Nicoletta Mantovani, the widow of legendary opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti, has expressed outrage after the Italian city of Pesaro installed an ice skating rink around her late husband's statue for the Christmas season. The bronze statue, which was officially unveiled in April 2024, now appears to be partially buried by the skating rink, with the lower portion of the statue covered and making it look significantly smaller than intended.
The life-size bronze statue depicts the famous tenor with his arms outstretched and holding a handkerchief, capturing one of his iconic performance poses. However, the Christmas ice rink installation has surrounded the statue, with the skating surface covering the lower half of the sculpture. Before the rink's opening, Pesaro Mayor Andrea Biancani even invited skaters to "high-five Pavarotti" in a social media post, according to BBC reports.
Mantovani did not hide her displeasure with the holiday installation in an interview published Wednesday, November 26, by the Italian newspaper Il Resto del Carlino. She described herself as "disappointed, angry and upset," stating that the installation "damages Luciano's image and the respect he deserves." The widow called the situation "simply unacceptable" and criticized the ice rink as being "ugly." She added, "I regret that the city allowed such a thing to happen."
The bronze statue stands in a central square in Pesaro, where Pavarotti owned a home. Mantovani had attended the statue's inauguration ceremony in April 2024, making her current disappointment even more poignant. The statue was meant to honor the connection between the world-renowned tenor and the coastal Italian city.
Facing mounting controversy over the installation, Pesaro's municipal government acknowledged making an "error" and told Il Resto del Carlino that there was "no intention to disrespect" the famous Italian singer. Mayor Biancani explained that the ice rink plans presented to him had assured that the statue would be "neither touched nor integrated into the surface." He said he only realized the problem after the installation was completed.
Unfortunately, the mayor stated that the issue cannot be resolved this season because it is too late to either move the statue or dismantle the ice rink. However, he promised that "this will not happen again" in future holiday seasons. The controversy highlights the delicate balance cities must strike when installing temporary holiday attractions near permanent monuments and memorials to beloved cultural figures.
