American Michael Fabiano made his Melbourne debut with a recital showcasing the mighty voice and artistry that’s raised him up among the great tenors of our time.

Apart from Cavaradossi’s “E lucevan le stelle“ from Tosca, the program eschewed familiar songs that easily win over audiences. Instead we were beguiled by the talent and technical excellence of Fabiano, who chose arias from operas Melbourne audiences rarely if ever hear performed, such as Verdi’s Il Corsaro and Massenet’s Hérodiade, and songs by Puccini, Henri Duparc and Paolo Tosti.

Like his accompanist Laurent Philippe, Fabiano wore a dark-grey suit for the one-off concert, which began with Puccini’s “Inno a Diana”. Just a few minutes in length, this song immediately established the enormous power and rich timbre of his voice, a lyric tenor that leans baritone. There was also delicious Italian diction (which would only just outshine the fine French to come), lovely legato and remarkable vocal expressiveness underlined by subtle gestures and facial expressions.

He rarely moved more than a step or two beyond the piano, which left me wondering how extraordinary Fabiano must be in a fully staged opera where he can unleash his dramatic ability and that monumental voice – which was...