Marcello Giordani, may I sing with you?

So this afternoon the Dayton AIRs sang in a pre-recital to the Marcello Giordani recital at Dayton Opera. Unfortunately I had a rough week due to a cold. Of course I was very excited about the prospect of singing before Mr. Giordani’s recital, but at the same time I was upset (at myself) that I had to sing when I was not at my best. Nevertheless, the pre-recital went very well for all of us and the audience loved it.
I have to admit that I would have loved to have sung when I was healthy, but oh well, it happens to all of us (singers). After the event I told myself, “Marcello will make your day better,” and yes he did.

Before his last two pieces, O sole mio and Nessun Dorma, he walks up to the piano and makes an announcement.
Giordani: A little bird told me that there are two tenors in the audience.
Me: (heart skips a beat).
Giordani: One is Italian...
Me: ( I think, I'm part Italian....)
Giordani: and the other is Argentinian.
Me: (heart stops)
You gotta understand, this WAS NOT planned, I had not idea....
Giordani: Where are they?
Me: (I shyly raised my hand like a three year old. I was in the front row)
Giordani: (with a puzzled look) Are you a tenor...from Argentina?!
Me: Yes! (two octaves above my speaking voice. Again, like a three year old)
Giordani: De donde? (from where)?
Me: Buenos Aires. (heart still not beating really)
On top of all this, the audience is having a great time-they think this was planned.
Giordani: Come up?
Me: (and I cannot believe I actually said this to Mr. Giordani) Are you kidding me? (Again, two octaves higher...)
So as I was walking on stage I keep telling myself, “this is not happening, what is happening? Is this for real? I gotta be dreaming. Am I dead and did I make it to the gates of heaven?”
We shake hands. As we are shaking hands...
Giordani: there THEY are? (Looks out into the audience)
From the audience I see the TWO tenors he was talking about. OBVIOUSLY, I was not one of them...somebody unintentionally crashed a world famous tenor’s recital-me! When I saw these two gentlemen coming towards the stage, I thought, “I am so fired.”
One of the tenors was from Cordoba, ARGENTINA. To my defense, what were the odds of having two Argentine tenors sitting in the same audience in Dayton, OH? (I’m playing the lottery after this.)
So off we go, the music stars and the lyrics instantenously combust in my brain. I took a deep breath and found them again.
Line up: Italian tenor, me (the unplanned tenor), Giordani, the planned Argentine tenor.
We each sing a phrase with the great Giordani singing the famous B section. As I’m singing, “Pe' ll'aria fresca pare già na festa. Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole,” I see and hear Mr. Giordani mouthing me the words. I asked myself, “ why is he doing that? I’m a tenor, I know it...” BECAUSE HE DOES NOT KNOW YOU! He doesn’t even know if you can carry a tune! That’s why Matias!
You might be asking yourself, “So, how did you guys do the end?” We took turns, like at the good ol’ Three Tenors concerts. We each sang, “sta ‘nfronte a te!” and held the last note...
Mr. Giordani graciously let us take a bow and we all got a standing ovation. And no, I am not making this up, an audience of two thousand can attest to this. Of course, I’m still walking on clouds. Thank you Chuck for the great sitting arrangements and thanks mom and dad for my nationality.
Thank you Mr. Giordani for your kindness and letting me share the stage with you. I am humbled and honored. Today was a day I will never forget.
Talk about being at the right place, at the right time...at the right row, and from the right nationality.