Remembering Pavarotti

It's very difficult to assess Pavarotti's career. For most of us who are serious about opera, we ceased to take him seriously at least a decade ago. His career had become about large arena concerts and the occasionally and usually unsatisfying appearance in an opera house, in a limited number of roles. Now, I'm a bit of a purist, but I don't look down on the Three Tenors Concerts as do many. I KNOW that it lead new people to opera. I met a wonderful couple on the standee line at the Met who first paid attention to opera after seeing the 3 Tenors and had become serious and knowledge opera aficionados as a result (significantly I think, their favorite tenor a the time was DiStefano). But in comparison to Domingo who continued (and miraculously continues) to new achievements in the opera house, those were the high points of Pavarotti's career at the time.

That part of his career should be looked on as an addendum. The operatic and recital career were essentially over and was dedicated to two things: charity and to the marketing of the "legacy" of Pavarotti. For some (and I'm not discounting the beneficiaries of his philanthropic efforts) this was important, but not for me.

No, the part that I'll remember is the first Live from the Met telecast, which is the first time I was aware of him. The "King of the High Cs". Listen to some of the performances from that period, and you'll hear the beauty of his natural sound, the brilliance of his timbre, and the intuitive naturalness of his musicianship. He was not a great artist, but he was a great singer. The personality was as oversized as his physique and all that combined to make him a popular and compelling artist.

I've listed some of my favorite performances from that period below. Revel in the voice and the freshness of these performances. Whatever you might think of the last part of his career, this is the foundation of his greatness.

• Rigoletto with Sutherland, Milnes; Bonynge.
  This is the commercial recording that gives me the most joy and the ebullience of his Duke in this performance is unmatched in any other.


• Lucia di Lammermoor with Scotto, Cappucilli; Molinari-Pradelli (live, Turin 1967)
  I like this live recording somewhat better than the commercial one with Sutherland. There was a broadcast from San Francisco with Sills that surpasses even this and someone should release commercially


• Verdi Requiem with L. Price, Cossotto, Ghiaurov; von Karajan, La Scala 1967
  This video and performance is just miraculous (as it should be with this work).


• Guglielmo Tell with Milnes, Freni, Ghiaurov; Chailly
  A particular favorite of mine. He never sang this role on stage, but the performances is a tour-de-force.


• Opera Arias
  This was my introduction to the voice and contains early recordings of top tenor arias (including Nessun dorma).


• La boheme with Scotto, Niska, Wixell; Levine (Live from the Met)
  Finally available! All of the other videos are too late and I don't really care for the Karajan recording (because of Karajan). This is the one to have (IMHO).