Luciano Pavarotti singing in Belgrade. Credit: Marko Rupena / Shutterstock.com
Following its pre-premiere concert last December in Bologna, the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Orchestra was officially launched on Monday, 19 May. This new artistic project is dedicated to preserving and promoting the human and musical legacy of the celebrated tenor from Modena.
The announcement was made at the Pavarotti House Museum in Modena by Nicoletta Mantovani, president of the Foundation, and the orchestra’s musical and artistic director, Matteo Parmeggiani.
Created to embody the spirit of music without borders that Pavarotti championed worldwide, the orchestra aims to be a dynamic and evolving ensemble. “The orchestra will be a living, flexible body of professionals,” Parmeggiani explained, “ranging from a minimum of 20 to more than 70 members, depending on the repertoire, which will often be multidisciplinary.”
Pavarotti House Museum
The symphonic ensemble, seen as a living extension of the Pavarotti Foundation, already has a busy schedule. It will debut at Bologna’s Respighi Festival on 8 June and lead courses at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena from 21 July to 2 August, before performing a concert in San Gimignano on 5 August under the baton of Luciano Acocella. On 26 June, the orchestra will return to the Pavarotti House Museum with a programme celebrating iconic film scores.
It will also play a key role in the celebrations marking what would have been Pavarotti’s 90th birthday. The highlight will be Pavarotti 90 – The man who moved the world, a major tribute concert at Verona Arena on 30 September, featuring stars like Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini and many others.
“This project was born from the desire to continue promoting the talent, passion and artistic excellence that guided Luciano’s life,” said Mantovani. “A new orchestra is a concrete opportunity for musicians to grow, collaborate with great maestros, and bring music to theatres, festivals, public squares—anywhere beauty can reach. Luciano strongly believed in sharing knowledge and making art accessible to all. This orchestra is a further step in that direction, a contribution to a vibrant, inclusive culture that unites people through the universal language of music. We dedicate this project to Luciano, with the commitment and enthusiasm he always inspired in us.”
He never lost his sense of humour
Luciano Pavarotti died aged 71 from pancreatic cancer at his home in Modena. News of his death came just hours after the Italian media reported a message from the tenor, in which he expressed gratitude for receiving the Italian Government’s Excellence in Culture Award.
He had been hospitalised with a lung infection on 8 August 2007 and was discharged on 25 August, after which a medical team continued to care for him at home. In summer 2006, he underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer and withdrew from public life. According to friends and family, he never lost his sense of humour.
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