Three Tenors Cause Stir For Three Reasons

Good news for Washington State fans of the Three Tenors, who are appearing in Vancouver, B.C., on New Year's Eve: those jaw-dropping ticket prices we've been writing about . . . turns out they are in Canadian dollars, not U.S. currency.

However, the ads and press kits appearing stateside did not say a word about Canadian prices. This means that at a current exchange rate of .722 percent, the remaining tickets range in price from $274.36-$1,263.50 in U.S. dollars.

Maureen Verkaar of Headquarters Entertainment, the Vancouver presenters of the world's most famous opera singers, said the prices are "a great bargain for American readers" because of the rate of exchange. "These are not high prices, especially in comparison with other cities where the Three Tenors are performing," Verkaar said.

Meeting of minds

In London, where the mighty threesome of Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti sang to a crowd of 54,000 in Wembley Stadium on July 5, ticket prices ranged from 35-350 pounds, or about $54.25-$542.50 U.S. dollars. The top VIP concert/dinner seating was 995 pounds, or about $1,542,25.

According to The London Times, 4,000 of the stadium's 58,000 seats remained unsold on the day of the concert - possibly due in part to the uncertain weather. Wembley is an outdoor venue; that's something Vancouver presenters, who have set the enclosed B.C. Place Stadium as the venue, won't have to worry about.

The Three Tenors' arrival in Britain was heralded by considerable front-page fanfare, including stories about their meeting with British Prime Minister John Major and his wife Norma.

According to a front-page story in The Independent, the tenors wanted Major to come to them, rather than meeting Major in his office, while what were described as "delicate behind-the-scenes negotiations" were set up for the photo opportunity. The tenors' representatives reportedly told a "surprised civil servant" in Major's private office that, "The level of security around Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras is too high to allow them to come into central London."

After much debate about "who were the bigger VIPs and who had the more involved security requirements," the tenors' representatives backed down, and the threesome came to Major's office for the meeting and photos.

Birthday is disputed

Meanwhile, back in the Pacific Northwest, a Placido Domingo fan has written to correct conflicting information about Domingo's birthdate that has found its way into some reference books. Bellevue reader Thalia Bolenbaugh, a member of the International Placido Domingo Society (a philanthropic organization based in Vienna), also sent a photocopy of the commemorative plaque on the building in which Domingo was born in Madrid, emblazoned "En esta casa nacio en 1941 el tenor Placido Domingo."

Any disputes about the birthdate, claiming Domingo was born in the 1930s, were planted by Italian fans of the 60-year-old Pavarotti, who wanted to make Domingo look older than their idol, according to Bolenbaugh.

All three tenors, not surprisingly, have huge contingents of fans, and are active as philanthropists in various ways.

Domingo's activism is perhaps the best known, dating back to the 1985 earthquake that destroyed part of Mexico City, where the tenor grew up. Not only did Domingo physically help dig in the ruins, he also canceled nearly a year of long-established operatic engagements to stage a world concert tour to raise funds for survivors and impoverished children (those efforts continue today in an international scope expanded beyond Mexico City).

Carreras, whose successful treatment for leukemia at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Institute saved his life, established an international foundation to fight leukemia, and has funded it with the proceeds of many benefit concerts.

Pavarotti's efforts on behalf of young aspiring opera singers have led to his underwriting a respected international vocal competition and several related activities (including "Pavarotti Plus" televised programs featuring the young winners with the famous tenor).

Their philanthropic efforts could receive a substantial boost from the current Three Tenors tour. In London alone, the box office proceeds topped 7 million pounds (about $10.85 million U.S.).