Remembering the late Luciano Pavarotti on his birthday
As I walked into work today, an editor mentioned that it was Luciano Pavarotti's birthday. The immensely gifted and popular Italian tenor would have turned 74 today. (Yes, I know, I do a lot of birthday salutes on this blog. What can I say? I live in the past. Get over it.)
Pavarotti died in 2007, the same year that Beverly Sills passed away. The two artists performed Bellini's "I Puritani" in 1972, an event that was, fortunately, recorded. I thought I would use that extraordinary occasion to offer a salute to Pavarotti, since it captures him in peak form, spinning out the elegant melodic lines of "A te o caro," one of the most beautiful tenor arias in the repertoire. (I prefer to remember Pavarotti from his pre-arena-concert-by-rote-singing days.) And we get to enjoy Sills, one of my all-time favorites, in a few ardent notes as well.
Also, this performance was led by Anton Guadagno, who died in 2002. The Italian conductor, underrated in some corners, had an innate sense of style (and a wildly dynamic personality).
All three artists served the operatic art in treasured ways, and hearing them together on this live recording seems like a fitting way to commemorate the anniversary of Pavarotti's birth.
Comments
Such a beautiful song... I recently learned of a movement started by the American Cancer Society to create a world with more birthdays. It's a way that you can join with thousands of other people to fight cancer and create a world less cancer and more birthdays.
It's a shame that Pavarotti couldn't live to see more birthdays, but we can still fight for the millions of other people suffering from that same terrible disease.
Please join me at http://morebirthdays.com
Posted by: John | October 12, 2009 2:43 PM
Thanks very much for posting this beautiful tribute! These two heavenly artists are greatly missed.
Thanks. TIM
Posted by: Nancy Guy | October 12, 2009 9:01 PM
Pavarotti was a great singer and a human being. What high C's he could hit !
RIP
Posted by: BILL | October 13, 2009 1:07 AM
There is no tenor on the international stage right now who comes even close to matching this unbelievable singing. The musicality, expression, ease on high (C#, which he does not 'hit,' but sings!), and glorious sound with all those overtones, have never been equaled. Thank God for recordings; thanks for posting this, Mr. Smith!
I well understand your enthusiasm. During his glory years, Pavarotti was in an exalted class, and, as you point out, there is no one singing with anything like his combination of qualities today. Thanks for commenting. TIM
Posted by: Elise Curran | October 13, 2009 10:40 AM
"I live in the past."
Yes, so do I. Welcome to the club!
A very nice club, too, I like to think. TIM
Posted by: Don Ciccio | October 13, 2009 11:17 AM
This is soooooo beautiful. He has no rival, no one can match him, His voice, personality, stage pesence, ability to become one with the audience and project his love to them, is outstanding.
He lives on in his music, books, dvds and cds. I love watching him sing.
Thanks for commenting. I'm very glad you liked the clip. TIM
Posted by: Joan | January 1, 2010 8:28 AM