The tenor with a golden voice takes a look backward and forward

(interview with Luciano Pavarotti)

By Thomas May

Luciano Pavarotti has become as recognizable a presence as Bill Clinton or the Pope. He has introduced more people--millions of them--to opera than all of his predecessors together. Pavarotti, born in 1935, began his career as an opera singer in 1961 in his native Italy, and within a few years had catapulted to the top of every opera lover's list the world over. His sound is gorgeous: bright, sunny, easily produced up to the highest notes that tenors sing. The metal you might compare it to most is gold. His impeccable diction and natural warmth make him a great communicator. When, in association with the soccer World Cup in 1990, Pavarotti sang the tenor's passionate third-act aria from Puccini's Turandot ("Nessun dorma"), few knew or cared that the character who sang wanted to win the hand of a cruel princess in legendary Peking. What they heard was the aria's final word, "Vincero!"--"I shall win!" It spoke to soccer fans, lovers, and strivers all over the world, and Pavarotti has been "our tenor" ever since.

T.M.: How would you describe this particular phase in your career--with its mix of traditional operatic performance, stadium-style extravaganzas like the Three Tenors tours, and crossover efforts?

Luciano Pavarotti:

For me, this mix is perfect. Of course, I am first and foremost an opera singer, and am never happier than when I am on stage performing a role. I do believe that an opera performance itself should be strictly limited to the opera stage--operas are more often than not an intimate expression of the story, of emotion, of the voice. However, I've now been taking part in the stadium concerts for a long time; it's always been incredibly important for me to take the music that has been written for the tenor to large audiences. For whatever reason, not everyone has the chance to attend operas at formal opera houses. Although I have always believed that opera should be for everyone, many people are not able to attend staged operatic performances. This might be a question of intimidation; of economics; of geography; in certain countries, of social access. However, arena concerts, concerts in parks, on television--these are concerts that everyone can appreciate. It is wonderful that so many people want to enjoy beautiful arias, duets, ensembles, Neapolitan songs: this was, after all, some of the most popular music in its day. An audience is an audience--it is almost the most important part of a performance. An opera singer is driven to perform because of the love of the voice, but it is all about sharing the music with an audience.

T.M.: One of your most definitive roles in your legendary career--now in its 40th season--was Rodolfo from La Bohème, and your recording remains a bestseller. What are your own favorites among the opera roles that you've performed? Are there some that you think haven't been adequately recognized by the public? (I'm thinking of your extraordinarily moving Otello--a role that tends to be associated with your colleague Plácido Domingo, but which is one of the high points in your own recorded catalog, under Solti).

Pavarotti: As an opera singer, it's wonderful to be able to acknowledge that a role changes as one progresses through life and performs the same role many times. At the heart of the role, there is always the truth of that character, a truth that dictates the interpretation of the role. Rodolfo is one of the great roles for a tenor and certainly one of the most important roles for me. As for Otello--this was an important role for me to record, if not perform on stage. It is simply one of the great tenor roles. Of course, I love Verdi, and his music is a passion for me. He is simply the greatest opera composer of all time. Verdi was actually a baritone. He was jealous of the tenor voice and therefore never liked tenors! I know this because he punishes us with such difficult music; the tenor voice is paramount in his operas: Ernani, Trovatore, Traviata, Rigoletto, Ballo, Otello, Aïda, etc. The music is profound, and, when you sing Verdi, it is important for the tenor--any singer--to understand that what he has written he very definitely wants. Every instruction is there clearly in the music: every note, every expression as he intends it to be sung. The more closely you obey him, the better your interpretation.

T.M.: Which have you not performed that you would like to have tackled?

Pavarotti: I am a very superstitious person--there are still roles I might perhaps tackle, at least on a recording, so I am keeping silent about it.

T.M.: What is it you most want to be known for today, for your fans and for those just discovering your art? How do you most want to be remembered?

Pavarotti: I want to reach as many people as possible with the message of music, of wonderful opera. It is a great honor for me to be able to take the music of the tenor to a great number of people and also to feel that perhaps I might just have introduced some people to this music. As for being remembered in history: above all, I am an opera singer and, hopefully, this is how people will remember me, in the roles I perform best on stage.

predecessorпредшественник

gorgeousвеликолепный

impeccableбезупречный

first and foremostпрежде всего

intimidationзапугивание, угрозы

accessдоступ

shareделить, разделять

to acknowledgeпризнавать

passionстрасть

paramountпервостепенный

profoundглубокий

to obeyповиноваться