36th Puccini Award to Luciano Pavarotti and Tino Cennamo

Luciano Pavarotti, the most famous tenor in the world, received the 36th Puccini Award from the Puccini Festival Foundation for his unprecedented artistic and musical extraordinary contributions that have spanned a 40-year career, reaching a wide public.  Luciano Pavarotti debuted as Rodolfo in Puccini’s celebrated La Bohème, on 29th April 1961 at the Emilia Reggio Theatre. Pavarotti enjoyed the same success as director in December 2004 of the same opera at the Teatro della Fortuna di Fano. In his extraordinary career his voice has rendered memorable interpretations of nearly all the tenor roles in Puccini’s masterpieces, from Manon Lescaut to Madame Butterfly, and from Turnadot to Tosca.
The Puccini Award was also awarded to Tino Cennamo, the President of BMG Ricordi – the leading music publishing house in Italy and world-wide. Italian music even today is identified with reference to the Ricordi family. The company was able to establish relationships with great composers such as Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi, by virtue of the close relationship that it had formed with Giacomo Puccini. The company still strives to promote new operas.
Tino Cennamo’s efforts in collaborating with Vareggio Council was recognised through this award. His tireless collaboration with the council led to the organisation of the well appreciated Giacomo Puccini – Galileo Chini exhibition last year at Villa Borbone. The exhibition was promoted by the Vareggio Coucillor for Culture. The exhibition was part of the Puccini Programme that was promoted by the National Committee for Puccini Celebration 2004-2008, which saw Casa Ricordi as a key player in the proceedings as they recorded the concerts that the committee organised in Lucca and Torre del Lago.
“The Puccini Award once again this year” declared Manrico Nicolai, President of the Puccini Festival Foundation “demonstrates the appreciation of the Puccini Festival Foundation for all those who with their professionalism and passion contribute to the making of history in melodrama. Luciano Pavarotti is certainly the epitome of passion in opera. This tenor from Modena, has a passion that he has been able to transmit and share with the younger generations and the general public, thanks to the numerous concerts and events that he has participated in world-wide. Our recognition also goes to Tino Cennamo for his tireless efforts in promoting music as well as for being an intelligent guardian of the rich Ricordi Archives, which contain many treasures of the utmost value to Italian culture. In collaboration with the mayor of Vareggio, Tino Cennamo promoted a significant initiative that made Vareggio the stage of a piece of musical history celebrating two great artists of the 1900s: Puccini and Chini.”
The guest of honour was Mirella Freni an opera star, whose career has spanned over forty years playing more than 40 roles, while managing to maintain not only a high standard but also the control and tonality of her voice. She managed to maintain the frankness and simplicity of expression that has always characterised her singing. Mirella Freni manages the Vareggio Council’s and Puccini Festival Foundation’s Accademia di Alto Perfezionamento in Puccini vocals, launched last year. At the 2006 Puccini Awards ceremony a new award was introduced:
Puccini Award- Communicating Music. This award will be given annually to leading radio or television programmes or newspaper articles that make strides in diffusing classical music to the general public. This year’s award winner was Maria Rosaria Gianni, editor in chief of Shows for TG1 News, the leading news show in Italy. Thanks to Maria Rosaria’s efforts, more space has been dedicated to opera and classical music.

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