Pavarotti On Ice Controversy: Italian Mayor Apologizes After Statue Placed In Rink, Widow ‘Angry And Upset’

The mayor of Pesaro, Italy, has issued an apology to the family of legendary opera singer Luciano Pavarotti following a contentious decision to encase a statue honoring the late tenor within a Christmas ice rink in the town’s central piazza. The move has sparked considerable anger from Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Mantovani.

Ms. Mantovani conveyed her profound displeasure with the arrangement, stating she was both “angry and upset” by what she described as an effort to “ridicule” her departed husband. The temporary ice rink was constructed such that the life-size bronze statue of Pavarotti found itself knee-deep in ice and confined by perspex walls, a scene some local observers have dubbed “Pavarotti on Ice.” She characterized the council’s approval of the setup as a “poorly executed, absurd decision,” emphasizing her shock that a town would permit such treatment for a figure who brought immense prestige to Italy worldwide.

Before the rink opened its doors on November 29, Mayor Andrea Biancani had posted a digitally altered image depicting the Pavarotti statue playing ice hockey, accompanied by a hashtag encouraging a “high-five to Pavarotti.” The statue itself was only officially unveiled in Pesaro in April 2024, with Ms. Mantovani and the couple’s daughter, Alice, in attendance. Pavarotti maintained strong ties to Pesaro, where he owned a villa and was recognized as an honorary citizen, often spending holidays there.

Mayor Biancani acknowledged his council “made a mistake” and insisted he had no intention of causing offense. He explained that when initial plans for the ice rink were presented, he was assured the Pavarotti statue would remain undisturbed. It was only later, he claimed, that he learned designers were compelled to alter the construction due to unforeseen circumstances. While noting that dismantling the rink or relocating the statue at this late stage would be impossible, the mayor pledged that such an incident “would not happen again.”

Luciano Pavarotti, an iconic Italian tenor, is widely regarded as one of history’s most successful opera stars. His performances in the renowned Three Tenors concerts captivated global audiences, and his memorable rendition of Nessun Dorma at the 1990 football World Cup in Italy became legendary. His final public appearance was at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Turin in February 2006. Pavarotti passed away the following year at the age of 71 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, leaving behind four daughters. Ms. Mantovani, his second wife, later remarried in 2020.