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.
La Ghirlandeina
Luciano Pavarotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Te pèr un quel d'insàni, una vision!
bianca, in tla prèma lus ed la matèina,
te pèr un' urazioun.
Ghirlandèina, vèta mia,
Tè por bèla, csa t'em piès!
Vè che tarr! Che maravia!
Bianca, slanzèda, cun la punta al zèl
Al campanoun ch'al t'fa totta termer
Guardian piò vigilant e piò fedel
an gh'è dobbi cater.
Ghirlandèina, vèta mia,
Tè por bèla, csa t'em piès!
Vè che tarr! Che maravia!
Ciàpa, to', ch'at bott un bès!
dal bianchi balaostri, po... che vèsta!
la zitè satta, i mont e al mèr luntan
Du fiom lusent, i camp in bèla vèsta:
La tèra di zemiàn.
Ghirlandèina, vèta mia,
Tè por bèla, csa t'em piès!
Vè che tarr! Che maravia!
Ciàpa, to', ch'at bott un bès!
The song La Ghirlandeina by Luciano Pavarotti is a hymn of praise to the beauty of the landscape of Ghirlanda, a small town in the province of Piacenza, Italy. The lyrics evoke the breathtaking vision that the town offers to its visitors: the white houses, the bell tower that stretches towards the sky, the lush countryside, the distant sea. The singer is overwhelmed by the beauty of this place, which he describes as a "vision" that can move even the most indifferent person. He praises the town in all its facets: from the attentive and loyal guardian of the bell tower to the bright flowers of the fields, from the mountains on the horizon to the radiant sun of the morning.
The lyrics of La Ghirlandeina are a celebration of the Italian landscape and its beauty, which has inspired poets, artists, and musicians for centuries. The song also contains a sense of nostalgia for a past that is slowly fading away, as the modern world encroaches on the traditional ways of life. The singer urges us to cherish the beauty of nature and the wonders of the past, before they disappear forever.
Line by Line Meaning
C'uma t'è bèla, chèra Ghirlanèina,
Oh, how beautiful you are, dear Ghirlanèina, like a vision to some crazy person! As white as the first light of morning, you are an inspiration.
Te pèr un quel d'insàni, una vision!
To a certain crazy person, you might be a vision!
bianca, in tla prèma lus ed la matèina,
As white as the first light of morning
te pèr un' urazioun.
You are an inspiration.
Ghirlandèina, vèta mia,
Ghirlandèina, my beloved
Tè por bèla, csa t'em piès!
You are so beautiful, I am in awe of you!
Vè che tarr! Che maravia!
Look at you! You are amazing!
Ciàpa, to', ch'at bott un bès!
Come here, let me give you a kiss!
Bianca, slanzèda, cun la punta al zèl
White, slender, with the tip pointing towards the sky
Al campanoun ch'al t'fa totta termer
With the bell that makes you tremble
Guardian piò vigilant e piò fedel
With the most vigilant and faithful guardian
an gh'è dobbi cater.
There is no better!
dal bianchi balaostri, po... che vèsta!
From the white balconies, oh what a view!
la zitè satta, i mont e al mèr luntan
The city sits, with the mountains and the sea in the distance
Du fiom lusent, i camp in bèla vèsta:
With two shining streams and beautiful fields:
La tèra di zemiàn.
This is the land of the harvest.
Contributed by Liam A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tjAvatarici
Words cannot describe how much we miss him. This song is a memorial to his memory..
@QUESTANOTTE88
Quanto é bella questa canzone dio !
@dhall5785
How can anyone not love this song or this great man's voice and soul
He could conjure up and convey the whole spectrum of human emotion
@rosabaraghini8559
Che voce ragazzi qualcosa di meraviglioso che sicuramente non sentiremo più se non su YouTube grazie per essere vissuto grande ♥️
@rosabaraghini8559
Sono sicura che non ci saranno più grandi tenori come tu ciao Pavarotti spero tu incontri mio marito ovunque tu sia perché anche a lui piacevi tantissimo ciao Luciano spero di rivederti anch'io un giorno non lontano♥️
@ZenDoggie
I recently watched the Cohen Brothers' "Miller's Crossing," with Gabriel Byrne and John Tuturro. The scene with this song is iconic.
@Millerscrossing123
I saw Millers Crossing the night it was released, the scene with “Frankie” singing this in the woods when they are “walking” Tom to his expected demise is chilling
@ZenDoggie
@@Millerscrossing123 YES.
@grigorijfilippocalcagno3263
Tgniv seimper strec a la Piòpa!! 💛💙
@Millerscrossing123
The version of this song, sung in the woods by “Frankie” in the movie “Millers Crossing” is also moving……watch the movie