The title sounds quite prosaic when translated but this is a sublime aria from the Pearl Fishers opera – a duet sung by David Byrne and Rufus Wainwright.
I imagine it took some chutzpah for these ‘pop singer upstarts’ to dare to take on such a famous piece of opera. (It’s a long way from Talking Heads' debut single ‘Psycho Killer!’) I don’t know much about classical music but I gather there are some snobby opera buffs complaining about their voices, claiming that they are not up to the standard of real opera singers. All I can say is I find this to be one of the most moving pieces of music I’ve ever heard.
I used to own the CD but somehow I lost it about five years ago. When I was compiling this list, I remembered how the last time I’d played this track I was sharing it with my brother and, rather embarrassingly, I was so moved that tears started rolling down my cheeks. When I looked it up on YouTube and heard it again for the first time since then the same thing happened!
So I know there are more worthy versions with great opera singers whose voices maybe technically better but to me this version is perfect and it’s the version I choose. See if it works for you.
Desert Island Discs
1 - Midnight At The Oasis
'Heaven’s Holding
a Half Moon’
2 - Drive-In Saturday
‘Jung the Foreman
Prayed at Work...’
3 - Virginia Plain
Make Me a Deal,
and Make it Straight!’
4 - Au Fond du Temple Saint
‘At the Back of
the Holy Temple’
5 - Kid
‘Angry Tears Are Too Dear,
You Won’t Let Them Go’
6 - Burning Down The House
‘Watch Out! You Might
Get What You’re After'
7 - Riders on the Storm
‘There’s a Killer on the Road’
8 - Across the Universe
'Words are Flowing Out
Like Endless Rain
into a Paper Cup'