Luciano, su voz estremece. 👏🇺🇾💞Gracias por el video. 💜

[@rosadedonno6843]

Big Luciano sempre grande e stupendo!

[@timkvenland1885]

Had shivers in my spine during the climax

[@albertosanchez-js8nw]

gracias maestro...gracias.

[@evebuster2545]

Magnifico

[@catherinesloane8370]

no words.....

[@ednyrlopesreimer4820]

O melhor de todos os tempos!!

[@user-dp8gh5tm4r]

Светлая память великому Паваротти.

[@carolekelley23]

I listen to this every day

[@cristianr.f6465]

1961 Che gelida manina…. Il Do di petto migliore della storia.

[@korymendezflores9072]

Luciano Pavarotti,eres el mas grande tenor,imposible vivir sin tus canciones,ahira cantas con los angeles,D.E.P.

[@davidhenrywall8619]

Brilliant voice top class

[@sonofjay817]

I noticed he seems to always sound sharp In recordings that I've heard after he got older, but here he does not.. He sounds right on key. Great performance.

[@henrigaziel2002]

He was on pitch. A stickler for it. Name me a note he sang sharp? Apart from the live recording of the Three Tenors.

[@davidgould9431]

@@henrigaziel2002 Pitch is a slippery concept. The orchestra (and, by extension, everyone else on stage) tunes A to something from ... well, it's arbitrary. It used to be a lower frequency (I read somewhere, so it must be true, right?) so high Cs weren't such a gargantuan struggle. I vaguely remember a story that Pav got the orchestra to tune a half tone lower so he could hit the "high C" in Che Gelida Manina (presumably without anyone noticing). God knows how people who claim pitch-perfectness justify their claim against a provably-changing definition of pitch. Maybe I'm just being my usual Grumpy Old Man. And, when I'm mis-remembering or just Plain Wrong, let me know in the comments below (as they say).

[@henrigaziel2002]

@@davidgould9431 Pitch isn’t a concept, slippery or otherwise. All singers transpose and Pavarotti certainly transposed ‘Che Gelida Manina’, but he also sang it in the original pitch, with the high C gloriously in place. Ironically it was Pavarotti who correctly pointed out to Karajan that the harp introduction was flat! You hear a C sharp and D in Rigoletto, even a beautiful E flat in Spirto gentil in Favorita. I had perfect pitch, it’s changing with the passing years, and I think it’s very noticeable when it’s transposed. I believe it changes the music’s character. We have a pretty uniform pitch concept now, the Stuttgart, corresponding to an audio frequency of 440 Hz. Scheibler recommended it as standard in 1834 after inventing the "tonometer" to measure pitch. The French and Austrians tried to lower this, but to no effect or use.

[@davidgould9431]

@@henrigaziel2002 I've obviously mis-remembered something: I thought it was lower than 440Hz sometime before the early 20th century. My memory seems to be shredding itself as I get older. Possibly also mis-remembered: Tito Schipa habitually tuned lower and his entourage would tour with ready-transcribed scores. Happy to be wrong about that, too :-)

[@melodycallander7879]

I tend to agree. Age plays a part in this concept. Every great singer loses a step as they age, similarly to a championship athlete. Our vocal chords cannot sustain. It is a fact of the aging process.

[@rickloduca394]

I have this lp….. what a cast!

[@impunitythebagpuss]

No one will ever do such justice to this song again.

[@paulamoses408]

The very best!!!

[@mikefish4450]

Mr. Pavarotti. You are a immortal God. I can’t believe your gone, you were taken to so from this planet and away from your people. Godspeed Mr. Pavarotti. I would of loved too of seen you live. I have 4 of your CDs . There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t listen to you. I’m the biggest heavy metal fan of IRON MAIDEN, but you Mr. Pavarotti are above all others......

[@heribertorojas692]

Extrairdinario el mejor tenor de la historia luciano , siempre luciano

[@concepcionrebosa3027]

¿Mejor que Franco CORELLI, Mario del Monaco? Franco CORELLI considerado el Calaf por excelencia. Calaf= CORELLI CORELLI = Calaf. Turandot cantada por Birgit Nilsson y Franco CORELLI inigualable.

[@AlanMartinez-xl8bi]

@@concepcionrebosa3027 en mj opinion pavarotti es el mejor pero bueno ahi que respetar gustos

[@guidogreco341]

@@concepcionrebosa3027 esatto,perfetto

[@conniecasas4955]

Maestro !

[@engelguillermotaboada2683]

Yo soy más de música clásica no soy mucho de ópera o Zarzuela. Pero oír a Pavarotti emociona a cualquiera 👏👏👏👏

[@jesustovar2549]

La Ópera no es algo aparte, forma parte del entorno en la Música Académica, al final estas composiciones fueron creadas por hombres geniales e imperfectos (artistas) quienes fueron los verdaderos MAESTROS en darle a la Música un lenguaje, gracias a las partituras y escritura de notas para así traducir sus ideas, y que estas fueran expresadas por personas que entendieran ese lenguaje, ya en el Siglo XX, con los aparatos necesarios para grabar el sonido, muchos grandes intérpretes accedieron a interpretar y preservar las Más Grandes Obras de la Música, para que ahora, en este gran mar de información e historia llamado Internet, estén para quedarse y sean apreciadas por las siguientes generaciones, solo así el pasado no es tan lejano.

[@lynn8735]

I can never listen to this and not cry.

[@RogerBaileyOnCars]

purest emotion

[@franciscomiguez5169]

Just listen to his singing at the end of his movie “Yes, Giorgio”. Superb!

[@costantinosepe3359]

Grandioso!

[@michaelmayes7757]

Maestro

[@theSarahdream1]

insuperables, Puccini and Pavarotti

[@nocommentnoname1111]

Immortal!

[@joel3764]

Unique Pavarotti!!!

[@kobuskotze3206]

There is none better. Luciano was and always will be the best tenor. The quality and beauty of the voice is unsurpassed.

[@margaretsmith8337]

Your Right Pavarotti was the greatest and always will be.

[@justa335]

BRAVA, BRAVA, BRAVA!

[@roserjovemones6396]

Yo tambien opino que esta aria la mejor de toda la historia es de Pavaroti 🎹🎶🎵😍😍😍😍😁😘😍😍😍🎹🎶🎵

[@nikkibanning176]

Wow, this was wonderful. Sustained chills as no other

[@Eleahchris]

Yes me too ❤️!

[@petersaunders6571]

Me three...

[@pedrohgromero1]

Man, look at this cast

[@randalcolucci6833]

One word. Outtathisworld.

[@saveriocalabretta1982]

😍❤

[@dansego345]

Agree God singing through him.

[@johnpickford4222]

However, the great success of the recording, and the reason for returning to it, is Sutherland’s Turandot, although Pavarotti’s Calaf is a bonus.

[@user-fm5bt8yz3o]

Турандот с Паваротти, Кабалье. Гяуровым _ это сокровище для любителей оперы

[@peterbuonaquisti544]

My wife and I used to take Pavoritti's record to bed The result was the first child for me at the age of 44!

[@elenamalovichko358]

Écoutez la version avec Mario Lanza! 👍👍👍

[@danielvaleriano9953]

Imortal ...

[@laurentzeitoun4490]

Not a voice, a stradivarius

[@carolpaynter8181]

Listen to this aria by Franco Corelli, it's amazing and he sang this opera many times. Pavarotti is great as well.

[@feliscorax]

Franco Corelli’s Calaf is the best: His voice was made for the rôle, being a natural tenor dramatico. Pavarotti’s is good, though, but I have a feeling there’s a lot of sentimentality that comes attached with it. A similar style of tenor to Pavarotti was Jussi Björling, and I think his version of Nessun Dorma is also better than Pavarotti’s.

[@margaretsmith8337]

Shut your Big Gob if you prefer these other singers go listen to them. Pavarotti was the greatest.

[@elpescadordesandalias1599]

Es una grabación de estudio, que me gusta, pero lo más valorable es oirla en un teatro sin micrófonos ni ingenieros de sonido. El mejor tenor que ha existido, para mi y para muchos, fue Miguel Fleta, elegido por Toscanini y posiblemente por el mismo Puccini, para el estreno de Turandot. Me encanta Pavarotti, pero Fleta más.

[@MOV1983]

Pescador de Sandalias, lástima que no existen grabaciones con Miguel Fleta cantando Calaf.

[@jmponcela]

Puccini quería a Lauri Volpi para el rol de Calaf en su estreno de Turandot.

[@margaretsmith8337]

Just keep your opinions to yourself we don`t give a toss what any of you say. Pavarotti is an will always be Magnificent and if you don`t like that TOUGH.

[@petergraham8681]

Short memories indeed! Let me put it this way. CALAF in TURANDOT ideally should be sung by a FULL Spinto tenor. Pavarotti is perhaps the pre-eminent FULL Lyric Tenor for this music but Franco Corelli surpasses him because of the power, sonority, & beauty of his FULL Spinto voice. But since 1980 Pavarotti takes the honors since Corelli had all but retired a few years earlier. The late Giacomini & Bonisolli were stiff competition for Pavarotti post 1980 & were Spinto tenors but what they had in power could not quite match the beauty of Luciano’s sound. O.K. Pavarotti was a Full lyric & nearly the best for NESSUN DORMA for his type of tenor. Bjorling, also a Full lyric was the only one of this type of tenor to match Pavarotti in my opinion.

[@jefolson6989]

exactly. I was trying to say that! CORELLI owned it til Pav took it in the early 90s. He owned it til someone comes on, but it won't be soon

[@margaretsmith8337]

Its not true so belt up, I`ve heard Corelli and he isn`t as good as Pavarotti. If you prefer Corelli go listen to him yourself!!!

[@petergraham8681]

I am getting really tired of comments that do not comprehend the difference between Full Lyric Tenor voice & a Full Spinto tenor voice. In regards Pavarotti & Corelli EACH were in NESSUN DORMA equally superb WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE TYPE OF TENOR This is what I was getting at in my comment regarding NESSUN DORMA. My preference for a SPINTO tenor for the CALAF & NESSUN DORMA a is just my personal opinion & does not intend to denigrate Pavarotti although I FEEL his instrument was better suited to more lyric repertoire. An example of this is his recording of L’AMICO FRITZ with Freni which is hopefully still available & in my opinion is some of the greatest lyric tenor singing I have yet to experience.

[@jefolson6989]

@@margaretsmith8337 what does" belt up" mean? Ok last time: Corelli was the best in this aria UNTIL Pavarotti made it his signature aria during the 80s and 90s. There are numerous recordings from that time which I find better , more refines,, more powerful,, more mature than this one. Pretty much what you said. Right tenor, wrong performance to present as THE BEST.

[@wj98983]

@@jefolson6989 maybe it means GIRD YOUR LOINS?

[@douglasvasquez8015]

Second to Giovani Consiglio!

[@collegeri]

Best I’ve heard..aside from that movie version.

[@fernandopinheirobb]

NESSUN DORMA 3° Ato da ópera Turandot, de Puccini. A princesa chinesa Determinou: ninguém durma, palavras usadas com rigor Na ária Nessun Dorma. No canto ele tinha por ela acesa A flama de amor. Quem a cantou? ela respondeu: amor. Calaf, filho do rei exilado dos tártaros, sabia do passado Em que os engramas repercutiam na vida da princesa. Por isso a compreendia e estava disposto e animado A ajudá-la, sabendo que, nos liames, há a flama acesa. A transição planetária na China onde nasceu a princesa Turandot, e a divulgação da Covid - 10, oriunda de lá. Puccini, da Itália, escreveu ópera, assinalando destreza. Cautela: os ventos fortes que fazem os vivos em finados. Os tempos chegados na separação do joio e do trigo, já, Levando a mundos afins quem com eles são afinados. (*) (*) FERNANDO PINHEIRO, presidente da Academia de Letras dos Funcionários do Banco do Brasil. - NESSUN DORMA (poesia), de Fernando Pinheiro. - in O mundo de Morfeu, de Fernando Pinheiro.

[@cato5553]

Corelli ..?

[@ditto1958]

Was Joan Sutherland the bigger star at the time, or do they normally give the soprano top billing?

[@johnbair4876]

Nobody, but nobody, sang this with as much passion and power as Franco Corelli. He owned the role of Calaf. As great as Pavarotti and Bjoerling were, it sounds as though they were half crooning their way through this aria. Given the lyrics and the place of this aria in the drama of Turandot, there needs to be a lot more abandonment and conviction ("I will conquer") - Corelli emits these qualities every time he sings Nessun Dorma. My favorite rendition by Corelli is found here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXaXdpp_fJWjm9k

[@aidacabrera572]

Tu nombre es Radamés ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@cimbassovr]

LUCIANO PAVAROTTI È STATO IL PIÙ GRANDE CALAF DI TUTTI I TEMPI

[@giancarlorancati7574]

Dopo FRANCO CORELLI...