With more than 10 million views, Patrizio Ratto’s America’s Got Talent audition was among the best of the year.

The judges, especially Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel, didn’t seem too excited when his instrument was brought onto the stage; they seemed to be expecting another piano performance.

Howie Mandel remarked, ‘Maybe it’s because I’ve been here for ten years, but I bet you we have a piano player coming up next.’ ‘Whoopee!’ was Cowell’s sarcastic response.

Ratto looked ordinary when he started singing ‘Für Elise,’ which made Cowell laugh. But what came next completely dispelled Cowell’s assumptions.

Ratto started a hip-hop beat and abruptly slowed down the piano tempo, surprising everyone. He continued to use one hand to play the piano while moving his other arm in time with the melody.

Cowell was taken aback, attempting to process the sudden change in the course of events. Ratto then threw down his suit jacket, kicked out his piano stool, and let loose a furious burst of robotic, jerky dancing.

Terry Crews captured the audience’s confusion with his exclamation, ‘What is going on?’ Ratto was incredibly flexible and contorted;

he bounced on the floor and leaned back to an almost unthinkable degree. Everyone was left wondering by the surprise performance, which gave the play a distinctive and memorable twist.

The extraordinarily gifted Italian also shown a lighthearted side as he feigned to watch his own arm sway freely from his body.

He even looked at his watch as if he was waiting for the arm’s solo to come to an end. The crowd burst out laughing.

Ratto concluded his rendition of ‘Für Elise’ by returning to the piano with another set of astounding robotic gestures.

This peaceful time was the ideal counterpoint to the chaotic, frantic prior period. Ratto’s unexpected performance was praised by online watchers, who wrote comments like,

‘I love how he comes on all nervous and plays his classical music and then pow wow, electricity fires up.’ He is an amazing pianist and dancer.