When a young hopeful dazzled Dublin with his voice -- and feet
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BONO spoke of his sadness yesterday in losing his close friend, Luciano Pavarotti, while an Irish opera singer painted a poignant picture of the star's fun-filled route to stardom.
It was in 1963, in Dublin, that veteran opera singer Paddy Brennan first recalled meeting Pavarotti.
He had shared the stage as a member of the chorus when he appeared for the opera Rigoletto at the Gaiety Theatre.
Pavarotti then went on to London's Covent Garden and the rest is history, said Paddy (64), the archivist with Opera Ireland, then known as the Dublin Grand Opera Society.
"He was just another good young kid on the block making his way," he said.
"He was not the superstar he became 20 years later."
At that early stage, the tenor may not yet have honed his singing skills but he had his football down to a fine art.
"He was a bloody great footballer," Paddy said.
"The Italians, when they came over, they were mad about football."
The tenor joined a gang from the Gaiety Theatre for their regular kick-about in the Phoenix Park.
"He was a big man, had a big physique but as a young fellow he had legs like a ballet dancer," he said.
In 1963, as a tall, young tenor, Pavarotti performed in Belfast in Madame Butterfly and in a recital in Dundalk, before coming to Dublin to star in the DGOS production of Rigoletto.
"He was beyond charismatic on stage. There was a touch of Bill Clinton about him."
Meanwhile, U2 frontman Bono yesterday spoke of his sadness in not having a chance to bid a final farewell to Pavarotti.
Bono had intended to fly to Italy on Monday to be at the ailing opera singer's deathbed. But his wife informed him that Pavarotti was too ill to speak.
He then got a text from her at 11pm on Wednesday night asking him to pray for him, and a later text at 5am yesterday morning informing him that he had died of pancreatic cancer.
But Bono said he was grateful he did manage to speak to him last week, although "the voice that was louder than any rock band was a whisper. Still he communicated his love. He was full of love," he said.
But Bono told the Gerry Ryan Show on RTE's 2FM yesterday that the singer will always live on in his memory.
"Some can sing opera, Luciano Pavarotti was an opera," he said.
"He was also great fun and charming, but knew how to get his way," he added. "He was an emotional arm- twister. If he wanted you to do something for him he was impossible to turn down. A great flatterer."
He recalled how Pavarotti kept hounding Bono's housekeeper to get U2 to write a song with him and wouldn't let up until they agreed..
The forthcoming production from Opera Ireland,Puccini's Turandot at the Gaiety Theatre, will be dedicated to Pavarotti.
Maestro WHO touched millions, page 13
