Luciano Pavarotti is dead at 71:
Famed opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who appeared on stage with singers as varied as opera star Dame Joan Sutherland, U2’s Bono and Liza Minnelli, died Thursday in Italy after suffering from pancreatic cancer, manager Terri Robson said in a statement. He was 71.
“The great tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, died today at 5:00 a.m. at his home in Modena, the city of his birth,” according to Robson.
“The Maestro fought a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer which eventually took his life. In fitting with the approach that characterized his life and work, he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness.”
The portly singer retired from staged opera in 2004, but was on a “farewell tour” of concerts when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006 and underwent emergency surgery to remove the tumor.
I guess I am somewhat of an accidental Pavarotti fan- growing up, my mother used to play opera almost all day, every day, from her record player in the hallway downstairs. Pavarotti was one of her favorites- so much so that after watching several tributes on television to the man, I have recognized all of the music. One of her favorites, if I remember correctly, is Pavarotti playing the villanous Duke in Rigoletto.
You don’t have to be an opera fan to recognize his greatness- you only have to hear Pavarotti once to recognize how his voice filled the room and made people happy. And now, that voice is gone, as is another part of my childhood.
RIP, Luciano Pavarotti. Thanks.
Mr Furious
Don’t care a bit about opera, but I heard a lengthy piece on Pavarotti this morning on the way to work (on NPR), and I was suprised how much I appreciated and enjoyed what I heard.
ThymeZone
“Celeste Aida” sung by Pavarotti is in my permanent Top Ten list of the greatest recordings of all time.
Even after a thousand times, it still gives me goosebumps when I hear it.
RIP Luciano Pavarotti.
Zifnab
He was one of my mom’s favorite musicians. Also, one of my grandmother’s favorite musicians. I liked him too. If you don’t realize what an amazing tenor Pavarotti is, it might be because every time you hear a tenor sing, there’s a good chance you’re hearing Pavarotti.
Punchy
So you’re saying he drank a lot of that fruit punch in the round can?
jon
If you don’t get a chill on the last high B in Nessun Dorma, you are not a human being.
BIRDZILLA
He once made movie YES GEORGIO it bombed so he returned to opera
grumpy realist
A larger than life singer, joyous, abundant–just fantastic.
RIP, Pavarotti. I’m hoping you’re meeting up with Beverly Sills and singing beautiful duets together for eternity.
Davis X. Machina
I love DiStephano, and Bergonzi, but no one had the sense of unused power, of never even needing his top gear, that Pavarotti did. Watching him sing was like watching a Maserati obeying the traffic laws.
jnfr
I was just listening to this video of Pavarotti singing with James Brown, which sounds like an insane idea, but it’s wonderful. Not only could he sing like heaven, it’s clear the man had a huge heart.
demimondian
Oh. My. God.
Yes. I’m not as enamored of his signature Nessun Dorma, but Celeste Aida was to die for.
I actually prefer other Duke’s — Pavarotti’s voice lay too high and was too pure to carry _La Donna e Mobile_ off with the right degree of depravity and cynicism, I thought — but his rendition was still stellar.
capelza
Agree. He was probably the best ambassador for opera in the last decades as well. Singing with Bono and mothereffing James Brown amongst others.
He was supposed to sing at some awards so years ago and couldn’t make it so Aretha Franklin stepped in at his request and did Nessun Dorma..it blew my socks off. Talk about your diva. I guess she’s done it since, but it gives me goosebumps remembering her doing it off the cuff with this splendid gospel feel to it.
Now everyone and their mother does Nessun Dorma, but it belongs to Pavarotti.
sean
Operaman…goooodbyyyyyyyyyye!!!!!
grumpy realist
Jnfr, thanks for posting that link. Wonderful!
John Cole
I have several operas on DVD, and a few on CD’s, and the thing that shocks me every time is just how much noise they make. And I don’t mean “noise” in a bad way.
I have a rather nice stereo system, with several thousand dollars worth of speakers and amps, and nothing, and I mean nothing, fills the house with a rich sound like one of these tenors.
It is amazing.
Vlad
Quick poll: What’s your favorite opera?
I swing between Carmen, Rigoletto, and the Ring cycle.
rachel
Oh… Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor and Gianni Schicchi.