The title “Live Recital” implies a single program on a single occasion from a single venue. That’s not the case with this release, which is culled from various Pavarotti recitals that took place between October 1997 and February 1999. John Steane’s thoughtful and authoritative booklet notes put the great tenor’s phenomenal career in perspective, and claims that Pavarotti’s 1999 Covent Garden appearances found his vocal quality free from wear, surface-scratch, or breathiness. That’s largely true here, but don’t expect the registral evenness and effortless agility that characterized the voice in its prime. While the tenor’s lowest notes are not as centered as they once were, the golden varnish of his legato phrasing largely remains intact, as the five Bellini songs impressively reveal. And the Tosti songs are as stylish and idiomatically spun as you would expect. But you’ll find fresher, more ardently vocalized versions of the two Tosca arias, Donizetti’s Una Furtiva Lagrima, and the inevitable La Donna è Mobile from Verdi’s Rigoletto elsewhere in Pavarotti’s ample discography. This may not be the Pavarotti disc you’ll take to the proverbial desert island; but at least it’s a recent representation of Pavarotti’s serious artistry, as opposed to yet another Three Tenors extravaganza, crossover horror-show, or gimmicky mega-concert. At the piano, Leone Magiera provides dependable if not very characterful support. I guess Elton John or Billy Joel weren’t available. . .
