The documentary seemed long, it covered all of his life from boyhood in a small Italian town just post-war with a father who was a tenor in the local church choir, to his enormous success which blossomed most when he was led, by managers, mostly away from the opera stage to the public stage -- the tremendously successful "Three Tenors" period and then huge rock-star-type appearances, and collaboration with Bono, attendance at the events in England by Princess Diana. He was charismatic, he was a major "diva" if the word can be applied to a tenor (and it seems appropriate). He was good-hearted and seemed to always be at ease although he said he was terrifie before every performance.
In fact, I saw him in some Met simulcasts and felt he really couldn't act his way out of a paper bag but he had the 9 high Cs for Daughter of the Regiment and they seemed effortless. I never liked his voice as much as I did Placido Domingo's but that's a matter of personal taste. He was not as handsome as the other tenors either which really didn't matter. The exciting scene in the movie, for me, was the closing aria of the first Three Tenors concert when one felt an enormous sense of delight among the three great men (Jose Carraras not as well known as the others but with a wonderful voice having survived a cancer that took him away from the stage for a few years). When the three blended their powerful voices on the "vincera" syllables at the end of the "nesum dorma" aria from Turandot it was goosebumps time and elation. They were so clearly enjoying their performance and one another and the vast audience. A wonderful way to have spent an afternoon. I went to Roger Ebert's review and he was much more fulsome than I have been. Bravo Luciano, bravo Ron Howard.
No comments:
Post a Comment