Talking with tenor Pasquale Esposito, the spirit of Enrico Caruso looms large. It’s there in the memories Esposito traces back to his Neapolitan childhood, and it infuses the music he’s sung in multiple concerts, recordings, and the PBS specials he’s created to share that music with television viewers.

Audiences will hear Esposito in person this weekend, as he launches his latest multi-city tour at San Francisco’s Herbst Theatre. Titled “Il Tempo,” the show features a mix of traditional Italian songs, pop selections, and more. “Tempo” is Italian for Time, and in a call from the San Jose home he shares with his wife and three children, Esposito said the program is a timeline.