Luciano Pavarotti Passes Away at 71
He was the greatest tenor in our lifetimes. As great as Caruso in my opinion. News story here.
While earning my degree in vocal performance his works were iconic to all of us. I can’t count the number of times we sang along to Nessun Dorma on a road trip or in the student lounge, trying to capture some small fraction of the magic he brought to Puccini’s aria. He did it with all of his music but that was his signature piece and, like little kids imitating an athlete, we tried to “be like Luciano.” My parents are both singers and my mother had the good fortune to meet him when she was with Seattle opera. He commanded the stage unlike any other and his personal life was as full of passion, fortune and tragedy as his onstage personas were.
Grazie, Signor Pavarotti. You will be missed, but your music will live through the ages.
Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable.
- Leonard Bernstein
I listened to this on my computer at home and it gave me goose bumps! I’m sure his music is “flying off the shelves” (or into the itunes!) That is what always happens after someone dies. My family has been in the music/record business all my life and I’ve seen it happen again and again. What a gift Pavarotti left us all!
Amazing!!! He will be missed:)