Music Director of both the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and Rome’s Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. 

A tribute by tenor Jonas Kaufmann

Sometimes I really was lucky. For instance, when I got the chance to work with Tony Pappano. When we met way back in Brussels I realised that at the time I wasn’t half as good as to fulfil his expectations. But he always had this wonderful way of inspiring everyone to lift things up for the greater good. Since then we’ve done many things and I’ve noticed that he still is there for us from the first rehearsal, getting to know the production and the singers, in order to help, suggest, support, improve. It’s always exciting, always inspiring and always fun. I will never forget that moment after we had recorded Canio’s monologue ‘Ridi, Pagliaccio’ for my ‘Verismo’ album. ‘We made it, we made it!’ we screamed, hugging each other, laughing and dancing in the studio like kids. Tony is a great musician, one of the species that has become so rare nowadays: a real theatre conductor. And for me he’s much more than that: a tower of strength in the ups and downs of our business. And a very good friend.

Recommended recording