José Carreras and the “Core ‘ngrato” Concert – A Golden Moment at the “The Three Tenors” Concert
At the historic 1990 concert in Rome, José Carreras left a lasting impression with his performance of “Core ‘ngrato”, the Neapolitan classic by Salvatore Cardillo. His soulful tenor voice blended perfectly with the orchestra under the guidance of conductor Zubin Mehta, reliving the pain and torment of betrayed love. This was not only a technically rich performance but also a deeply humane one, touching the hearts of millions of audiences around the world.
In 1990, in Rome, one of the most memorable musical events in the history of classical music took place: the “The Three Tenors” concert, where three legendary tenors – Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and José Carreras – shone together. In this program, especially José Carreras’ performance of “Core ‘ngrato”, a famous song by Salvatore Cardillo, left a deep impression on music lovers. This was an unforgettable performance, when Carreras’ powerful and emotional voice perfectly harmonized with the orchestra conducted by Maestro Zubin Mehta.
Core ‘ngrato (or “Wounded Heart”) is one of the most famous works of Italian composer Salvatore Cardillo. Composed in the late 19th century, the song is a soulful Neapolitan aria about pain and betrayal in love. The soulful, emotional melody of Core ‘ngrato expresses the deep pain of a man betrayed by love. With simple but profound lyrics, the song has become one of the outstanding traditional songs in the Italian classical music repertoire. José Carreras, one of the three most famous “Tenors” in the world, stunned the audience with his emotional performance of Core ‘ngrato. With a tenor voice that is elegant, powerful but also sensitive, Carreras gave a wonderful performance, imbuing every note with sadness and regret. Carreras’ combination of virtuoso vocal technique and emotional delivery made Core ‘ngrato one of the most outstanding performances of his career.
