The widow of legendary opera singer Luciano Pavarotti has expressed fury and disappointment after a statue erected in his honour was effectively entrapped within a Christmas ice rink in an Italian coastal city, with the local mayor forced to issue a public apology.
A Festive Fiasco in Pesaro
The controversy centres on a lifesize bronze statue of Pavarotti, which was unveiled with great celebration last year in Piazzale Lazzarini, a central square in Pesaro. The city, located in the Marche region, held a special significance for the tenor, who had a home there and was granted honorary citizenship.
The tribute depicts Pavarotti in a tuxedo, arms outstretched, holding his signature handkerchief. However, its dignified presence was dramatically altered when the local council constructed a seasonal ice rink around it for the festive period. Images circulated online showed the statue "stuck up to its knees" within the rink's structure, surrounded by guardrails and Christmas lights.
Widow's Anger and Mayor's Mea Culpa
Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti's widow, was "disappointed, angry and upset" upon seeing the photographs. She told the local newspaper Il Resto del Carlino that the installation of what she called a "very ugly" ice rink had ridiculed her late husband's memory.
"It was like a bolt out of the blue," Mantovani stated. "I'm sorry the city allowed something like this, because it affects Luciano's image and the respect he deserves. It's just not right."
The situation was exacerbated when Pesaro's mayor, Andrea Biancini, shared an image of the entrapped statue with a hashtag inviting skaters to "give Pavarotti a high five." Following the backlash, Mayor Biancini apologised, conceding the council had "made a mistake." He insisted there was no intentional disrespect and claimed he had been assured the statue would not be incorporated into the rink.
A Costly and Immovable Problem
Despite the apology, the mayor explained that with the ice rink scheduled to open imminently, it was not feasible to dismantle it. He also noted that attempting to move the heavy bronze statue would be prohibitively expensive and risked causing damage.
Il Resto del Carlino poetically described the scene, noting the tribute to the singer—who died in 2007 at the age of 71—now resembled "a stage character who fell into the wrong place and now finds himself directing the traffic of skaters." The incident has sparked a debate about respectful public memorials and the sometimes clumsy intersection of cultural heritage with seasonal commercial attractions.
