In July 1955, aged 19, Luciano Pavarotti journeyed to Wales, joining his father in a choir from Modena, to compete in the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.  They won the male voice competition by a distance.  Later in life he would attribute this as a pivotal moment, that would inspire him to consider the possibility of becoming a professional singer. Forty years later, in 1995, he returned to give a special concert in the Pavilion during Eisteddfod week.  This is the recording of that previously unreleased historic concert. Addressing a packed Pavilion crowd, Pavarotti said: “Forty years ago, my God – it seems to be just yesterday for me.  I have done so many things.  I always say that to the journalists when they ask me, what is a day more memorable in my life, and I always say that it is when I won this competition, because it was with all my friends.”

This collection consists of a programme overflowing with operatic arias from Cavalleria Rusticana, Il trovatore, Macbeth and popular Neapolitan song. It also features two tracks, recorded in 1955, thought to be the earliest recordings with Luciano Pavarotti.

In the 100-page LP-sized book accompanying this set, you can read more about this historic concert in a fabulous essay composed by Maestro Mark Wilkinson, alongside rare historic photos from the Llangollen archive and more. The SACDs in this box are hybrid, with both a PCM audio layer available on standard CD players and encoded with a DSD layer.

Tracklisting:

CD 1

Live at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, 1995

1. Verdi: Gli arredi festivi [Nabucco, Act I]

2. Mascagni: Mamma, quel vino è generoso [Cavalleria rusticana]

3. Verdi: Di quella pira [Il trovatore, Act III]

4. Mascagni: Intermezzo [Cavalleria rusticana]

5. Verdi: Aria. Ah, la paterna mano [Macbeth, Act IV]

6. Granada

7. Verdi: Va, pensiero "Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves" [Nabucco, Act III]

8. Pavarotti Speaks

9. Puccini: Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde [Manon Lescaut, Act I]

10. Puccini: Donna non vidi mai [Manon Lescaut, Act I]

11. Rossini: Overture [Semiramide]

12. Leoncavallo: Mattinata

13. Handl: In nomine Jesu

14. Sibella: La Girometta

15. Non ti scordar di me (Orch. Mancini)

16. La mia canzone al vento (Orch. Mancini)

17. Pavarotti Speaks

18. Pavarotti, Benvenuti: Ave Maria, dolce Maria

19. Di Capua, Mazzucchi: O sole mio

20. Pavarotti Speaks

21. Verdi: Libiamo ne' lieti calici "Brindisi" [La traviata, Act I] 

22. Pavarotti Speaks (Thank You)

23. Interview with Luciano Pavarotti

 

Live at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, 1955

24. Lassus: Bonjour mon cœur

25. Handl: In nomine Jesu

 

CD 2

Luciano Pavarotti - A 90th Anniversary Portrait

1. Introduction and Background to the Documentary

2. Childhood, Becoming a Singer, Teachers

3. Debut in Reggio Emilia, Debut at Covent Garden, First Studio Recording

4. Glyndebourne and Mozart’s Idomeneo

5. Donizetti’s La fille du régiment at Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera

6. Bellini’s I puritani

7. Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera

8. Artistic Partnership with Herbert von Karajan in Puccini’s La bohème

9. Neapolitan Songs

10. Concluding Summary