Pavarotti is gone & a light vanishes from the world
Yes, I know his voice lives on through recordings, through videos, soaring with the three tenors...but his larger-than-life joy, his delight, that smile. Gone. Stories about his travels, with food in his suitcases, his frequent need to nap so he could awake...and eat...and drink some red wine...and SING!...his genuine love of people (how else could three competing tenors agree to travel and sing together and survive, if not for his ebulience, his charm?).
We knew, and of course he knew, that his huge frame was damaging his health. We will so miss him, and miss that presence, that love, that voice.
I can only feel the happiness of our luck in having him on this earth for so long. And I admit: those of us of a certain age have our memories of his glorious voice, while today's younger teens and 20-year-olds will have memories only of....oh, Britney Spears? Paris Hilton? Lindsay Lohan? ... perhaps their memories will be about Madonna? Michael Jackson?? Who am I missing here?
Pavarotti gave us opera for the masses, and I am grateful for his gift to us.
We knew, and of course he knew, that his huge frame was damaging his health. We will so miss him, and miss that presence, that love, that voice.
I can only feel the happiness of our luck in having him on this earth for so long. And I admit: those of us of a certain age have our memories of his glorious voice, while today's younger teens and 20-year-olds will have memories only of....oh, Britney Spears? Paris Hilton? Lindsay Lohan? ... perhaps their memories will be about Madonna? Michael Jackson?? Who am I missing here?
Pavarotti gave us opera for the masses, and I am grateful for his gift to us.
posted by Marion | 9:20 PM
3 Comments:
Oh yes, dear Pavarotti. Indeed he will be missed!
I'll never forget the day Elvis died and I was only 7 or 8. He for me, was the great iconic musician to be remembered. While today's youth may not remember Pavarotti, they have a great deal more to remember than Michael Jackson. He's not the one for the younger generation to recall...at least not for his music. He's a weird one that makes the news. But have faith! Kids today do have a VERY strong connection to music. With mP3 players and music online, today's kids are more connected to music than those of us who grew up with vinyl, 8 tracks and cassettes! They have a lot of options. Maybe not any so great as Pavarotti, but maybe so...I certainly am not as tuned in as they are and we definitely dance to a different sort of drum most of the time.
You are so right---at least some of us have heard him sing or have seen him sing on tv, while many younger people have not bothered to learn who he is and what opera is. Modern pop culture is such a mess that it should not be called "culture."
One other thing I note about this year is that we also lost Beverly Sills to illness...two great opera stars gone. Thanks for writing about Luciano.
I was never a huge fan of Pavarotti, although I know who he is. (at least I am not unaware)
Who did you miss? Hannah Montana, Drake and Josh, Hilary Duff, and you could never leave out The Naked Brother Band! (ugh)
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