The opera fans amongst you will know that the Three Tenors were a vocal trio made up of three legends of operatic singing: Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, and José Carreras. Their first performance together came in 1990 when they sang at the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome, Italy, the night before the final of the 1990 FIFA World Cup, whilst the subsequent recording went on to become the best-selling live classical album of all time – and for good reason, many would argue.
Another performance from the trio that has gone down in classical music history is their concert in Los Angeles in 1994, which again took place before the final of the FIFA World Cup in the city. Accompanied by conductor Zubin Mehta, the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra, and the L.A. Music Center Opera Chorus, the trio performed a dazzlingly powerful version of a lively brindisi song called ‘Libiamo ne’ lieti calici’, lifted from Giuseppe Verdi’s immensely popular opera ‘La Traviata’.
Aside from the singers’ quite frankly spectacular operatic voices, perhaps the most charming thing about this particular performance is the chemistry between the trio; as one of the video’s 53 million viewers commented, “they look at each other as if they’re just hearing how amazing they all sound for the first time.” They certainly look excited to hear each other sing, and given the energy, power, and emotion behind each of their inimitable voices, who can blame them?
And if that video has whetted your appetite for more operatic lusciousness, then why not take a trip back to the Three Tenors’ first concert? This iconic clip shows the trio at that first performance before the World Cup back in 1990, singing Puccini’s ‘Nessun Dorma’, perhaps the best-known opera aria of all time. Even if you’re not a fan of opera, the trio’s rendition is so filled with emotion it will likely bring tears to your eyes, and again their playful onstage antics are a joy to watch.
Whether you’re a fan of opera or not, Music Man readers, it is difficult to doubt the unbelievable levels of talent that lie behind these two performances by The Three Tenors. As many viewers have commented on videos of their spine-tingling performances, the world of opera will likely never see three such iconic singers come together in such a way again, and subsequently, it is a relief to know that many of the trio’s performances have been recorded and filmed so we can continue to enjoy them for many years to come.