Further to my wonderful colleague Jennifer Hambrick's post on the death of Salvatore Licitra-here's an interview done earlier this year in New York. Licitra speaks in Italian about his last minute debut in Tosca, an hour before curtain when Pavarotti cancelled his farewell performances. "I didn't have time to be nervous" says Licitra. "The Maestro (Levine) was kind enough to have confidence in me." Licitra was impressed by the many young people in America coming to opera, "Every college has a group of students studying and performing opera." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=racrtlC2EjU Licitra is "lying in state" today and tomorrow on the stage of the Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania. The death of anyone at such a young age is a -43- is a great shame. We can only wonder what may have happened next. Meanwhile, his legacy to us are the many recordings and videos. Plus the imprimatur he received as a very young man from Tebaldi, Muti and even Pavarotti, pre and post farewell.
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.