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.
Una Furtiva Lacrima
Luciano Pavarotti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
- Italiano -
Una furtiva lagrima
Negli occhi suoi spuntò... quelle festose giovani invidiar sembrò...
Che più cercando io vo?
M'ama, lo vedo.
Del suo bel cor sentir!..
Co' suoi sospir confondere per poco i miei sospir!...
Cielo, si può morir;
Di più non chiedo.
- Inglês -
A sullen and secretive tear
That started there in her eye...
Those socialising bright young things
Seemed to provoke its envy...
What more searching need i do?
She loves me, that i see.
For just one moment the beating
Of her hot pulse could be felt!..
With her sighing confounding
Momentarily my sighs!...
Oh god, i shall expire;
I can't ask for more
Una Furtiva Lacrima is an aria from Gaetano Donizetti's comic opera L'Elisir d'Amore. The song is performed by the male lead, Nemorino, in the second act after he realizes that the love potion he bought from a quack doctor is, in fact, working. As he sees the woman he loves, Adina, shedding a tear, he begins to believe that she loves him too. The song is a beautiful and emotional piece that captures Nemorino's joy, uncertainty, and hope all at once.
The lyrics of Una Furtiva Lacrima describe the moment Nemorino sees Adina crying and believes that she might love him back. He asks himself what else he needs to do, as he can see that she loves him. The joy he feels is palpable as he describes feeling the beating of her heart for a brief moment and losing track of his own sighs. The song ends with him acknowledging that if he were to die in that moment, he wouldn't ask for more. The lyrics are a testament to the power of love and how it can overwhelm us with joy and uncertainty in equal measure.
Line by Line Meaning
Una furtiva lagrima
A tear that was furtively shed
Negli occhi suoi spuntò... quelle festose giovani invidiar sembrò...
That appeared in her eyes... and seemed to be envied by those joyous youth
Che più cercando io vo?
What more searching do I need to do?
M'ama, lo vedo.
She loves me, I see it.
Un solo istante i palpiti
For just one moment the beating
Del suo bel cor sentir!..
Of her beautiful heart could be felt!..
Co' suoi sospir confondere per poco i miei sospir!...
Confusing my sighs with hers for a brief moment!...
Cielo, si può morir;
Heaven, one could die;
Di più non chiedo.
I don't ask for more.
Contributed by Addison J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@hungeren3955
Una furtiva lagrima
Negli occhi suoi spuntò
Quelle festose giovani
Invidiar sembrò
Che più cercando io vò?
Che più cercando io vò?
M'ama! Sì m'ama, lo vedo, lo vedo
Un solo instante i palpiti
Del suo bel cor sentir
I miei sospir, confondere
Pe-per poco a' suoi sospir
I palpiti, i palpiti sentir
Confondere i miei co' suoi sospir
Cielo, si può morir
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo
Ah! Cielo, si può, si può morir
Di più non chiedo
Non chiedo
Si può morire
Si può morir d'amor
@FranciscoHernandez-bh3vr
Una furtiva lagrima
Negli occhi suoi spuntò
Quelle festose giovani
Invidiar sembrò
Che più cercando io vo?
Che più cercando io vo?
M'ama, sì, m'ama, lo vedo
Lo vedo!
Un solo istante i palpiti
Del suo bel cor sentir
I miei sospir confondere
Per poco a' suoi sospir
I palpiti, i palpiti sentir
Confondere i miei co' suoi sospir
Cielo, si può morir?
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo
Oh cielo, si può, si può morir?
Di più non chiedo
Non chiedo
@cflmaior
For those non-Italian speakers, a translation:
A single secret tear
from her eye did spring:
as if she envied all the youths
that laughingly passed her by.
What more searching need I do?
What more searching need I do?
She loves me! Yes, she loves me, I see it.
I see it!
For just an instant the beating
of her beautiful heart I could feel!
As if my sighs were hers,
and her sighs were mine!
The beating, the beating of her heart I could feel,
to merge my sighs with hers...
Heavens! Yes, I could die!
I could ask for nothing more, nothing more.
Oh, heavens! Yes, I could, I could die!
I could ask for nothing more, nothing more.
(Yes, I could die! Yes, I could die of love.)
@1faedo
Sing along with this Pavarotti's wonderful voice:
Italian Text of 'Una Furtiva Lagrima'
Una furtiva lagrima
negli occhi suoi spuntò:
Quelle festose giovani
invidiar sembrò.
Che più cercando io vo?
Che più cercando io vo?
M'ama! Sì, m'ama, lo vedo. Lo vedo.
Un solo intante i palpiti
del suo bel cor sentir!
I miei sospir, confondere
per poco a' suoi sospir!
I palpiti, i palpiti sentir,
confondere i miei coi suoi sospir...
Cielo! Si può morir!
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo.
Ah, cielo! Si può! Si, può morir!
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo.
Si può morire! Si può morir d'amor.
English Translation of 'Una Furtiva Lagrima'
A single secret tear
from her eye did spring:
as if she envied all the youths
that laughingly passed her by.
What more searching need I do?
What more searching need I do?
She loves me! Yes, she loves me, I see it. I see it.
For just an instant the beating
of her beautiful heart I could feel!
As if my sighs were hers,
and her sighs were mine!
The beating, the beating of her heart I could feel,
to merge my sighs with hers...
Heavens! Yes, I could die!
I could ask for nothing more, nothing more.
Oh, heavens! Yes, I could, I could die!
I could ask for nothing more, nothing more.
Yes, I could die! Yes, I could die of love.
@hungeren3955
Una furtiva lagrima
Negli occhi suoi spuntò
Quelle festose giovani
Invidiar sembrò
Che più cercando io vò?
Che più cercando io vò?
M'ama! Sì m'ama, lo vedo, lo vedo
Un solo instante i palpiti
Del suo bel cor sentir
I miei sospir, confondere
Pe-per poco a' suoi sospir
I palpiti, i palpiti sentir
Confondere i miei co' suoi sospir
Cielo, si può morir
Di più non chiedo, non chiedo
Ah! Cielo, si può, si può morir
Di più non chiedo
Non chiedo
Si può morire
Si può morir d'amor
@GiballinGilberto
Não temos dimensão do que um ser humano é capaz de fazer com sua voz até ouvir Pavarotti cantar. Ele é definitivamente fabuloso. ❤ VÁRIAS lágrimas furtivas rolaram em meu rosto ao ver essa performance. 👏🏽😍
@renzocavani6524
The absolute perfection. There will be no one like this man.
@user-if5tq3gt9z
И слава богу. А то опять будете спорить кто лучше поёт. Свихнетесь.
@justinzwaan6704
Once every 200 years…..
@aquamatch
...you right, after Caruso
@solomontruthlover5308
How do you know
@justinzwaan6704
@@solomontruthlover5308 nobody knows for sure. But it’s very rare for a tenor to have such a incredible tone ladder and at the same time sing them with such a volume. On many occasions he just used the acoustics in the theatre or church themselves, with no microphone’s.
@ronaldogorman777
We still applaud you Maestro!
@bradleymonroe6443
Pavarotti is the most amazing tenor I have ever heard of. His interpretation of Una furtiva lagrima is outstanding. His singing was the reason why I wanted to learn to sing.