Pavarotti is a documentary about the legendary tenor and one of the greatest stars of opera, Luciano Pavarotti. According to the creators of the project, on the screen, viewers will see rare footage from family archives, interviews with relatives and colleagues of the singer and, of course, fragments of his best performances. The documentary was directed by Ron Howard, an Oscar winner for the drama A Beautiful Mind.
History of creation, trailer, characters
The idea for the Luciano Pavarotti project came from the tandem of director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer after the success of the musical film The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (2016). To work on the new project, they were joined by other members of the film crew - screenwriter Mark Monroe, editor Paul Crowder. According to Howard, he had a chance to communicate with the great tenor during his lifetime, and for him Pavarotti has always remained a bright, charismatic figure who personifies the art of opera. In addition, the director was interested in the difficult fate of the great singer, his path to fame, personal dramas and the desire to tell the whole world about his music.
Before filming began, producer Jeanne Elfant Festa went to Pavarotti's homeland in Italy, where she enlisted the support of his wives and children. The first wife of the tenor, opera singer Adua Veroni, took part in the film, along with three daughters Lorenza, Christina and Juliana. Also, viewers will see on the screen the young widow of Pavarotti - Nicoletta Mantovani with his youngest heiress Alice. The singer's estate in his native Modena became a separate character in the documentary. And the main character was helped to revive the footage of his best performances and recordings of the divine voice. In addition, such stars as Spike Lee, Bono, Stevie Wonder, Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Phil Donahue and even the late Nelson Mandela and Princess Diana will tell about their work and friendship with Pavarotti.
The premiere of the trailer for the film "Pavarotti" took place on February 10, 2019 during the 61st Grammy Awards. The show of Ron Howard's new creation started in American theaters on June 7, 2019. At the same time, Decca Records released the official soundtrack, available for download or purchase on CD. Album Pavarotti: Music From The Motion Picture contains 22 tracks from studio and live recordings of the legendary artist.
Critical reviews and exposure in Russia
Immediately after the premiere of the documentary "Pavarotti", American critics shared their impressions in reviews, and ordinary viewers left their first reviews on movie sites. Overall, the film received a positive review. On the other hand, as connoisseurs of operatic art noted, Ron Howard's presentation of Pavarotti's personality turned out to be too one-sided. The legendary singer is shown exclusively from the positive side. In addition, the script focuses only on the best moments of his life and work. "If Luciano Pavarotti ever had bad days, you won't know from the movie," a New York Times columnist notes in his review.
However, like any person, the opera maestro was far from ideal. It consisted of many paradoxes that only worsened over the years. Many connoisseurs of the tenor's creativity still believe that popularity, wealth, laziness and ego ultimately turned him away from the path of real opera singing. Pavarotti gained a bad reputation when he began canceling his performances on a regular basis in the 90s. Ultimately, many opera houses and concert halls chose to refuse to cooperate with him. However, this facet of his character in Howard's film is not revealed at all. The gradual shift of emphasis in the tenor's creative biography towards more profitable projects - "Three tenors" and "Pavarotti and friends" is not reflected either.
12 years have passed since the death of the legendary musician. Why did they decide to release a film about him right now? According to most critics, this is due to the desire of the record company to remind about Pavarotti's work and increase the sales of his records. Therefore, lovers of cinema and opera should not expect any new revelations from the documentary. On the screen, they will see an incredible path to the success of an ordinary person endowed with a rare talent, and all the dramatic moments and the other side of fame will remain in the shadows.
Nevertheless, this film is advised to see fans of opera and creative genius Luciano Pavarotti. If only because the film industry rarely pleases viewers with projects of this kind. The Russian premiere of the film will take place on July 25, 2019.
