So Long, Luciano

He was a giant of a man with a giant voice. Before he burst onto the world stage with his characteristic 'bigger-than-life' persona, it had been decades since an operatic tenor had been able to capture the imagination and interest of classical music aficionados.

Yet we heard him not only at the Met and on classical music recordings, but we also heard him at the Olympics, on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show on NBC, and in Central Park, among many other 'common' venues.

We sat spellbound as he thrilled us with his characteristic high Cs and his ability to draw forth both tears and laughter.

Today that magnificent voice is silenced.

Luciano Pavarotti is dead at the age of 71 from pancreatic cancer, from which he suffered for over a year. His remains lie in state in the cathedral in his hometown in Italy, pending funeral arrangements.

The best way I know how to pay tribute to this masterful vocalist is by telling a true personal story. I had heard Pavarotti sing Puccini's famed 'Nessun Dorma' many times. It is a stunningly beautiful piece of music that has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Yet I had never heard the original Pavarotti recording of the piece, which goes back a couple of decades.

While driving to a meeting late one morning I was listening to the local public broadcasting station, which played classical music for two hours each day just before noon. Without announcing the title and the artist of the next piece, the morning DJ simply launched into Nessun Dorma after a brief pause.

When I heard the orchestral introduction to the piece, immediately I knew that this was Puccini's famed and beloved song. The vocalist was Luciano Pavarotti in his prime. I pulled over to the side of the road to listen.

Pavarotti performed the majestic Nessun Dorma flawlessly and movingly.

Tenor is not an easy part to sing for a male vocalist. It takes skill, breath-control, and stamina. Very few are able to sing the part for decades without a noticeable toll being taken on the quality of sound.

As a world-renown tenor in his late 60s, Pavarotti was certainly not the singer he was when he was 40, although he was still better than most. Yet listening to this commanding tenor with a commanding presence sing Nessun Dorma in the middle of his prime was one of those unforgettable experiences of emotion, pleasure, and appreciation.

It was easy to see why throngs of music lovers all over the world recognized in Pavarotti a rare talent that comes along only once in several generations.

He will be sorely missed. He fully deserves our admiration and thanks for the many wonderful memories. So long, Luciano.