This page excerpted from the book and CDROM "Opera on Screen"

PAVAROTTI, LUCIANO

Italian tenor (1935- )

If one can measure popularity by videos, films, TV shows and recordings, Luciano Pavarotti must be the most popular opera singer of the century. The Modena tenor is certainly the most recognizable opera personality of our time. His World Cup success singing its theme "Nessun dorma" and the Three Tenors concert series confirmed that fame. There has not been a phenomenon like Pavarotti since Caruso, the opera singer as pop icon, and his clutched white handkerchief is famous. Like Caruso he has remained firmly within the Italian repertoire. Pavarotti made his debut in 1961 as Rodolfo in Reggio Emilia, went to Covent Garden in 1963 in the same role and then won fame touring with Joan Sutherland in Australia. He arrived at the Metropolitan in 1968 as Rodolfo and quickly became one of the Met's most popular performers. He can be seen on video in many operas, in a great number of recitals and concerts and even in a big Hollywood film. See AIDA (1986/1987 FILM), UN BALLO IN MASCHERA (1980/ 1991), LA BOHEME (1977/1983/1986/ 1989), CARRERAS (1992), DON CARLO (1992), L'ELISIR D'AMORE (1981/1991), ERNANI (1983), DIE FLEDERMAUS (1990), LA GIOCONDA (1980/1980 FILM), HORNE (1981), IDOMENEO (1982), I LOMBARDI (1993), METROPOLITAN (1972/1983/1986/ 1991 PAGLIACCI (1994), RIGOLETTO (1981/ 1983), DER ROSENKAVALIER (1982), SUTHERLAND (1987), THREE TENORS, TOSCA (1978/1993), IL TROVATORE (1988), VERDI REQUIEM (1967/1991).

1979 Opera Master Class at Juilliard

A number of films show Pavarotti giving master classes and sharing his experience and knowledge with singers at the Juilliard School in New York. The films run from 30 minutes to 168 minutes. The most accessible is this video by Nathan Kroll. Pavarotti sings "Per la gloria d'adorarvi" from Buononcini's Griselda and critiques six students as they sing. John Wustman is the accompanist. Color. 60 minutes. Kultur video.

1982 Yes, Giorgio

Pavarotti's sole attempt at Hollywood fame is an entertaining but plotless and old-fashioned story about a famous opera singer and his affair with woman doctor Kathryn Harrold. It was a resounding commercial failure despite pretty cinematography, good singing including "Nessuna Dorma" and deft direction by master filmmaker Franklin J. Schaffner. The film was an attempt to make Pavarotti a new Mario Lanza but failed, mainly because of its weak script. Color. 110 minutes. On video.

1982 Pavarotti & Friends

This ABC-TV network special about Pavarotti was directed by Dwight Hemion and Gary Smith. It shows Pavarotti at home in Modena, talking with Jacqueline Bisset, meeting friends in Hollywood, singing in church and paying tribute to Caruso. Color. 60 minutes.

1982 Pavarotti In London

Pavarotti is in good form at this concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London on April 13, 1982. The program opens with Pavarotti singing "Recondita armonia" and includes music by Verdi, Donizetti, Cilea and de Curtis. Rodney Greenberg produced the video for the BBC. Color. 78 minutes. Columbia video.

1984 A Pavarotti Valentine

Pavarotti performs at the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari on Feb. l4 1984. There are seven love songs by art song master Tosti and twelve other songs and arias by Gluck, Verdi, Donizetti, Puccini, Bononcini, Bizet and Caldara. Leone Magiera accompanies on piano. Color. 77 minutes. VAI video.

1984 Pavarotti

Pavarotti performs at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. There are arias from La Traviata, L'Elisir D'Amore, Un Ballo in Maschera, Werther, La Gioconda, La Bohème and, of course, Turandot ("Nessun dorma"). Emerson Buckley conducts the Las Vegas Symphony Orchestra. Stan Harris directed the video produced by Jerry Harrison and Tibor Rudas. Color. 77 minutes. USA Home video.

1986 Luciano Pavarotti Gala Concert

Pavarotti gives a concert at Olympia Hall in Munich and sings arias from Verdi, Cilea, Giordano, Leoncavallo and Puccini. Emerson Buckley conducts the Munich Radio Orchestra and Karlheinz Hundorf directed the video for ZDF. Color. 60 minutes. Kultur video.

1987 Distant Harmony: Pavarotti in China

Pavarotti's visit to China in June 1986 was captured on film. He visits schools, dines in local restaurants, tries out some Chinese operatic gear and sings a good deal. He is seen and heard in rehearsal and performance of Rigoletto, La Bohème, Turandot, Pagliacci and L'Arlesiana. Dewitt Sage directed the film produced by John Goberman and Daniel Wigutow. Color. 85 minutes. Pacific Arts video.

1987 Pavarotti in Concert in China

A second video of Pavarotti's 1986 tour of China features him in performance at the Exhibition Hall in Beijing. He sings a selection of music from Verdi, Giordano and Puccini as well as "O Solo Mio." Emerson Buckley conducts the Genoa Municipal Opera Orchestra. Color. 96 minutes. Kultur video.

1988 Pavarotti and Levine in Recital

Pavarotti in recital at the Metropolitan Opera with conductor James Levine who accompanies him on piano. The program consists of twenty-one pieces including music by Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Bellini, Massenet, Respighi, Flotow and Mascagni. Brian Large directed the video. Color. 71 minutes. London video and laser.

1988 Christmas with Luciano Pavarotti

Pavarotti performs Christmas classics at a recital in Montreal's Notre Dame Cathedral. He is joined by the Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal and The Disciples de Massenet. Franz-Paul Decker conducts the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Color. 60 minutes. Video Treasures video.

1988 Mario Puzo's The Fortunate Pilgrim

Pavarotti's voice is featured on the soundtrack of this American TV film based on a Mario Puzo novel. Carlo Ponti produced it and Stuart Cooper directed. Color. 250 minutes. On video.

1990 Luciano Pavarotti: The Event

Subtitled The World Cup Celebration Concert, this concert features the tenor at Milan's Palatrussardi Hall singing in honor of the 1990 World Cup players. Over 10,000 people attended and Pavarotti gives them six encores. The program includes Donizetti, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Massenet, Leoncavallo and Mascagni. Leone Magiera conducts the Bologna Chamber Orchestra and Pier Quinto Cariaggi produced the video. Color. 88 minutes. MCA Universal video.

1991 Pavarotti 30th Anniversary Concert

Pavarotti made his debut in 1961 in Reggio Emilia and returned 30 years later for an anniversary concert on April 29, 1991. The program includes selections from his debut opera La Bohème plus Tosca, Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor, Il Trovatore, La Forza del Destino, La Favorita, L'Arlesiana and L'Elisir d'Amore. Joining him are Raina Kabaivanska, June Anderson, Piero Cappuccilli, Shirley Verrett, Paolo Coni, Enzo Dara and Giuseppe Sabbatini. The Bologne Teatro Comunale Orchestra is led by Leone Magiera and Maurizio Benini. Color. 104 minutes. London video and laser.

1991 Pavarotti in Hyde Park

Pavarotti gives an impressive open air recital in Hyde Park, London, on July 30, 1991 with a massive crowd and good English rain. He sings a selection of arias from Verdi, Puccini, Mascagni, Wagner, Leoncavallo, Meyerbeer and Massenet. Leone Magiera leads the Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus. Christopher Swann directed the filming. Color. 99 minutes. London video.

(Highlights version is available in Great Moments video series as Volume 12.)

1992 Pavarotti and Friends

This is a record of a concert in Pavarotti's hometown of Modena which was arranged for a local charity. The tenor's performing friends here include pop stars Sting, Suzanne Vega and the Neville Brothers among others. Color. 60 minutes. On video.

1992 Pavarotti & the Italian Tenor

Joshua Waletzky's documentary attempts to show how Italy nurtures its tenors. Pavarotti listens to records and talks about the four tenors who have most influenced him: Caruso, Gigli, Schipa and Di Stefano. The film shows him in his home town of Modena and includes early and recent performances, interviews with teachers and friends and a radio broadcast by his father. The film was telecast in the Great Performances series Nov. 20, 1992. Color. 58 minutes. London video.

1992 Luciano Pavarotti

A video portrait of the great tenor made for the Italian opera singer series I Grandi della Lirica. Color. In Italian. 60 minutes. Center (Italy) video.

1991-1996 Pavarotti Plus

Pavarotti arranges a televised celebration with friends at Lincoln Center every year. Joining him in 1992 were Kallen Esperian, Raina Kabaivanska, Francesca Pedaci, Florence Quivar, Sherrill Milnes and Ferruccio Furlanetto. His guests in 1994 were Aprile Millo, Deborah Voigt, Elizabeth Holleque, Dolora Zajick, Stephen Mark Brown, Juan Pons and Roberto Scandiuzzi. Color. Each telecast program is about 60 minutes.

1993 Pavarotti In Paris

This is a most enjoyable record of an open-air recital by Pavarotti at the Champs de Mars in Paris before an audience of over 50,000 people. The program includes music by Puccini, Rossini, Verdi and Leoncavallo. Elliott Forest is the host. Color. 60 minutes.

1993 Pavarotti in Central Park

Pavarotti gives a splendid recital before an enthusiastic crowd in New York's Central Park in June 1993. The program includes selections from operas by Verdi, Puccini, Leoncavallo and Rossini. The concert was videotaped and shown on PBS on Aug. 10, 1993. Color. 60 minutes.

1993 Pavarotti: My Heart's Delight

Pavarotti is joined by soprano Nuccia Focile for a recital in his home town of Modena. They perform a wide array of opera arias and songs by Verdi, Puccini, etc. Maurizio Benini conducts the Royal Phiharmonic Orchestra. Color. In Italian. 60 minutes. On video.

1994 Pavarotti In Confidence

Peter Ustinov visits Pavarotti at his seaside villa in Pesaro and they discuss the tenor's life and career in a fairly forthright manner. Pavarotti also performs a range of arias by Verdi, Puccini and others with performance excerpts from Rigoletto, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, etc. Color. 50 minutes. Kultur video.

1994 Pavarotti Plus in London

This is a record of a charity concert given by Pavarotti and eight other singers for the Red Cross at the Royal Albert Hall in May 1994. The other singers, some of them winners of his annual singing competition, include Dwayne Croft, Natalie Dessay, Elero D'Artenga and Dolora Zajick. Color. 80 minutes. Decca (England) video.

1995 Pavarotti in Miami

Casually-dressed but in full form, the tenor performs in a seaside recital with soprano Cynthia Lawrence plus full orchestra and microphones. The program, which goes on until dusk, includes a wide range of arias from Puccini, Verdi, etc. The show was telecast on PBS. Color. 60 minutes. On video.

1995 Pavarotti: My World

This survey of Pavarotti's career was created for his 60th birthday and is basically a "greatest hits" compilation of scenes from concert videos with added comments and observations. Produced by Tibor Rudas and directed by David Horn, it includes memorable moments from concerts in Paris, Miami, London, Modena, Beijing as well as the Three Tenors events. The program was televised in December 1995. Color. 90 minutes. On video.

1995 Pavarotti: Children of Bosnia concert

This is a video of a concert given in Modena in September 1995 with the full title Pavarotti & Friends: Together for the Children of Bosnia. The friends who sing with Pavarotti include the Chieftains, Michael Bolton, Meat Loaf and Brian Eno. Color. 60 minutes. London video and laserdisc.