DANIEL JOHN KELLEY

It’s official! 18 is the loneliest number!

Because you’re alone on stage and singing 18 high Cs.

Let me explain.

Juan Diego Florez- the mighty tenor- has sung the first encore at the Metropolitan Opera since the Luciano Pavarotti- that other mighty tenor- sang one in Tosca back in 1994.

Florez sang a solo encore of “Ah Mes Amis” from La fille Du Regiment Monday night.  This is that daredevil aria which requires a tenor to sing 9 high Cs in two and half minutes. And then he did it again- by  himself- for a grand total of 18 high Cs.

Those high Cs can both vote and get drafted. Good on you, Mr. Florez.

Like so many people, I missed it, though I am going to see the production in May.

However, with the magic of the digital age, here it is in all its glory:

The performance and the encore.

Hurray!