When you least expect it...

Wow. Never fails to send shivers down my spine that one, what a performance!

Mighty fine.

Puccini was the master of opera composition, no doubt about it. This gentleman has some talent, possibly, which could be exploited by proper training and hard work--practice, practice, practice. He was obviously nervous, and except for the high note, he carried it off. Missing that high note might not mean he can't learn to hit it some day, but he needs work, and self-confidence. It didn't hurt that the audience was behind him 100%, and you can't ask for a better back-up band than a recording of a full orchestra playing Puccini's music.

This aria, nessun dorma, became Luciano Pavarotti's "signature song." So let's listen to Pavarotti sing it, and compare it to Mr. Potts' performance:

Pavarotti sings nessun dorma

I watched the video but can't play sound right now. Nonetheless, the expressions were fun to watch; you could see everybody sighing in exasperation as the depressed looking chubby man with droopy eyes sauntered up...and then see their ears perk up as he began to sing. It's a shame his mouth looks like a crocodile nest and he has those huge jowls.

Yes, if we compare pavarotti to this guy I'm sure we'll hear how good he really is. Still, the audience was ready to plug their ears when he entered, and when he finished they were on the edges of their seats. Cool

Yeah, the audience reaction was the best part--and i think it went a long way to carry him through the hard part of that aria.

This guy has a rather unfortunate name, incidentally... it conjures up unintended images of, well, genocide. If he ever makes it in the music biz he might want to consider adopting a stage name.