the most gorgeous version of Au Fond Du Temple Saint I have ever heard... and Mac, if you dismiss this out of hand because the duet has been over-played, I will send a herd of deranged Argyle sheep after you. :-P

My friend Kim is a huuuuuge opera buff. I like it too, but not to the extend that she does. Anyhow, she introduced me to a version of this duet by Ramone Vargas and Marco Armiliato. I liked it, but then I got curious to see what else I could find, and I came up with one better. :-P This, folks, is the most yummy duo of Jerry Hadley and Thomas Hampson, with the backing of the Welsh National Orchestra. Now if that's not perfection, what is? :-P This is a favourite operatic piece of mine. I've loved it for years. Mind you, it never fails to make me cry, but I think that's because I was privileged enough to see the opera live once, and I know how it ends. Poor Zurga and Nadir don't end up as fast friends after all despite their vows of eternal friendship in this duet. Anyway, listen to the dynamics in these voices, and the beautiful way they blend together. Pay special attention to the way Jerry Hadley sings his high B flat. He doesn't blast his way through it, unlike most tenors. The conducting is a bit too slow for my taste, but the voices make up for that. #Bizet #music #opera