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Italian Mayor Apologises After Pavarotti Statue Is Accidentally Encased in Ice Rink

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A mayor in the Italian town of Pesaro has apologised to Luciano Pavarotti’s family after the late opera legend’s statue was unintentionally left knee-deep inside a Christmas ice rink. The temporary rink, built in the town’s central piazza, encircled the bronze statue with ice and clear plexiglass walls. Pavarotti’s widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, criticised the setup as an act that “ridiculed” her husband, expressing anger and disappointment at the council’s decision.

Mayor Andrea Biancani admitted the council had “made a mistake” and said he never intended to cause offence. Before the rink opened on 29 November, he even posted a playful edited image of the statue playing ice hockey, using the hashtag #DaiUnCinqueAPavarotti (“Give Pavarotti a high-five”). Mantovani, however, condemned the installation as “poorly executed” and “absurd,” noting that it disrespected the memory of a man who helped elevate Italy’s profile worldwide.

The statue, unveiled in April 2024, honours Pavarotti’s close connection to Pesaro, where he owned a villa and was an honorary citizen. Despite the backlash, the mayor said neither the sculpture nor the rink can be moved at this point but promised that such an incident would not happen again. Pavarotti, one of history’s most celebrated tenors, performed globally with the Three Tenors and famously sang “Nessun Dorma” during the 1990 World Cup. He died in 2007, leaving behind four daughters from two marriages.

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Moulin Rouge: Sails fall off Paris’s famous cabaret club overnight

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The iconic windmill crowning the Moulin Rouge, Paris’s renowned cabaret club, suffered a setback as its sails collapsed onto the street below, causing the first three letters of its sign to also fall off. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported from the incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning.

Despite regular maintenance checks by the cabaret’s technical teams, the cause of the collapse remains unclear. Moulin Rouge director Jean-Victor Clerico emphasized that foul play is not suspected, attributing the incident to a technical malfunction.

While the loss of the windmill’s sails is a significant event, Parisians and visitors alike reflect on the historical and cultural significance of the Moulin Rouge. Established in 1889 at the foot of Montmartre hill, it quickly became synonymous with the vibrant nightlife of Paris, attracting artists like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who immortalized its allure during the Belle Époque era.

The cabaret’s legacy endured through various artistic representations, including Toulouse-Lautrec’s iconic posters and Baz Luhrmann’s film “Moulin Rouge!”, which introduced its story to a contemporary audience. Known for its can-can performances and risqué atmosphere, the Moulin Rouge remains a cherished landmark despite this recent setback.

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Swiss village of Aarwangen in ding-dong over challenge to cowbells

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The soothing sound of cowbells has long been synonymous with the picturesque landscapes of Switzerland, evoking images of serene pastures and majestic snow-capped peaks. However, the incessant clanging of these bells, hanging around the necks of 20 or 30 cows, has become a source of contention in various Swiss communities. Aarwangen, a quaint village nestled along the river Aare with the Bernese Alps providing a breathtaking backdrop, finds itself at the heart of this debate.

With an increasing number of modern residences sprouting up in the village’s vicinity, the traditional farmhouses and their accompanying dairy cows have become a source of disturbance for some new residents. Several families even lodged formal complaints with the village council, demanding the removal of the noisy cowbells during the night. This sparked an intense backlash from longstanding villagers and farmers, who perceived the move as an assault on their cherished heritage.

In a typical display of Swiss solidarity, a petition swiftly materialized, rallying support for the preservation of the cowbells as an integral part of the country’s cultural identity. However, this dispute reflects a broader tension between preserving tradition and adapting to contemporary lifestyles, a predicament exacerbated by the influx of immigrants and differing cultural perspectives. The upcoming public meeting in Aarwangen will determine the fate of the longstanding tradition, while the withdrawal of one complaint and the departure of the other underline the emotional intensity of the cowbell debate.

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