Concert honors one of the world's greatest voices

​Maestro Lyu Jia (left) and Nicoletta Mantovani, widow of Luciano Pavarotti, at the concert celebrating the 90th anniversary of Pavarotti at Shanghai Symphony Hall on Oct 12, 2025. CAO JIAMIAO/FOR CHINA DAILY

A concert commemorating the 90th birth anniversary of Luciano Pavarotti (1935-2007), one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, was held in Shanghai, featuring renowned domestic and international singers presenting arias from operas closely connected to Pavarotti's career.

"There is no better way to celebrate the life and career of Luciano than with a concert in the great city of Shanghai," says Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti's widow and president of the Fondazione Luciano Pavarotti, at the event held on Oct 12.

Throughout his life, Pavarotti believed in the power of music to bridge cultures. Having toured China four times, with two stops in Shanghai, "he always said he left his heart in China," according to Mantovani.

The event, The Voice, the Man, the Legend: A Concert Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Luciano Pavarotti, was jointly produced by the Shanghai Opera House and the Fondazione Luciano Pavarotti.

As the only event authorized by the foundation to celebrate the legendary singer's 90th birthday, it featured renowned bel canto singers, including American tenor Gregory Kunde, Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov, Russian soprano Olga Peretyatko, Chinese tenor Yu Haolei, and other artists from the Shanghai Opera House, as well as Giulia Mazzola and Emanuele Pellegrini, young artists supported by the foundation.

The conductor for the evening was Lyu Jia, the artistic director of the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

The program featured arias from various operas, including Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor and L'elisir d'amore, Verdi's La Traviata and Rigoletto, and Puccini's La Boheme, Tosca, and Turandot. Conductor Lyu notes that the selections encapsulated the legendary singer's brilliant career.

Born in Modena, Italy, Pavarotti was widely recognized as one of the finest bel canto tenors of his century. Following his professional operatic debut in 1961, he embarked on a prolific international career, having once performed for an audience of 500,000. His many accolades included five Grammy Awards and a Kennedy Center Honors award in 2001.

​Gregory Kunde and Olga Peretyatko perform a duet at the Shanghai concert. CAO JIAMIAO/FOR CHINA DAILY

Pavarotti first visited China as early as 1986, performing La Boheme with the Genoa Opera. He also performed a recital at the Great Hall of the People and held a master class at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

"It was an enlightening experience for Chinese audiences eager to learn about operatic art," recalls Zhao Lei, deputy director of the Shanghai Opera House.

This groundbreaking tour was documented by Academy Award-winning filmmaker DeWitt Sage in his film Distant Harmony, which captured the tenor's cheerful exchanges with Chinese singers alongside the inevitable clash of cultures.

Pavarotti returned to China in 2001 for The Three Tenors concert tour with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras at the Forbidden City in Beijing. During his second visit to Shanghai in 2005, the Shanghai Opera House orchestra provided accompaniment for his concert.

"The maestro often spoke of his love for China, and Chinese audiences have always held him close to their hearts," Zhao says. She adds that the success of this globally exclusive commemorative concert in Shanghai not only rekindles the bond between Pavarotti and his Chinese audience but also showcases Shanghai's influence and appeal as an international metropolis in the genres of opera and classical music.

Conductor Lyu also recalled his experience working with Pavarotti. In the 1990s, as a young man in his 20s, Lyu served as the chief conductor of the Teatro Verdi Trieste and was one of the few Chinese musicians working in Italy at the time.

"I was lucky because it was an era when Pavarotti and other great singers were active on the stage, and I was able to gain a wealth of experience," Lyu says. "As a young man, I received immense mentorship from these masters. Now, I believe it is my turn to build platforms and help new generations of artists to thrive."

The foundation established in Pavarotti's name after his passing is dedicated to supporting young opera singers. Mantovani expresses hope that the foundation could collaborate with Chinese partners on events such as competitions to "open a future together, because Luciano loved China very much".