Death of an Italian Icon
September 8th 2007, Modena
Not a race driver, constructor or designer of Italian automobiles, Luciano Pavarotti nonetheless brought great fame to the city of Modena, which he shared with Enzo Ferrari.
Our Italian correspondent Mario Marchesini had just returned to Italy from a trip to Laguna Niguel in California when he heard that Luciano Pavarotti had passed away.
He then hurried to Modena to witness Pavarotti’s last ovation. Here is his report:
Around five a.m. last Thursday, September 6th, Luciano Pavarotti died in his beloved hometown of Modena.
By Friday, a very large number of persons were already gathering. They were not only from Modena, but all over Europe. I spoke to a couple who arrived from Geneva, Switzerland to visit the Duomo, the doors of which closed at midnight.
Photo Copyright Mario Marchesini.
|
I arrived at the Duomo early Saturday morning.
Television correspondents from all over the world were setting up their equipment near the Duomo and included CNN, Brazilian TV, and even the Chinese media.
While we were waiting to get inside (and during the rest of the day) Pavarotti’s voice could be heard near the Duomo. His ‘signature’ opera songs such "Nessun dorma.... All'alba vincero" (written by Giacomo Puccini for the opera “Turandot“) filled the air of the square. It was a very emotional experience.
Security was very tight. In the 12th century cathedral, a security man was located every square meter. Everywhere in the city there were a lot of ambulances, policemen on duty and even the drain and manholes around the Duomo were sealed for fear of a terrorist bomb.
Photo Copyright Mario Marchesini.
|
The Duomo was full of flowers and between them a large crown with a card from Piero Ferrari & family. Luciano Pavarotti seemed peaceful in death. The scenery as well the songs performed during the mass were chosen by Pavarotti himself. Even the white pine wood and the casket lining material (dark velvet red as the curtains of the theaters) inside the case were Pavarotti‘s choice.
Dressed in his tuxedo, he held in his hands a rosary together with his famous large white kerchief. Since I came early, not to many people were waiting outside and did not wait long. Once outside everyone received a B/W photo of Mr. Pavarotti.
During the mass, the catherdral was crowded with Pavarotti's friends, family and many opera stars, but also included Franco Zeffirelli (who directed Pavarotti in the movie Tosca) Bono, lead singer of U2 and Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary General. Piero Ferrari was not at the funeral because he was at the Monza F1 practice.
Photo Copyright Mario Marchesini.
|
On the square (and elsewhere in the city) big TV screens made it possibility to follow the mass, which started with the "Ave Maria" from Verdi‘s “Otello“. The mass took 95 minutes.
Shop owners around the square told me that they never had seen so many people in the square. It was estimated that well over 100,000 people were on hand to give Pavarotti his last ovation.
On Sunday, a huge number of people went to the gravesite. To reach the graveyard, the hearse had to cross a bridge on the Milano-Bologna highway. In respect, as the hearse carrying Pavarotti’s body crossed the bridge, the traffic stopped on the below highway.
Luciano Pavarotti was buried in the family tomb (build by .Pavarotti) in Montale, a very small town in the countryside which is located on the road between Modena and Maranello.
While Mr. Pavarotti was fond of cars, he rarely felt comfortable behind the wheel of the exotic cars made near his hometown. When a reporter asked him if it was true that he had difficulty getting into a Ferrari, the tenor said “Absolutely true. I couldn’t get into the car!”
