The fat lady sings for Pavarotti
Luciano Pavarotti died early this morning in Italy, at home in the town he was born in 71 years ago.
He was famous as one of the Three Tenors, of course, and was probably responsible for causing more normal people to listen to opera than anyone else in the 20th century.
He was also famous for being hugely fat, for being somewhat temperamental and prone to canceling performances … and for raising millions of dollars for charities, for being named a United Nations Messenger for Peace, and for founding a school for young singers in his hometown.
Maybe opera isn’t your “thing.” It’s not generally my “thing” either. But watch this clip of Pavarotti singing his signature song, the beautiful “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s “Turandot,” and see if you’re not moved by the incredible power of his voice. The climax, in particular, is amazing.
September 6th, 2007 at 6:28 am
“He was famous as one of the Three Tenors, of course, and was probably responsible for causing more normal people to listen to opera than anyone else in the 20th century.”
Except for those people who thought that “The Phantom of the Opera” was really opera.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:13 am
“The Phantom of the Opera” doesn’t count because none of the leads are humongously fat, right?
September 6th, 2007 at 7:41 am
No, it’s because it’s in crass English. When you sing opera, you sing it in a language of LOVE, not a language of LAWYERS.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:00 am
That is one of my favorite opera songs. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone sing it poorly, but still, Pavarotti’s rendition sure gave me the chills.
September 6th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I thought Phantom didn’t count because there are speaking parts in it, whereas in opera, everything is sung.
September 6th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Even if “Phantom of the Opera” had no spoken dialogue, it still wouldn’t count as “opera” by most people’s reckoning, simply because of the style of music. It would be a “pop opera.” That’s what “Les Miserables” is.
September 6th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Golly, trousercuit, thanks for confirming what I have always suspected but have never heard anyone claim: German is a language of LOVE! Can I quote you when next I hear someone saying how ugly German is?
September 6th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
How can German be a language of love and English not, when English is a Germanic language?
And I loved that rendition. I liked Sarah Brightman’s version more, though. Just a different taste thing.
September 6th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
Here’s Brightman’s, if anyone is interested: http://youtube.com/watch?v=8IFWznsHLCs&mode=related&search=
I also like that she’s perched precariously upon that spiral thingy. Good fun.
September 6th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Turkey,
My point exactly. I think when Trousercuit made the comment in question, he/she failed to take into consideration the fact of a few existing operas by little known composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Schuman, and Wagner, just to give a few examples from the world of German opera. I was just thrilled that given the status accorded these works as being, in fact, opera, the necessary conclusion would be that German must be included in the ranks of languages of LOVE (or even love) along with the usual suspects. Now if we could just figure out what to do with those troubling American operas, many of which are, I believe, written and performed in English. But perhaps they are performed only by lawyers?