At first, Spike Lee thought the calls from a heavily-accented guy calling himself "Maestro Pavarotti" had to be a hoax.|
"We get a lot of those in our office in Brooklyn," Lee explained on Thursday, at the New York press conference for "Pavarotti & Friends", an all-star concert to be held in Modena, Italy, on June 9. Once convinced the calls were authentic, Lee quickly signed up to direct both the live broadcast for Italian TV and the concert film, which will screen later in the year on PBS.
"I've been brought in to add a little flavor," Lee admitted with a wise-guy grin, although he confessed to some nervousness. "I've never directed anything live before."
According to the beatific, big-hearted Pavarotti, Lee was recruited to craft a "more 'cinema' cut" for the concert film. "Maybe he'll even come out with something a little shocking," he hinted.
Seated alongside Pavarotti, Stevie Wonder explained how the Maestro enticed him to sign up for the third of these concerts, held in Pavarotti's hometown. Naturally, Wonder was morally committed to the cause of raising money to build the Pavarotti & Friends Liberian Children's Village, a "place of recovery" for those orphaned and alienated by Liberia's Civil War.
But Wonder was also impressed by the braille letter Pavarotti sent him, "which was great." Wonder plans to debut a new tune at the Modena show, which he'll sing with Pavarotti. "It's good," Wonder guaranteed, grinning broadly.
Also on the bill for the one-night show in Modena are Jon Bon Jovi, Vanessa Williams, Natalie Cole, Celine Dion, the Corrs, the Spice Girls and Trisha Yearwood, making for a regular musical all-sorts. (The previous shows featured Eric Clapton, Elton John, Sting, Sheryl Crow, Brian Eno, Bono, The Edge and, Simon Le Bon.)
Journeyman Phil Ramone will fill the role of music producer for both the show and subsequent album, which will be released by Polygram's London label in the fall. (Jeff Apter)