Alagna aims to replicate Caruso’s exact mannerisms, such as breathing patterns, tempos, vocal slides, flourishes and so on, But he also aims to reproduce not just a generalised historical style but some very particular past performances. Alagna comes closest to a kind of pleasing mimicry in pieces in the ‘popular’ style…Sometimes he outdoes Caruso at his own game…but he usually seems less technically secure and nuanced.

It’s not a collection of Caruso’s ‘greatest hits’ but a judicious selection showing the enormous breadth of his recorded repertoire. Alagna would seem to be something of a gramophone ‘nerd’; although there is no attempt to imitate Caruso’s tone or his famous ‘sob’, he does adopt the great tenor’s phrasing and tempos. But when his tenor rings out, it’s pure Alagna...There’s something very charming about this album. It deserves every success.

Right from the start there’s an expressive immediacy to his singing, at which he hurls himself unstintingly, though without vulgarity...there’s an ongoing commitment to text and excellent legato.

Recitals reviving history’s vocal giants have become the fashion. But perhaps only an Elvis impersonator has gone to Alagna’s lengths, following the idol’s phrasings, breathing patterns and interpretative quirks...Maybe it’s best to forget the album’s concept and enjoy, as much as one possibly can, whatever and whoever turns up. Like Alagna and his passion for singing, infectious despite all the bumps.