R.I.P. Mirella Freni (1935-2020)
I was deeply saddened last night to hear of the death at the age of 84 of legendary operatic soprano Mirella Freni who belonged to the generation of stars that included Joan Sutherland, Renata Tebaldi, Renata Scotto and Maria Callas. Freni’s light and elegant voice was perfectly suited to lyric roles, especially Mozart and Puccini, although in the later years of her long career she did broaden her repertoire considerably. For me (and I guess many others) her signature role was as Mimi in La Bohème to which she brought not only lovely singing, but a wonderful tenderness and warmth to the character. As a small tribute here she is in that role with the great Luciano Pavarotti (who was born in the same town as Freni, Modena).
R.I.P. Mirella Freni (1935-2020)
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February 10, 2020 at 10:28 am
I remember reading once that Pavarotti’s fee for a night’s performance was 250,000. I don’t remember the currency, but at that level who cares if it is pounds, franks, or dollars.
February 10, 2020 at 10:57 am
Lire?
February 10, 2020 at 11:04 am
Definitely not.
February 29, 2020 at 5:07 am
The older those of us still alive get, the more often people we know and know of will die, as Freeman Dyson recently has.