Video: Give Paul Potts a quick listen

Thales at Fumare reminded me today that I had wanted to share this video with my readers.

Thales also tell us why this is an important cultural moment:

But there is a implicit foundation to these [American-Idol type] shows which is wholesome: an inherent recognition that there exists the True, the Good, and the Beautiful. No matter how much a performer relies on glitz, if the performer does not have true talent, the audience sees through the outward appearance and the performer fails. If the performer is truly good and demonstrates truly beautiful art, the audience generally recognizes and honors the performer.

That is what recently happened in Britain, on Britain's Got Talent, the British version of a glorified talent show. In an incredible Cinderella story, Paul Potts, a pudgy, insecure 36-year-old cell phone salesman and amateur opera singer stunned the judges in his first audition and proceeded to capture the hearts of the audience throughout the competition.

Here is Paul Potts's first audition. Be sure to check out the reactions of judges Simon Cowell (a scathing, acerbic judge on American Idol) and Piers Morgan (an acerbic, scathing judge on America's Got Talent), as they go from disdain to disbelief. Sit down without distractions, turn up the volume, and I think your soul might be touched. I was, and I don't even like opera!

Well, I love opera, and it worked for me as well.

Here's the performance:

Paul Potts' first CD, One Chance, is on its way to top the UK charts. It goes on sale in the U.S. July 30th. Fumare has more. You can pre-order it here.

For those looking to dig a bit deeper, Paul Potts chose Nessun dorma from Giacomo Puccini's Turandot, one of the most beautiful arias in opera. Luciano Pavarotti made it his signature song, and it's not hard to see why.