Pavarotti: My World [VINTAGE 1995] [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Fine unread condition black boards, black cloth spine and gold spine lettering contained in a very good condition non price-clipped color photographic dust jacket. Includes Preface by William Wright; Preface by Luciano Pavarotti; Pavarotti Discography; Pavarotti's First Performances in Operatic Roles and Index. Illustrated with a section of color photographic plates and a section of black-and-white photographic plates. "I have made an effort ot be open about everything - well, almost everything - and to give my thoughts and opinions, even when I know people will not agree with me. I want to tell people who are interested in me about all of the fun and excitement I have had in these years. I have tried to tell whatever I think they want to know, and also to explain how I feel about the things that are important to me. I have also tried to pass on the wisdom I think I have gained as an artist and as a human being. As I tell my story, I am not going to skip over the bad things that have happened. That is not my nature, and if I did skip over the difficulties and unpleasant events, people would not believe they were reading about a real life. Still, for all the pain and sadness that have happened to me, as they do to everyone, I am far, far ahead on the balance between happiness and sadness. Nothing that has happened has made me feel gloomy or remain depressed. I love my life. I hope that when you read the book, you will see why." - Luciano Pavarotti, from the rear outer jacket. "Because his popularity has spanned the globe, Luciano Pavarotti has become one of the most celebrated and loved personalities of his time. Long acknowledged as the day's premier tenor, Pavarotti has joined the handful of public figures who have broken from the confines of their field and won the affection of the public at large. Because of modern telecommunications, millions who have never entered an opera house or concert hall know and love this extraordinary artist. And because of the worldwide nature of his popularity, Pavarotti spends a good part of each year flying off to perfrom in remote countries, many with little tradition of Western opera. His televised peformances reach audiences in the billions. All of this combines into a career unique in the history of performing. In Pavarotti: My World, the singer takes us along on his remarkable life - behind the scenes at his most notable performances, the complex arrangements for his historic visit to Peking, his work with Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, and conductor Zubin Mehta for the landmark Three Tenors Concerts, the incredible logistics of his world tours - always conveying his zest for new challenges and his enthusiasm for everything he undertakes. Throughout his account Pavarotti offers highly individual ruminations and insights about a broad range of subjects: singing, opera, food, friendship, women - a smorgasbord of opinions and observations that reveal his complex personality. We learn of his family life, his love of horses and the jumper show he sponsors, the international vocal competition he initiated, and his determination to remain what he started out to be, an operatic tenor. In his account of himself, Pavarotti does not fall into the trap of merely cataloging his triumphs, but speaks openly about personal and professional adversities such as performing calamities and the frightening illness of his youngest daughter. Reading Pavarotti: My World is like spending a relaxed evening with this phenomenal artist, whose rare talent and infectious humanity have charmed the world." - from the inner front and rear jacket flaps.…