In 2019, Patrizio Ratto’s audition on America’s Got Talent became a viral sensation, racking up over 9 million views on YouTube. But at the start of his performance, things didn’t look promising at all. The Italian performer seemed nervous, barely able to speak in broken English. “I’m so excited to perform,” he said shyly. Wearing a formal dinner jacket, he looked like any other pianist preparing to play a simple piece of music. He chose to perform Beethoven’s beautiful—but relatively easy to play—Für Elise.
As Patrizio’s piano was wheeled onto the stage, the judges didn’t seem to have high expectations. Howie Mandel, with a smirk, joked, “Maybe it’s because I’ve been here for ten years, but I bet we have a piano player coming up next.” Simon Cowell, looking bored, added sarcastically, “Whoopee!”
They weren’t expecting much from the performance, and it showed. When Ratto began playing Für Elise, Simon’s expression clearly said it all—he was unimpressed. The music was nice, but it was exactly what they had expected. It seemed like a routine performance that wouldn’t stand out.
But then, something incredible happened. Without warning, Patrizio slowed down the tempo of the song, and suddenly, an electronic hip-hop beat blasted through the speakers. Simon’s eyes went wide with shock, clearly trying to figure out what was going on. Ratto kept playing the piano with one hand, while his other arm started moving in rhythm with the music. Then, he kicked his piano stool away, jumped up, and threw off his suit jacket.
At this point, the whole stage was buzzing with energy. Patrizio began dancing in a wild, jerky, robotic style, completely shocking everyone. “What is going on?” shouted the show’s host, Terry Crews, as the audience watched in disbelief. Patrizio contorted his body in ways that seemed impossible, moving with incredible flexibility. He threw himself down to the floor, bounced back up, and then leaned so far backward that it looked like he might break his legs.
As if that wasn’t enough, Ratto added a hilarious twist. He pretended to look at his own arm, moving independently from the rest of his body, as if it had a mind of its own. He even checked his watch, as though he was waiting for the arm’s “solo” to finish, causing the audience to burst out laughing. His robotic dancing continued to amaze everyone in the room, leaving the judges speechless.
Then, just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier, Patrizio returned to the piano to finish Für Elise. The calmness of the piano piece after the chaotic, high-energy dance routine created a perfect contrast, leaving the audience in awe.
Simon Cowell, who had been the biggest skeptic, was the first to stand up and give Ratto a standing ovation. The rest of the judges followed suit, clearly blown away by the unexpected performance. No one could deny that Patrizio Ratto had brought something fresh and exciting to the stage. All four judges gave him a resounding “yes” to move on to the next round.
Though Patrizio didn’t make it past the Judges Cut round and was eliminated from the competition, his audition had already made a huge impact. It proved to Simon Cowell—and to everyone watching—that even a piece like Für Elise can be made thrilling and innovative with a bit of creativity.
Want to see more from Patrizio? You can follow him on YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram for more jaw-dropping performances!
What did you think of Patrizio’s performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
