He soon gained fame due to the power and strength of his voice. The young tenor earned valuable experience and significant recognition while touring on the invitation of soprano Joan Sutherland, making his 1965 U.S. debut in Miami, Florida on her recommendation. His position was solidified in the years between 1966 and 1972, during which Pavarotti first appeared at Milan's seminal La Scala, at other major European houses, and, in 1968, at NYC's Metropolitan Opera. He received great acclaim, particularly working well with Joan Sutherland.
By the mid-70s, the tenor became known worldwide, famed for the brilliance and beauty of his tone, especially into the upper register. His "high C" became one of his trademarks. The late 70s and 80s saw Pavarotti making significant appearances in the world's opera houses and establishing himself as one of the great singers of the era.
Popular stardom came at the 1990 World Cup in Italy with the performances of "Nessun Dorma" (from Turandot) and as one of The Three Tenors in their famed first concert held on the eve of the final match of the tournament (repeated at later Cups). Pavarotti sang together with fellow star tenors Plácido Domingo and José Carreras and brought to the much wider audience hits previously confined to the opera world. Appearances in advertisements and with pop icons in concerts around the world furthered his influence. Pavarotti always maintained his identity as an opera star, unlike many crossover artists.
The later years brought a decline in ability to perform on stage due to a weight gain and lack of mobility. Pavarotti's final appearance in an opera was at the Met in March 2004. The 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy saw him performing for the last time. Pavarotti sang Nessun Dorma, with the crowd as its Chorus, and got a thunderous standing ovation. On September 6, 2007, he died at home in Modena from pancreatic cancer.
Ah! mes amis
Luciano Pavarotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Je vais marcher sous vos drapeaux.
L'amour qui m'a tourné la tête
Désormais, désormais, me rend un héros.
Ah! quel bonheur oui mes amis
Je vais marcher sous vos drapeaux.
Oui, celle pour qui je respire,
A mes voeux a daigné sourire
Trouble ma raison et mon coeur!
Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!
Je vais marcher sous vos drapeaux.
The lyrics of Luciano Pavarotti's song Ah! mes amis convey a sense of joy and excitement on a day of celebration. The singer of the song is about to walk under the flags of his friends, feeling like a hero because the love that once turned his head has now returned his affection. He thanks his friends for their support and shares his happiness at having been noticed by the woman he loves. The hope of happiness that this encounter has awakened in his heart both troubles his mind and fills it with a blissful feeling.
Overall, the song is an ode to love, friendship and the thrill of being alive on a special day. It conveys a sense of optimism and hope, inspiring the listener to cherish the good moments of life and to embrace the beauty of human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!
Oh my friends, what a day of celebration!
Je vais marcher sous vos drapeaux.
I will march under your flags.
L'amour qui m'a tourné la tête
The love that turned my head
Désormais, désormais, me rend un héros.
From now on, it makes me a hero.
Ah! quel bonheur oui mes amis
Oh what happiness, my friends!
Oui, celle pour qui je respire,
Yes, she for whom I breathe,
A mes voeux a daigné sourire
Has deigned to smile upon my wishes
Et ce doux espoir de bonheur
And this sweet hope of happiness
Trouble ma raison et mon coeur!
Troubles my reason and my heart!
Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!
Oh my friends, what a day of celebration!
Je vais marcher sous vos drapeaux.
I will march under your flags.
Writer(s): Gaetano Domenico Mari Donizetti
Contributed by Eliana R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tomkastorp8383
The one and only. In the league of his own. There will never be another tenor like him.
@MrTomb789
except Sir Harry Secombe
@giorgioceroni3008
Astonishing. Luciano is by far the best executor of this piece. 👍👍👍👏👏👏
@sarai.7959
No matter how many times I hear this aria, it still makes my heart flutter! A voice for the ages at his peak! Merci, grazie, gracias.
@Brixen-wu6gg
Pavarotti è fuori categoria. Incomparabile con le altre voci tenorili. Nessuna ha lo smalto lucente e perfetto della voce di Luciano. Un miracolo.
@marcelashehu6664
Non esagerare...Caruso, Di Stefano, Del Monaco e molti altri sono stati bravi anche loro, poi devi sapere che ogni tenore ha una specialità... ci sono opere che a pavarotti non venivano del tutto bene e ad altri si
@michelleestrada4011
Due parole....Franco , Mario....
@andreagazzara5708
Assolutamente. La voce di Pavarotti non ha mai avuto nulla che si possa comparare. Poi naturalmente ci sono stati altri giganti del canto. Ma questo è un altro discorso
@user-os3ky1uk6c
@@marcelashehu66644
@Nokard
Su voz es algo que no escucharemos en decadas, es simplemente magnanimo.