Recalling the great Pavarotti

Cinema

(12A)

Near the beginning of Ron Howard’s documentary, which incorporates footage from concerts and interviews to recount Luciano Pavarotti’s journey in his own words, the ebullient Italian tenor is asked to imagine his legacy.

“I’d like to be remembered as a man who took opera to the people,” he replies modestly, flashing the camera a pensive smile.

There are plenty of reasons to grin at Howard’s affectionate portrait of a flawed musical genius, which loudly celebrates the qualities which elevated a baker’s son from Modena to the dizzy heights of global superstardom.

Pavarotti’s well documented faults are largely glossed over before Bono offers his typically forthright opinion on the appeal of Pavarotti.

“He is one of the great emotional arm wrestlers,” comments the U2 front man, “and he will break your arm.”