Pavarotti is a celebration of Luciano Pavarotti’s career and his achievements as a legendary opera singer and performer.  Ron Howard’s documentary is jovial, just as Pavarotti was known to be.  As someone who had limited knowledge of the timeless tenor, I walked away from Howard’s enlightening documentary with a new appreciation for music.

Pavarotti was a game-changing figure no matter where he performed.  His early stage work was breathtaking, although emotionally draining for Pavarotti who found himself as the star of many tragedies.  But, he makes his role in every production seem effortless, which is another point the documentary touches on in order to further explain the craft of being a professional tenor.  The film also does a good job tracking Pavarotti’s transition to North American stardom, which was a step towards obtaining more versatility as he introduced himself to different ways to present his rare talents. He was fearless, despite being a nervous wreck when anticipating shows.

I hate to assume but if you’re an opera aficionado and you’re more than familiar with Luciano Pavarotti’s career, the documentary probably won’t have a similar effect on you.  You’ll still enjoy it, but you may also find yourself longing for new content.  While Howard does provide some background on Luciano’s personal life, those details are kept at a minimum;  but only to relive Pavarotti’s greatest performances, which is the film’s primary motive.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie