THE great Maestro, Luciano Pavarotti, whose voice is responsible for sparking off a world love affair with opera and sound, yesterday attributed his happiness, and by association his voice, to the one constant in his life, women… lots of them.
Speaking at a news conference yesterday to mark the one-off concert at the D’Avila moat in Nicosia tomorrow, Pavarotti entertained journalists with a brief report on the strong support network in his life comprised entirely of women.
“When I was born, my mother was under 20, my grandmother 38, my great grandmother 56. They had many sisters. I have three daughters with my first wife and one with my wife Nicoletta. I have had many secretaries in the past, around 10 to 15, all women.” His 35-year-old wife, Nicoletta is also mother to 18-month-old baby Alice.
Asked about the role women played in his life, the legendary tenor replied: “Fantastic. You probably think I’m talking about my sex life… eh, fantastic.”
But on a more serious note he added, “I was born with women all around. This is perhaps why you see me so happy. Rally, they protect me so that when I am on stage, I only have to think about my singing.
Old Nicosia will shine under the stars tomorrow night as Pavarotti will sing together with soprano Simona Todaro and the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of the Russian Federation under maestro Leone Magiera.
Pavarotti was introduced by event organiser Panicos Schinis with the words: “We are a beautiful country and a lovely people and now we are complete because you are beautiful and lovely.”
The 69-year-old, who has announced he will retire by 2005, replied: “I have this feeling, as you have said, that I am in a beautiful country with beautiful people and I know this because I have worked before with (Cypriot baritone John) Modinos.”
Pavarotti retired from stage opera earlier this year but has since begun a world tour, taking in little Cyprus too, marking what some believe to be his farewell to the live music circuit.
Asked about his latest album, which diverts from the strictly classical note to the more popular, Pavarotti said this was due to his young daughter’s influence and his long-standing tour ‘Pavarotti and Friends’, in which he co-operated with pop music artists.
His young daughter insisted he listen to the words of Italian pop songs, and when he did he found them beautiful. After that, he sang them and the whole world found them beautiful. It’s as simple as that.
Pavarotti has been criticised by hard line opera lovers for doctoring opera with popular influences, leading some to coin the phrase the label ‘popera’ singer. But the sale of over 100 million of his albums is testament to his immense popularity and talent.
Asked why he has decided to throw in the towel, he replied: “Because I don’t look as old as I am. There is a time for everything. I have a baby daughter who is fantastic and my wife Nicoletta. She called me last night and asked how’s the weather. I said beautiful. She modestly said, ‘of course… Nicosia, Nicoletta’.”
Pavarotti said he wanted to open up singing schools in three cities. “I want to teach, and in order to teach seriously, I cannot sing.” He plans to open schools in his hometown Modena and New York but he is not yet sure of the third location. To the suggestion of Nicosia, he chuckled, albeit endearingly.
Asked to recall anecdotes of his 43-year career, Pavarotti told of a recurring dream he had where he would be sitting in his underwear in his dress room and the orchestra would start to play.
“For many years I always dream that I am in my dressing room, in underpants and the orchestra begins to play. And I wake with a jump. Once in the Paris opera, I prepared for an 8pm start, but at 7pm, the opera began … and I was in my underpants. It was an incredible night.”
“In act II of Tosca, sitting on a little classic baroque chair during rehearsal, I told the stage director that I couldn’t sit there, it will explode. He said ‘no, don’t worry I will reinforce it with iron’. During rehearsal Tosca sang close to me while I was sitting on the chair. She put her hand on my leg, it was fine. On the night of the performance, she was more exuberant, and sat on me. They are still looking for the chair,” he said cheekily with the air of a mischievous boy. “And that was the premiere,” he added.
Asked to recall his worst memory, he replied the night when a Milanese audience booed him while he was singing Don Carlos.
Pavarotti was presented with a platinum disc by All Records owner Gregory Konyalian “in recognition of his incredible contribution to music”. In Cyprus, selling 3,000 units gets you a gold disc and 6,000 sales a platinum. The Three Tenors album alone moved 12,000 units while ‘Pavarotti and friends’ was also a great success.
Pavarotti will perform at 9pm tomorrow at the D’Avila moat in Nicosia. For tickets call 25-343341, 22-664028 or 24-665795. For more information call 25-372855. Ticket range between £35 and £75.
The concert was brought to Cyprus by the invitation of the Nicosia Municipality and under the sponsorship of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.
