We are getting used to the idea that the best ‘Italian’ tenors may now come from Latin America; perhaps before long we shall be able to add the Far East as a further source. Yu Qiang Dai, a favourite in Japan as well as his native China, and a recent Cavaradossi at Covent Garden, has a splendid voice, mellow in the middle range, ringing on top, and he produces it in a well-founded Italian tradition, with legato as the basis of his style and passion as the emotional centre of his expression. He sings a delightfully lyrical ‘Che gelida manina’; but he can also extend himself in one direction to the purer bel canto manner of ‘Una furtiva lagrima’ and in the other to the declamatory con forza of the recitative in Luisa Miller.

But it’s not a good recital programme. The items are so loosely sequenced that the order might well be random. Previous recordings of them are already in their hundreds. And nowadays that simply will not satisfy; the artist, his adviser and the producer have to put their heads together and devise something more interesting.

It would be as well, too, to recognise that however splendid the voice it ceases to be quite such a blessing to the ear unless there is some relief – another voice in duet, maybe, or a full orchestral introduction. And this is especially so if (as here) the acoustic round the voice is somewhat of the bathroom variety. In the singing itself, intonation needs a more attentive ear than has consistently been applied. In short, the potential for a successful début recital has been only half-fulfilled.