6 days ago
- Entertainment
- North Wales Live
A giant 150ft mural of Pavarotti has appeared on a North Wales hillside
The widow of the great Luciano Pavarotti has given her seal of approval to a massive 150ft mural of her late husband. The chalk profile was created in just 24 hours on a hillside in North Wales.
The artwork was create to celebrate Pavarotti's first appearance 70 years ago at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Denbighshire. To mark the anniversary, his widow Nicoletta Mantovani was a guest of honour at this year's festival.
She attended the mural's unveiling alongside members of the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir – the choir that first hosted Luciano and his father Fernando in 1955. She arrived in the town on board a vintage steam train from Corwen where the choir serenaded her with a Welsh song special to her late husband. Nicoletta said she shed a tear when she heard the world-famous choir perform.
The 45-metre by 30-metre artwork is visible from the Eisteddfod Pavilion below and from Castell Dinas Brân above – a ruined medieval castle built by the Welsh Princes. It's hosted by Wern Isaf campsite on Donkey Hill overlooking the Eisteddfod grounds.
Nicoletta was given a clear view of the stunning chalk sculpture, which depicts the Maestro in full voice. It was designed in partnership with record label Decca. She said it was 'really great', adding: 'It is good that it is there for people to see someone who was so closely connected to the festival.'
David Hennigan, Eisteddfod board director, said the mural has become an instant tourism attraction in the town. 'The reaction from eisteddfod concertgoers has been overwhelming,' he said. 'People have been standing in the car park to view the sculture and the comments have been amazing.
'We thought it would be well received but the response has been even better than we expected. It's been a very worthwhile project.'
Nicoletta, who was married to the singing legend until his death in 2007, journeyed from Italy to celebrate three major milestones at this week's International Eisteddfod.
Pavarotti was just 19 and a trainee teacher when he came to the Llangollen in 1955 with his father, Fernando, as part of Chorus Rossini from their home city of Modena. He returned as a global star in 1995 to perform a sell-out concert. This year would have been his 90th birthday.
Today (Saturday, July 12) she will be on the famous Pavilion stage to help present the Pavarotti Trophy, named in honour of her late husband, to the winners of the Choir of the World Competition.
In another coup for the festival, on Sunday evening Nicoletta will hand over the coveted Pendine Trophy to the winner of the International Voice of the Future competition.
She will sharing the presentation with sponsors Mario and Gill Kreft and another megastar of the opera world, Sir Bryn Terfel.
Songs performed by Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir as Nicoletta arrived in Denbighshire included We'll Keep a Welcome in the Hillside, which Pavarotti loved.
At Llangollen train station she was also entertained by Italian and Bulgarian groups competing at the festival, both in colourful national costumes.
She said: 'My arrival was incredible. It was exactly the way Luciano told me how the people of Wales are so warm and friendly. And to hear the Fron Choir perform – especially the welcome song that was a favourite of his – I cried.
'Travelling on the train was also very special, seeing the countryside and when we arrived at Llangollen station, I enjoyed the choir and the dancers who greeted us. I knew one of the songs and mimed along to it.
'At the Eisteddfod it was fantastic to meet the volunteers. It is really important and so precious for people from all different countries to come together in the name of culture and music.'
