Luciano Pavarotti died today of pancreatic cancer. He was 71.
The English hold a bit of a special place in their hearts for Pavarotti. After all, his majestic rendition of Nessun Dorma from Puccini's Turandot scored England's World Cup hopes during Italia '90.
I think Mark Oliver of The Guardian put it best: "It may have been mercilessly parodied and ridiculed for its mass, housewife CD-buying popularity but it was the tournament's greatest ever TV theme."
I can't listen to the piece without red and white imagery flashing through my mind -- a victorious goal. An ecstatic footballer sliding on his knees while clutching his shirt, his face alight with joy. A thunderous crowd roaring with approval.
Italia '90 was 17 years ago (and we ended up losing to West Germany in a penalty shoot-out...which reminds me of a Gary Lineker quote: "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win") and since then, the English team has had numerous songs detailing their glory -- Fat Les' Vindaloo, The Lightning Seeds' Three Lions but in my mind, Nessun Dorma will always be the unmitigated anthem of English football.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Pavarotti.
The English hold a bit of a special place in their hearts for Pavarotti. After all, his majestic rendition of Nessun Dorma from Puccini's Turandot scored England's World Cup hopes during Italia '90.
I think Mark Oliver of The Guardian put it best: "It may have been mercilessly parodied and ridiculed for its mass, housewife CD-buying popularity but it was the tournament's greatest ever TV theme."
I can't listen to the piece without red and white imagery flashing through my mind -- a victorious goal. An ecstatic footballer sliding on his knees while clutching his shirt, his face alight with joy. A thunderous crowd roaring with approval.
Italia '90 was 17 years ago (and we ended up losing to West Germany in a penalty shoot-out...which reminds me of a Gary Lineker quote: "Football is a simple game; 22 men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans win") and since then, the English team has had numerous songs detailing their glory -- Fat Les' Vindaloo, The Lightning Seeds' Three Lions but in my mind, Nessun Dorma will always be the unmitigated anthem of English football.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Pavarotti.
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