Following this morning’s news about the passing of the legendary Luciano Pavarotti, Virginia Opera Maestro Peter Mark expressed his feelings about the great opera tenor:
"Luciano Pavarotti did more to popularize and galvanize people to opera than any other singer in living memory. His gloriously clear tenor voice rang out with natural and heartfelt emotion, touching everyone who heard it with its pure and simple ecstasy. Throughout his long career, he reached and thrilled millions – opening up the wonderful world of opera to new converts, as well as spreading awe and delight among the world's many established opera fans.
Every opera company owes Pavarotti a debt of gratitude, including Virginia Opera. We were lucky enough to present him live at the height of his career in a concert that sold out and overflowed on to the stage at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall on October 2, 1980, following a strike that cancelled one of his many Metropolitan Opera openings.
I personally will never forget not only his singing, but also how he warmly and graciously received each and every one of our patrons as I introduced them after the concert. It was one of the grandest nights in Virginia, and Pavarotti has a secure place in our hearts and memories. His inspired voice and spirit lives on in the spirit of everything we do. "
