Pavarotti and Levine in Recital

With his recital on the Met stage as part of Lincoln Center’s Great Performers series in 1978, Luciano Pavarotti became the first singer in history to give a solo performance at the Met’s Lincoln Center home. Ten years later, the beloved tenor returned for another recital, this time accompanied by then–Artistic Director James Levine at the piano. From his opening number—a selection from Mozart’s Così fan tutte—to the performance’s rousing finale—an encore of the aria “Nessun dorma”—Pavarotti’s bright, inviting timbre and effortless high notes were on full display. The program included not only some of opera’s greatest hits, such as Tosca’s “Recondita armonia” and “Pourquoi me reveiller” from Werther, but also a number of classic Italian art songs and serenades. Originally seen as part of the Live from the Metropolitan Opera television program, this broadcast stands as a testament to Pavarotti’s incomparable talent and enduring legacy.