Nucci sings his heart out

For opera buffs in Beijing, the best Father's Day gift was a ticket to see Leo Nucci performing two of the most memorable fathers in the Italian opera repertory.

The recital at Beijing's National Center for Performing Arts on Sunday night was the icing on the cake for the 68-year-old Italian baritone whose career spans 43 years and shows no sign of winding down.

Last year he brought down the house at the Giant Egg next to Tian'anmen Square in his signature role as the hunchback in Verdi's Rigoletto. By popular demand, the production was staged again this season - again to screaming fans and teary-eyed aficionados who know a great performance when they see one.