Back when I was a kid singing, Merrill had a version out that overwhelmed Warren's and all the others in 2nd place. I thought it was just an early 1951 release that somehow got forgotten or he had declined to record again but his is up on top of the sales charts. Robert Merrill simply sang "Di Provenza" as if his life depended on it! That early '51 release was never replaced as far as I know. Anyone got any info to share here on how Bob may have re-issued a latter "Di Provenza?"

Joseph Shore has a magnificent voice both powerful and as softly sensitive as the song requires. His rendition here of the greatest baritone aria in opera--"Di Provenza"--is just as beautiful sung in English as the applause indicates it would be in Russian, German or Italian. That is, if the singer has the voice to please the attentive crowds as Joe Shore does he will always please a great cross-section of his friends and critics alike.

Yes...people often curse using God's name in vain but I don't hear many doing that while struggling for one last breath. Leonard Warren had a most incredible voice. Generally, people know this--about Warren and about the final struggle to live. They undoubtable share most of the words and emotions Kuhn has put into his beautiful song of courage and love. McVeigh could never understand Kuhn's words.

Wonderful Joe! I appreciate your deep understanding of my past storm-involved wanderings around Louisiana and the thousands with me all hunting for one hospital, one grocery, yet always abandoned by our forked-tongue politicians who allowed the transmission towers to be weak and under-designed engineering freaks that fell early in the storm and now will require a month to repair! This wonderful song was too difficult for me to sing at 18 in St. Louis but I love LW's voice! Thanks my dear friend!

I'm sorry to disagree with your criticism of Bergonzi. From the 50's on this man was known as a heroic workhorse of many opera houses around the world. I find his highly disciplined singing as elegant as Richard Tuckers and as correct [exact] as Jan Peerce's. These two elements are what I listen for as they're what I was trained to turn my radar on everytime I went to an opera or listened to a record.