Many young musicians are trained in a performance practise to keep with the academy’s tradition of historically accurate executions of a piece.

This line of teaching does have merit as a springboard - but, if left unchecked, it can be fatal to both originality and a personally relevant interpretation of any music to be shared with one’s audience.

No more unlikely or unexpected pairing could be imagined than this operatic warhorse aria (usually sung by a male voice) with the “Queen of Soul” herself as a stand-in for Pavarotti - when he became ill - and couldn’t perform at the 1998 Grammy Awards show.

The result was nothing less than a staggeringly beautiful and personally moving version of this song...and it was no great leap of faith to have that raspy, pitch perfect soulful voice sing about the assurance of winning the one she loves.

Whenever this writer finds himself at an interpretive loss of any piece, I return faithfully to this recording...to stop thinking...and let the inspiration, which finds it’s footing in my background, my family history and life, take charge of the moment when the playing is shared, to create a personally honest and meaningful experience to share with those who listen. 

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