Pavarotti

My Review- Pavarotti

My rating 8:10

This film directed and produced by Ron Howard is a labour of love and quality documentary making.

Luciano Pavarotti reached millions of different audiences and crossed generation gaps at times slapping the snobby opera cliques in their face with his pop / opera fusion . This happened late in his life after he had attained equal fame to the previous King of Opera Enrico Caruso.

Ron Howard's film celebrates his fame and glorious voice but at the same time reveals his inner demons and insecurities and infidelities.

The most impressive part of the film for me was Pavarotti's sheer joy of life and his generosity to important and needy charitable causes .

There's an iconic image of tenor Luciano Pavarotti and Diana, Princess of Wales: he looking fresh and invigorated after an open-air performance in Hyde Park, she looking absolutely soaked through with rain because she'd been watching said performance.

She looks absolutely charmed, no doubt because the legendary tenor had just dedicated a Puccini aria to her in front of hundreds of thousands of people: They became great friends and he joined her in her charitable quest for the elimination of land mines world wide.

After the war in Bosnia, he financed and established the Pavarotti Music Centre in the southern city of Mostar to offer Bosnia's artists the opportunity to develop their skills. For these contributions, the city of Sarajevo named him an honorary citizen in 2006.

His foundation continues today to contribute millions of dollars and each year in his hometown of Modena Italy he is honoured for supporting refugee causes all over the world.

In 2001, Pavarotti received the Nansen Medal from the UN High Commission for Refugees for his efforts raising money on behalf of refugees worldwide. Through benefit concerts and volunteer work, he has raised more than any other individual.

A great documentary about a great man.