ONE AUDIO PIECE Luciano Pavarotti died nearly two years ago, on September 6, 2007 after a battle with cancer. He continued to sing until shortly before his death (age 72). In his later years it was popular to take shots at his complicated love life, rumors of financial disasters, his girth, and his declining voice. What it was not popular to do was remember why he became so celebrated in the first place. He was a big, big man who loved to sing and eat, who loved women, a cigar, a glass of Lambrusco and he loved the audience. The audience "felt the love" and they loved him right back. His voice has always been described as "a ray of Italian sunshine." You bet. I've never been to Italy but I heard him "live" many times and he never failed to bring joy to me and all those in the audience. Don't believe me? Click on below. It's the performance that transported him from star to sensation, at least in the States. The opera is Gaetano Donizetti's La fille du regiment. Pavarotti's co-star was the great Joan Sutherland. That these two big, strapping people would play sweet young peasants in love with one another was part of the joke. These were the two outstanding voices and vocal technicians of the past fifty years, in full cry, and people who don't agree with me can get over it. (Okay, I'd add Marilyn Horne). The date is January 16, 1973 when La fille du regiment was broadcast live from the Met. Pavarotti, as the sweet, hapless Tonio has enlisted in the regiment to win the hand of Marie. He's so delighted by this that he sings nine, count 'em nine high Cs, banging them out. Here's Luciano Pavarotti in the actual performance that made his name in America: [audio:luciano] I've left in all the applause. (This is opera, after all). Pavarotti got an early break in 1965 when Joan Sutherland returned to her native Australia for the first time in years, bringing her own opera c0pmany with her. " I don't care who you hire" she reportedly said, 'but he has to bigger than me." There's a lovely postscript to this: A few years ago the young tenor Juan Diego Florez had a huge success in this role. Not only were his nine high Cs applauded but he routinely encored the aria. When he sang the part in London he called Pavarotti from the wings, just before he was to go on. Pavarotti said, go sing and leave the phone on. I want to listen. And after the ovations and the encore he told his younger colleague, "That was magnificent! I love you very much."
Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.