R.I.P, Pavarotti

[Petra]

Pavarotti dies, aged 71 (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/2/story.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10461949)

Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti, hailed by many as the greatest tenor of his generation, has died, his manager said this afternoon.

Una Furtive Lagrima (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxyrphGgLH4)

E Lucevan Le Stelle (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mX7ugJ5NM8)

Ave Maria (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uYrmYXsujI)


A great loss... :(

[trientalis]

I'm very sorry to hear of this. :(

[Cynical-Chick]

:sad:

[Doctor X]

EwlE_qNSWLw

He sleeps now. . . .

--J.D.

[Kyuss Apollo]

I didn't realize he was ill. This sucks.

:sadyup:

[Nullifidian]

I didn't realize he was ill. This sucks.

:sadyup:

He's been ill for quite some time with pancreatic cancer. It's one of the deadliest and most painful cancers of the lot, so while it is quite a loss, one can legitimately say that at least he's not in pain anymore.

"O terra, addio!" :sadbye:

[vremya]

:sad:

RIP Luciano.

[cappuccino]

It's going to be a strange world without him in it any longer...for all of my life I've always seen or heard his name in the news, on the tv, and so on and now he's gone. He will be missed.

[livius drusus]

:bigtear:

[Uthgar the Brazen]

Internet and cable at home were crapped out this morning, but as soon as I had NPR on in the car on the way to work and heard his voice worshiping at the altar of Puccini, I knew it had happened.

Such a great loss. Beverly Sills a couple of months ago and now Luciano. :tear:

[livius drusus]

The NYT has a great article (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/arts/music/06pavarotti.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&th&emc=th) on his life and career.

In the late 1960s and 70s, when Mr. Pavarotti was at his best, he possessed a sound remarkable for its ability to penetrate large spaces easily. Yet he was able to encase that powerful sound in elegant, brilliant colors. His recordings of the Donizetti repertory are still models of natural grace and pristine sound. The clear Italian diction and his understanding of the emotional power of words in music were exemplary.

[livius drusus]

I've found some gems on YouTube this morning.

Here's a duet with Joan Sutherland which is one of my favorite arias in one of my favorite operas:
Libiamo from La Traviata

A quartet with Joan Sutherland, Isola Jones and Leo Nucci that just knocks my socks off:
O Bella Figlia Del' Amore from Rigoletto

This is a clip from a documentary which starts with a beautiful duet Pavaraotti did with his father and closes with a way early clip of him in full youthful voice singing La Bohème:
Documentary with La Bohème clip

This is the aria that made Pavarotti famous. That's 9 high C's in case you lost count.Pour Mon Ame Fille from La Fille du Régiment

[SharonDee]

Am I misremembering or did he do some commercial spots for Sugar Pops cereal back in the 70's? It could be a different tenor.

Regardless, Mr. Pavarotti along with Ms. Sills made that artsy stuff accessible to lowly slobs like me. I'll long remember him for that.

[ceptimus]

The elephants will, of course, always remember him.

Elephants, Yeah! (http://www.rathergood.com/elephants/)

[viscousmemories]

:rofl:

[livius drusus]

:roffle:

[InTheServiceOfZeke]

that's a pretty long life for a guy that big.

arrivederci...