Pavarotti with love

By Lubna Abdel-Aziz

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It was a funeral like no other, for he was a man like no other. During the last decade we mourned the shocking death of a fairy tale princess, endowed with beauty, youth and compassion. We grieved over the passing of a saintly mortal, blessed by divine power to remedy, reform and refine a world lost in debris and disarray. The passing of the century's greatest tenor is of a different cast. Not because of his status as an icon who reached the zenith of his art; not because he has, for score years and more reigned over the operatic dominion, unrivalled in constancy and excellence; rather because Pavarotti refined and exalted the taste of generations with his lyrical renditions of the best that music had to offer. He understood our passions, our thrills, our whims, and allowed us to hold his very soul between our hands, mingling his joys and sorrows with ours. His sheer innocence of spirit was more heavenly than any mortal. Pavarotti was immortal. Listening to him, we forgot the wicked and vulgar world; we forgot our wounds and shameful secrets, as he lifted us higher and higher to a realm, pure and bright, away from the contamination, corruption and depravity surrounding us. Such was the poignancy, the passion, the pathos of the greatest tenor of his time, some critics claim, of all time.

Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007)

Luciano's childhood fancy, growing up in Modena Italy, was not singing; it was football. He achieved his first fame as a member of the local football team. His father, the town baker, an avid opera lover and a gifted tenor, sang in the local choir and would often take Luciano to join him. When the chorus won the first prize in an international competition, the young boy was hooked. The applause, the approval, the acclaim, captured Luciano's heart, and from that moment on, opera replaced football as his ultimate dream.

It was not until 1961 at 26 that the young tenor made his operatic debut at Regio Emilia Opera. His rhapsodic rendition led to engagements around Italy and the world, where he received standing ovations at Amsterdam, Vienna, Zurich and London among other opera loving cities. The New World opened wide its doors through the seaside city of Miami, Florida, in a production of Luciana di Lammermoor opposite no other than the great Joan Sutherland. This duet debut marked the beginning of an electrifying alliance that could still be captured on recordings everywhere. It was not long before La Scala of Milan invited him to sing La Bohemw the first of 140 appearances there. Scala fans applauded the sublime elegance, grace and brilliance of the new voice.

Of a massive build, Luciano's face and twinkling eyes dominated his appearance, making him seem stylish, slender, and sinewy. Audiences travelled thousands of miles to hear this voice that must have come straight from heaven. Intoxicated by what they witnessed, they were unaware that their hands often bled from clapping, relishing the blissful enchantment of this noble miracle.

It was at the Metropolitan Opera in New York (1972) during the spirit- stirring production of La Fille du Regiment that Pavarotti hit his famous effortless nine high Cs. The audience was in hysterics, their hearts pounding in rapturous ecstasy. It was more than flesh and blood could bear. They left the theatre rolling in a fine frenzy. That night, the phenomenon that is Pavarotti was born, and his reputation soared into the stratosphere.

Although he consistently drew record-breaking audiences, selling out every concert, Pavarotti loved to share his music with the masses. He held recitals in public parks around the world like London's Hyde Park, where he performed in front of 150,000 in the presence of Prince Charles and Pavarotti's devoted fan, Princess Diana. Twice as many attended his concert by Paris' Eiffel Tower, and in New York's Central Park over 500,000 thrilled to his live performance. His philanthropic acts were almost as famous as his unequalled voice.

There is no existing treatise which instructs an artist to be loved. If there is one, Pavarotti invented it. Millions shared a mad love for him. No one else could transport us into the highest heavens, to experience the exquisite bliss, the luxurious delights, the enticing magic, produce by his heart, his soul and his vocal cords.

Talent alone does not make a great artist. Like all other professionals, Pavarotti studied long and seriously, perfecting his craft with highly respected teachers.

Opera has survived and even flourished despite the frenzied age of be-pop and hard rock. Behind the operatic performance is an immeasurable wealth of talent, incorporating not only the elements of the classical theatre, but of symphonic music and traditional ballet. The word opera meaning "work" in Italian, comes from the Latin opus. Combining acting, dancing and singing, it is the apex of any theatrical presentation. The earliest opera, Daphne by Jacopo Peri written in 1597 was considered an attempt to revive the classical Greek dramas, which were originally sung. A later work by Peri, Euridice (1600), is the first opera score to have survived to the present day. Venice introduced opera to the masses and it quickly spread to other Italian cities. During its golden days the singer became the star and the role of the hero was usually written for the castrata voice, such as Farinelli, who became the most famous singer of the 18th century. The bel canto movement flourished in the early 19th century and is exemplified by operas of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, etc. Then came Verdi, the giant of opera. With his forceful resonant style, he produced some of the most popular operas of all time, among them Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviatta and Aida. He remains the most beloved of all opera composers. National operas sprouted around the world, Italy remains on top of the list.

Luciano's funeral, attended by over 50,000, including Prime Minister Romano Prodi, opera tars, rock stars, political leaders, was more festive than mournful. In a celebratory atmosphere, the invited attendants sang, smiled, cheered and applauded incessantly. When his voice was heard as his hearse passed the Duomo aisles, singing his famous aria "Nessun Dorma", from Puccini's Turandot, cheers of bravos echoed throughout Italy. It was befitting to end with this divine voice as his spirit hovered around the walls of the cathedral, and will continue to hover in every opera theatre around the world.

We take comfort in the fact that our modern technology will preserve his voice forever. Few men live on despite a corporal death, such as those divinely endowed. Shakespeare lives, Beethoven lives, Maria Callas lives, Pavarotti lives!