10.12.2006

Happy Birthday Old Man

Today happens to be Luciano Pavarotti's birthday.

When I was 17, I fancied myself to be the "next Pavarotti" - but I thought he'd be dead by now...

:)

he is certainly the world's most celebrated male opera singer, probably of all time. He is now an icon. He doesn't appear in a whole season's productions anymore, but rather, sings concerts and holds audience on a more minited basis. He turns 71 today, and his voice is characteristic of what tenors "should sound like". He's lauded in equal parts for his power and his interptretation.

Anyway, at the time, I was so convinced that this was the way I was going to go, that I made my parents replace my fillings to the new (then) white ones, and then at 18, I got braces.

I was singing in the local Opera company chorus in my senior year of high school, and I was studying with a couple of people whom I have mentioned here before. I thought I had the world by the tail then.

Anyway, I came to my senses, and headed off in the direction of being a school teacher. Didn't end up there either though.

So here I am.

The quote of the day: "Dude, the hatch, blew off... your... underwear..."

I hate when that happens.

4 comments:

Lily said...

no no no......Andrea Bocelli rules!

That One Guy said...

While I TOTALLY agree Bocelli has a stunning voice... he is mostly and "art song"/concert singer, as opposed to an operatic performer.

His voice is more in the Italian method: silky smooth, versatile, limber, and graceful.

Pavarotti comes from the German method, where grace and brute power are taught in equal doses...

But you're right, Bocelli has a spellbinding quality for sure.

That One Guy said...

and by the way, Lily, thanks for stopping by.

:)

Anonymous said...

Andrea Bocelli's voice and songs evoke such emotion. I first saw him on Rosie O'Donnell - when his "first?" CD came out - Romanza. Since that time I have become a true fan - one year I nearly cried when I found out about 3 days before the date that he was playing a New Year's Eve concert in Las Vegas - alas, it was too late and I could not go, still waiting...and I Will be crying for sure. That's what he does for me...I love him! Tobi