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.
O Sole Mio
Luciano Pavarotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
N'aria serena dopo na tempesta
Pe' ll'aria fresca pare già na festa
Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole
Ma n'atu sole
Cchiu' bello, oi ne'
'O sole mio
'O sole, 'o sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te
Sta 'nfronte a te
Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne
Me vene quase 'na malincunia
Sotto 'a fenesta toia restarria
Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne
Ma n'atu sole
Cchiu' bello, oi ne'
'O sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te
'O sole, 'o sole mio
Sta 'nfronte a te
Sta 'nfronte a te
The lyrics to Luciano Pavarotti's song O Sole Mio paint a beautiful and picturesque image of a sunny day. The opening lines, "Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole / N'aria serena dopo na tempesta / Pe' ll'aria fresca pare già na festa / Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole," describe the beauty of a clear day after a storm, with a sense of celebration in the air. The song is essentially an ode to the sun, with the line "'O sole mio / Sta 'nfronte a te / 'O sole, 'o sole mio / Sta 'nfronte a te / Sta 'nfronte a te" (My own sun / It stands before you / My sun, my own sun / It stands before you / It stands before you) repeated throughout the song.
However, the second half of the song takes a somber turn, with the following lines, "Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne / Me vene quase 'na malincunia / Sotto 'a fenesta toia restarria / Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne," describing the feeling of melancholy that comes with the setting of the sun. The singer expresses a desire to stay under the window of their loved one even when the sun has gone down.
Overall, the lyrics of O Sole Mio portray the beauty of the sun and the melancholy that comes with its absence, creating a bittersweet imagery of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole
What a beautiful thing is a sunny day
N'aria serena dopo na tempesta
The air is calm after a storm
Pe' ll'aria fresca pare già na festa
The fresh air feels like a celebration
Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole
What a beautiful thing is a sunny day
Ma n'atu sole
But there's another sun
Cchiu' bello, oi ne'
More beautiful, oh yes
'O sole mio
My sun
Sta 'nfronte a te
It's in front of you
'O sole, 'o sole mio
My sun, my sun
Sta 'nfronte a te
It's in front of you
Sta 'nfronte a te
It's in front of you
Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne
When night falls and the sun goes down
Me vene quase 'na malincunia
A feeling of melancholy comes over me
Sotto 'a fenesta toia restarria
I would stay under your window
Quanno fa notte e 'o sole se ne scenne
When night falls and the sun goes down
Ma n'atu sole
But there's another sun
Cchiu' bello, oi ne'
More beautiful, oh yes
'O sole mio
My sun
Sta 'nfronte a te
It's in front of you
'O sole, 'o sole mio
My sun, my sun
Sta 'nfronte a te
It's in front of you
Sta 'nfronte a te
It's in front of you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Tratore
Written by: Eduardo Di Capua, Afredo Mazzucchi, Giovanni Capurro
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ruben T
This wasn't just a man who loved to sing. This was a man who knew he had a gift, and loved to share it with others.
Mr Popo
I am very grateful that he did so.
Steven Giles
I was in the audience that night. He was just incredible!
Ed Driver
YOU MAKE ME SO ENVIOUS 😍
Youseph Karmow
Must have been nice haha.
0bserver1
0% special effects
0% naked girls
0% crazy dances
100% pure voice
100% talent
100% modesty
Thanks, Luciano!
claudia green
you can enjoy the music you like without making a mockery of the genres you consider "less than". I'm partial to rock, personally.
Adriel Tan
And your comment is 100% unoriginal
global garbage
how to math
Atenea Promacos
100 % estudio y habilidad