Pavarotti faked us all out

The start of the 2008 Olympic Games this week provides a good excuse for me to recycle an interesting anecdote from the last Olympiad - Torino 2006. There, the late, legendary opera singer Luciano Pavarotti gave his last public performance as part of the opening ceremonies, singing Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s opera Turandot (video below). It was a great moment and I’m grateful to have watched the broadcast. But I was surprised, as I’m sure many were, to later read in a Musical America news blurb that Pavarotti actually lip-synced the performance! It’s understandable, and as far as I’m concerned it doesn’t take anything away from the great singer’s legacy (for one thing, he was lip-syncing to a recording of his own magnificent voice). But especially when you realize that not only was Pavarotti faking it, the orchestra wasn’t really playing and the conductor wasn’t actually conducting, you have to admit, that was quite a sell job! Just for fun, here’s a bit from Musical America:

Pavarotti’s final performance was a pantomime. That is, he lip-synched “Nessun Dorma” at the televised opening of the Turin Winter Olympics in February, 2006, according to Leone Magiera, who reveals the ruse in his new book ”Pavarotti Visto da Vicino,” or “Pavarotti Seen from Up Close.” Magiera, a former pianist/conductor for the tenor, says the orchestra was faking it as well. “The orchestra pretended to play for the audience, I pretended to conduct and Luciano pretended to sing. The effect was wonderful.”

August 8, 2008 | Filed Under Opera, Culture, Videos | 2 Comments