Pavarotti

He was a famous tenor who helped make opera popular with the general public. I knew about him and his music, but this documentary opened my eyes to so much more. The viewer gets to meet his family, his managers, his celebrity friends. It was lovely to see the late Princess Diana during happier times, and awesome to hear the thoughts of Bono who appeared in concert with Pavarotti. Born during the War and following an early brush with death, Pavarotti grew up embracing life with a zest that rubbed off on many who crossed his paths. You don't have to be an opera lover or a Pavarotti fan to enjoy this film, but you will come away knowing a lot more about this fascinating larger-than-life human being and appreciating his outsized talent. And getting to hear him sing and see him perform on the big screen is a treat that i cannot recommend enough.

No being real familiar with Opera but somewhat with Pavarotti I was not sure what to expect, but decided since Ron Howard does not make bad movies, bound to be good. After watching and learning so much about Pavarotti the Opera Star and Man was very moved. What an Incredible Performer and even better Human Being. I very much want to visit Italy to see his Musuem and Hometown. See an Opera. I saw the Film at a neat little theatre in Downtown Monterey CA

When it comes to opera singers, there aren't many household names that people know or actually talk about, with the exception of one person, Luciano Pavarotti. Few documentaries make it all the way to the cinema, not to mention having a premier screening, so I was curious about what made this one so special.

I knew who Pavarotti was before watching this film and I have heard his performances, but I had no idea what kind of man he was and how people loved him for his voice, charisma, generosity and his big joyful smile. Ron Howard seamlessly blended the footage of Luciano's life to make it flow like a regular film while accentuating on the musical parts that left me in awe of how talented and impactful he was, specially hearing it through Dolby Surround system.

This film is more than just a documentary about a singer; it is a story of a man who worked tirelessly to achieve worldwide fame and yet not once did he lose himself in the process and that is how he will be remembered. He loved life, he loved the ones around him and he loved helping others. Luciano is one of those people whom I would love to meet just to bask in his grandeur and absorb some of his happiness, positivity and energy that he radiated.

I saw this film in a theater in New York a few days ago and was enchanted by the film and by the subject of the documentary: Luciano Pavarotti. I didn't know much about Pavarotti before having seen the film and I am not an opera fan. However, this touching documentary endeared me to the man and his music. His life is well documented in this film, excellently directed by Ron Howard. Whether or not you like opera, you will likely appreciate the humor & heart which Pavarotti had as well as his obvious vocal talent. A documentary about a person is supposed to capture the essence of the human being or artist and this film succeeds in doing that. It also successfully revealed the notion that a great artist is also a flawed human being who leads an imperfect life, just like everyone else. I left the theater wanting to know more about the man & his music. Bravo to all involved in this production.

This year's big doc may be Ron Howard's "Pavarotti," a love letter about the great tenor. More than any opera singer since Enrico Caruso a century before, Pavarotti made opera cool in the latter part of the 20th century. With his larger-than-life personality and crystal-clear voice, he became a worldwide sensation, performing everywhere from rural outposts to massive stadiums to outdoor parks.

Howard manages to piece together decades of film --- often grainy and amateurish - with deeply personal interviews with the Maestro's ex-wives, former mistress, daughters, peers (Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and several sopranos), and admirers. He weaves biography with taped performances from the time Pavarotti was a promising young singer through his waning years.

In fact, Howard presents Pavarotti's life as opera. A man of great passion - for opera, for women, for food, for children - Pavarotti lived large. And he died painfully. Howard manages to make the audience feel the highs and the lows of Pavarotti's personal and professional lives.

But the film is long. It proves that even great directors can fall in love with their own films. Howard could have spent less time in the run-up to stardom to get us to the fantastic success of his middle years and the explosive teaming with Domingo and Carreras as The Three Tenors. His death is handled beautifully as is Pavarotti's heartfelt charitable endeavors in concert with Princess Diana, Bono and many others.

Even if you don't love opera, you will enjoy this stunning documentary.