Pavarotti

This documentary traces the life of Luciano Pavarotti, the operatic tenor whose soaring voice reached an audience far beyond the world of opera lovers. A dozen years after Pavarotti's death aged 71 from pancreatic cancer, Hollywood A-lister Ron Howard (Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind) offers a thoroughly researched rundown on his singing career, with pointers to the personality behind the high notes. The terrors of the Second World War, and near-death from a childhood illness, foreshadowed his drive to break into the opera scene, where a notable 1963 Covent Garden debut proved a milestone event. Subsequent aggressive US management took his solo concerts to mainstream audiences, which ballooned after the Three Tenors showcase at the 1990 World Cup. Throughout it all, Pavarotti seemingly remained innately cheery, though interviews with colleagues and wives also provide insight into infidelities and his controversial second marriage. Splendid archive footage highlights the star's particular combination of charisma and vocal potency, ensuring this feature will appeal to the cognoscenti and casual fans alike.