Pavarotti – Celeste Aïda

“A…ï…d…a”….

“Ce…leste… A..ï..d..a…”

I woke up…

To “Pavo’s”, or rather Luciano Pavarotti’s… blissfully divine voice.

“Celeste Aida, forma divina,
Mistico serto di luce e fior…”

“Heavenly Aida, goddess of beauty,
garland of flowers and of bright light.
You are the ruler of all of my thoughts,
you are the splendor of my whole life.
I’ll bring you back, yes, to your lovely skies
to the soft breezes of your native land.
I’ll place a royal wreath upon your crown,
and build you a throne close to the sun!”

A-a-a-h…  “Celeste A..ï..d..a”…

Swoon…  swoon…

That’s the “Pavarotti effect” on me…

It was 8:30 a.m.

Ève Ruggiéri – the brilliant expert on classical music, an “Officier de la Légion d’Honneur”, radio and television presenter on “Radio Classique”, was discussing Luciano Pavarotti…

She commented that In Pavarotti’s 1985 performance at La Scala of the aria “Celeste Aïda” – in the opera “Aïda” by Guisseppe Verdi – he received a two-minute standing ovation on the opening night, and complimented him by saying that he was the greatest tenor since Caruso…

As a friend, she knew him and his family well.

Although he was never my type…

I have to admit to having had a huge crush on Pavarotti the moment I heard him hit his “high C’s”.

I was mesmerised by him.

Watched his every programme.

Went to hear him perform at Wembley…

Bought his collections of C.D.’s… “La Traviata”, “Turandot” – with its fabulous “Nessum Dorma”, “La Bohème”, and “Aïda” – among many others – and listened to them constantly…

He was the ultimate in the “Opera experience“…

Bringing this great Italian tradition… and making it a household experience of great enjoyment… to the  masses…

He became a mega-star – famous worldwide…an international celebrity…

Worshipped, loved and adored…

He conquered the universe…

His voice would soar, fascinate, seduce and conquer in equal measure…

No one could melt your heart like he did.

He was a “giant“, literally.

He towered over… “The Three Tenors”…

Domingo, Carerras, sang beautifully…

But when “Pavo” joined in…

He took our breath away…

He was… divine…

Sublime…

One would get misty-eyed with the power of emotion he evoked…

Women fell at his feet… he touched their heart… their soul…

I was no exception…

I adored him.

Pavarotti was no “Valentino”…

How could a “huge” man make us women fall… so in-love…

It was not his looks… it was not his size…

It was…

The voice…

It drove us mad… with emotion.

It made us laugh… love… hate…

It caressed… it seduced…

We succumbed…

The world was at his feet.

The rich and famous, the intellectual, the talented… respected and revered him.

He was “Omnipotent” – a “God”.

… that is until he became… “human”…

His vulnerability… his weaknesses…

Brought him down to earth… with a huge thump…

Adua – his life-partner and wife of 34 years, who helped him reach the top, the pinnacle – was rejected and discarded…

He treated her unfairly… he let her down…

He also betrayed us, his fans…

He exchanged his long-suffering wife – his Adua – for the young secretary.

That was bad…

That was… very… very… sad.

Pavarotti sold his soul for a little bit of young flesh…

He lost his… honour.

He lost his… dignity.

He became a vacant “shell” of his greatness… his stature…

He lost his… charisma.

His aura… was tarnished.

He became increasingly marginalised… forgotten… discarded…

My beautiful “giant“…

My “Pavo”… was gone…

Only… this morning…

While listening to his vibrant, heart-wrenchingly divine voice belting…

A..ï..d..a…  Celeste Aïda…

Forma divina

My heart… my very foolish heart…

Fell in-love with him and his voice… all over again.

“Tu me manques” – “Pavo”…

I miss him so…

He was such a huge presence in my life.

I forgave him all… I could only hear his divine voice…

The greatest tenor ever…

He will always move me…

To joy… to tears…

Luciano Pavarotti…

You’ll always be…

In my heart…

And soul…

“J’ t’adore”…

a.