Merry Christmas from Me to You
My gift to you is something very, VERY special to me.
I share it every year at this time.
It is one of my most favorite,
most wonderful musical experiences of my life.
There have been many,
but this ranks among the top three.
It is a moment that I remember vividly
and I am so excited to share it with you.
It happened at the Grammys in 1998.
It has been ranked among the
Top Ten Greatest Grammy Moments
In 1998, I was watching Grammys waiting with great anticipation for the great Luciano Pavarotti to perform the aria, Nessun dorma, from the opera, Turandot, by Giacomo Puccini. When the time came, Sting appeared with a sad announcement. Because of a sore throat, Pavarotti's doctor recommended he skip the performance. I was most disappointed. Then Sting announced that another singer had agreed to step in at the last moment to perform the song - Aretha Franklin. What! The Queen of Soul to performing Nessun dorma?
WHAT!?! I love Aretha Franklin and consider her one of the worlds greatest singers of all time, but I could not imagine her singing this tenor aria. What transpired was one of the truly great performances I have ever had the great fortune to witness.
(Note: The video runtime is 6 minutes, but the song is about 3 minutes. Even if an opera aria is not your cup of tea, I think if you listen to the entire song, the ending will knock your socks off, give you chills, and might even bring a tear of joy or two. I hope you enjoy.)
HERE SHE IS - THE QUEEN OF SOUL
ARETHA FRANKLIN
"Nessun dorma"
from the opera, Turandot,
by Giacomo Puccini.
performed by
Aretha Franklin
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