LUCIANO, MESSENGER OF PEACE | Piazza Grande, Modena

The City of Modena recalled Maestro Luciano Pavarotti last September 6, seven years after his passing, with a free show for all the citizens, thanks to the joint efforts of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, the Modena Municipality , with the crucial support from Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Modena.

This year’s tribute to Maestro Pavarotti was intended to remind his philanthropic spirit and how he committed himself, both on personal and professional level, for many worthy causes often forgotten by media, even in his role of United Nations Messenger for Peace, as he was appointed in 1998 by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The event was held in Piazza Grande. Milly Carlucci, the host of almost every edition of “Pavarotti & Friends” concerts, presented with impeccable elegance and spontaneity the artists performing on stage.

The young and talented musician Raphael Gualazzi was the pecial guest of the evening. He played with his personal style “Imagine,” “Blowin ‘in the Wind” and the hit “Sai” .

Raphael Gualazzi also did a duet, singing “Caruso” and “Miss Sarajevo”, with some of the emerging young tenors, who then performed some of the favorite opera arias of Maestro’s repertoire.
The tenors were Giuseppe Caltagirone, Davide Carboni, Matteo Desole, Alessandro Fantoni, Giuseppe Gambi, Marco Miglietta and Jenish Ysmanov.

On stage, to accompany the artist lineup, was the Orchestra dell’Opera Italiana, conducted by Maestro Aldo Sisillo, manager of the Teatro Comunale “Luciano Pavarotti” in Modena.

The music consultant and trainer of young tenors was Maestro Paolo Andreoli.

On Modena stage, few famous actors read with great intensity and emotional involvement texts about peace, a theme dear to Maestro’s heart and, unfortunately, of dramatic relevance in our time. The actors were Isabella Ferrari, Giulio Scarpati and Daniele Pecci.

The longtime friend of Maestro Pavarotti, Anna Cataldi – journalist and writer, and former United Nations Messenger for Peace, – brought her testimony on stage, as well as Alfonso Signorini did, a journalist and a great opera aficionado.

Some video contributions presented highlights of the “Pavarotti & Friends” concerts, the openings of educational centers in Guatemala and Bosnia, as well as international awards given to the Maestro in the humanitarian field.

The event was attended by several thousand people who followed with great interest the show, witnessing with their presence how much the memory of Maestro Pavarotti is still firm and vivid in their hearts.