In Memoriam: Luciano Alberto Pavarotti, 1935-2007

[thatcrazycajun]

With thanks to Google News and filkertom for the info: There is less music in the world today—Luciano Pavarotti, operatic tenor as legendary for his girth and love of fine food as for his musicianship, has died at 71 of pancreatic cancer.

There are precious few performers, in this or any musical genre, whose mere surnames can be used as synonyms for the genre, and for supremacy therein; Maria Callas and Enrico Caruso are the only two I can think of offhand, but Pavarotti was definitely in their class. He was serious about music, but never too serious about himself; I seem to recall his doing a guest shot on the syndicated Muppet Show in its heyday (if I'm wrong, please correct me). Whether by himself, in duets with everyone from U2's Bono to Dame Joan Sutherland, or as one of the famous "Three Tenors" with Placido Domingo and José Carreras (who paid tribute to him yesterday; see CNN.com story here), he packed houses, emptied record-store shelves, tingled spines and lumped throats around the world with his soaring voice for decades. He didn't limit himself to opera/classical, either; he sang pop and rock tunes, sacred music, even Christmas carols (both secular and not) with the same élan and gusto.

Any favorite memories of a Pavarotti performance, live, recorded or broadcast, you'd like to share? Post 'em here. Arrivederci e grazie molto, Maestro.

Comments

[crowatdusk.livejournal.com]

I remember my Mother swooning over him for many years!