Uploaded March 2009 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago

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Stereo: youtube.com/watch?v=sIGVnb2CwIk&fmt=18

I thought I might try my hand at the cage match/sing-off business---what better way than with Faust's famous high C in his aria "Salut! demeure chaste et pure"! rank/list your favorites---your tenors in chronological order:

1. Enrico Caruso, 1910; studio recording
2. Giacomo Lauri-Volpi, 1928; studio recording
3. George Thill, 1930; studio recording
4. Beniamino Gigli, 1935; studio recording
5. Richard Tucker, 1953; New Orleans
6. Jan Peerce, 1955 - Metropolitan Opera
7. Jussi Bjoerling , 1959 - Metropolitan Opera
8. Nicolai Gedda, 1971 - Teatro Colon
9. Jaime Aragall, 1971 - Barcelona Liceu
10. Placido Domingo, 1972 - Metropolitan Opera
11. Alfredo Kraus, 1973 - Tokyo
12. Neil Shicoff, 1987 - Lyric Opera of Chicago
13. Richard Leech, 1991 - Metropolitan Opera
14. Roberto Alagna, 2004 - Metropolitan Opera
15. Piotr Beczala, 2005 - Bad-Kissengen Festival