The Three Tenors

A unique collaboration of three musicians, originally for an Italian concert in 1990, and which proved so successful it spawned further gigs and albums over the next decade or so. Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras were all enhanced by the format, which lit up the classical world. Here are a few of their triumphs:

Nessun Dorma (live) - 1990

O Sole Mio (live) - 1994

La Donna e Mobile (live) - 1994

New York, New York (live) - 1996

Silent Night - 1999

Life With Luciano, by Adua Pavarotti
Published in 1992, a large format picture-heavy effort whose text could have been condensed into about 40 pages. Still, nice pictures.

Our Classical Century: Breaking The Sound Barrier
The final part of this series covered the last 30-40 years, so we saw Torvill & Dean popularising Ravel, Nigel Kennedy popularising Vivaldi, Vanessa Mae blurring the lines between popstar and classical violinist, Simon Rattle taking over the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the exuberance of the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra, and that balmy night in Rome where three Tenors made Puccini (and others) very much more popular with the masses.

Trouble for Placido Domingo, as allegations against him have led to the abrupt ending of his 51 year working relationship with the New York Met.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-49822285

A total of 20 women have now accused the Spanish singer of harassment, inappropriate sexual behaviour and of sometimes using his position in the industry to harm their careers if they rejected him.

20? Oh dear... 

Taith Bryn Terfel - Gwlad y Gan
The Welsh tenor (and knight) trekked around Wales, from Criccieth to Pembrokeshire and Llangollen. He sang appropriate songs, saw Lloyd George's piano, went to Adelina Patti's old house, and Tenby golf course. He also discussed the International Eisteddfodd, where Pavarotti made his name in 1955, and where he returned in triumph with his old man in 1995 to be President at the Festival for the year.

More trouble for Domingo as his working relationship with the LA Opera has also come to an abrupt end.

Pavarotti - Un'emozione senza fine
A 10th anniversary gala held in tribute/memory of the late Luciano, in 2017. Both Domingo and Carreras were there, as were Andrea Bocelli, 2cellos, and Zucchero among others. Several performances were assisted by audio-video of the late tenor himself, in an understandable but still a bit dubious touch. Otherwise a solid show.

Domingo's troubles have been put into context because he's become one of the many celebrity sufferers with coronavirus.

He obviously recovered because he turned 80 last Thursday.

Three Tenors: From Caracalla to the World
Another look back at how the Rome gig came together in 1990, how it exceeded expectations, how the Americans took over for their 1994 gig at Dodgers Stadium, and then they went on a sort of world tour. The team behind the Rome gig were very scornful of the later works. Nice to hear from the three other tenors who recorded tracks so that the main guys could have a guide for works they were less familiar with. Jose didn't look too well, although given his leukaemia in the late 80s, it's staggering how long he has lived.

Pavarotti in Hyde Park
This repeat from 1991 was amusingly scheduled for the weekend of the World Cup, where Italy beat England. But it got put back a fortnight. I note that in the first hour, Luciano does a song, goes off while the band does a number, then comes back for another song, then goes off again, and so on. But he stays put for the last half-hour, and he did finish on Nessun Dorma,  so I suppose the crowd were happy enough.

Pavarotti
Ron Howard has turned his documentary-making craft to the late Italian tenor (well, in 2019 apparently). His wives and daughters all got to talk, as did his fellow Tenors Domingo and Carreras, and there was a lot of footage of the great man himself. His fame shot up in the 1990s, as did his sudden passion for charitable projects, not least when a long-standing manager was gazumped by someone with even more flash and chutzpah.

Jose Carreras turned 75 back in December.

Pavarotti - The Duets
A compilation, mainly it seems from his special charity concerts, with acts ranging from Mariah Carey and Celine Dion to Zucchero and Andrea Bocelli, and even Jon Bon Jovi and Lionel Richie.

King of the High C's
Subtitled "A Portrait of Luciano Pavarotti at Home", this 1979 profile allowed Luca to tell his own story, in the main, about life in Modena, his wife and children, and amongst the many musical clips was a turn at his church with his father too. Charming perhaps more for a documentary style that would seem quaint these days, though still watchable.

Pavarotti - Live From Central Park, New York
With the New York Philharmonic backing, no less, a rather lengthy show from 1993, with Luca doing alternate tracks early on, letting the Boys Choir of Harlem do a few numbers, then returning for the lengthy final section, featuring most if not all of his usual hits, and ending with Nessun Dorma.

Arena: Pavarotti - The Last Tenor
A profile from 2004, taking a Year in the Life, as the great tenor reached the age of 70, and began the final moves of his career. The recent death of both his parents countered his recent child with his 2nd wife. Bono and Roberto Alagna were famous admirers, but many old friends were still happy to talk too.