As for the Tokyo Concert on Nov. 26th, there is already and another review of the concert on the site, and I felt quite the same as that reviewer.

I am sorry to say, Jose's condition was not good. He needed something to clutch for support, when necessary, and for that purpose he had a music stand (a heavy wooden one) beside him. It seemed that the sciatica hindered him from using the diaphragm fully.

That problem became clear when he sang the arias from Romeo et Juliette and Mefistofele. He could not sustain his voice long enough and, unlike Jose, his pitch sounded a little low in some parts. My heart ached to hear him sing like that.

As was said in the other review, there was some change in program in the second part. I thought it an appropriate change, as he sounded more at ease and relaxed with those Neopolitan and Catalan songs.

He was not in a satisfactory condition, that was for sure, and yet he was so sincere and cordial in singing. However, it seemed his condition gradually improved as the program proceeded and the beauty of his singing increased. He sang five encores for us so passionately that I felt as if he was trying to make up that somewhat unstable singing in the first part.

When he made his bows, he had a smile on his face, but he looked exhausted. I said to him in my heart, "Thank you, Jose. Thank you for the wonderful two weeks. Take care and have a good rest!"