Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Soundtrack for music documentary 'Pavarotti' released ahead of film in Korea
The original soundtrack album for Ron Howard's music documentary film “Pavarotti” was released Friday in Korea, prior to the film's release next month in Korea. / Courtesy of Universal Music Korea
By Anna J. Park
By Anna J. Park
Ahead of next month's release of the film “Pavarotti” at theaters nationwide in Korea ― a music documentary film released in June in the U.S. ― the 114-minute film's soundtrack album was released by Universal Music Korea last Friday.
The album includes 22 tracks, with two special tracks previously unreleased: “Miserere” sung live with Zucchero and Andrea Bocelli and Schubert's “Ave Maria” sung live with U2's Bono at Paravotti & Friends for SOS Iraq concert held in 2003.
Luciano Pavarotti was undoubtedly one of the world's most celebrated tenors in history. The Italian operatic singer not only thrived in the classical music arena, but also in other genres of the arts, such as pop music and films.
Often dubbed the “King of the High Cs,” Pavarotti sold over 100 million records during his decades-long professional music career, with his ability to make operatic music approachable and more enjoyable by the worldwide public.
Legendary Italian tenor Pavarotti enormously expanded the global popularity of operatic music through his uniquely clear and ringing voice. Courtesy of Universal Music Korea
The album's 22 tracks have condensed some of the highlights of the legendary tenor's lifelong singing career, from the most popular opera arias to live music concerts in his later life.
Puccini's opera Turandot's tenor aria “Nessun dorma” is certainly what most people still associate with Pavarotti's uniquely clear, piercing and ringing voice.
The album starts with this beautiful Puccini aria, followed by his other representative signature opera arias, such as “Pour mon ame quell destin” from Donizetti's opera “La Fill du Regiment,” and “Una furtive lagrima” from Donizetti's other opera “L'elisir d'amore.”
Other popular operatic tunes like “La donna e mobile” from Verdi's “Rigoletto,” “O soave fanciulla” from Puccini's “La Boeme,” “E lucevan le stelle” from Puccini's “Tosca,” among others, will also mesmerize listeners with the late tenor's powerful and resonating voice.
The album also includes a few canzone tracks ― Italian provincial song or ballads, such as “Voce's note” and “Silenzio cantatore,” offering the late Italian tenor's tender tones.
What you shouldn't miss is some of the live tunes that now have become historic with its significance, which includes “O sole mio” sung live in Rome in 1990 at “Original Three Tenors Concert,” along with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras, “Donna non vidi mai” sung live at London's Hyde Park in 1991 for Princess Diana, and “Miss Sarajevo” sung together with U2's Bono for children of Bosnia in 1995.
Cover image of Pavarotti's “The Greatest Hits” album / Courtesy of Universal Music Korea
Decca Records has also released “The Greatest Hits” of Pavarotti ― 3CD best compilation album ― earlier this year to mark the film's release.
The album also has various genres of music of Pavarotti, ranging from opera arias, canzone to pop duet singings.
The music documentary film, directed by two-time Academy-award winner Ron Howard, will be released in Korea Jan. 1.