Read Pt. 1 here

Caruso’s vocal transformation started in the 1907 when he first began to sing Verdi's opera, Aida. This opera is notoriously difficult for the tenor. It requires a robust and resilient voice to compete successfully with Verdi's dense orchestration, as well as one with the facility to take on its challenging melody lines (which at times rest uncomfortably high, for example, in the tenor aria Celeste Aida). As Caruso began to sing Aida on a regular basis, music critics and fans alike began commenting on the “change” in his voice. To anyone’s ear, his voice became noticeably bigger, heavier, and more resonant, while still retaining its remarkable flexibility and agility.